These statistics don’t match, and clearly, the tobacco tax revenue shortfall makes even less sense.
Let’s take a moment to summarize all this information today. First of all, when it comes to the data of smoking, Stats Canada reports different numbers than the GNWT. Why? Our Department of Health reports very little data on smoking and so much is left to the imagination. Why? Our actual tobacco tax collection, according to public accounts, is way off in the 2013 Main Estimates. Why? Finally, the smoking gun question I ask every session: Why does our Finance Minister continue to ignore the issue of the tobacco tax self-reporting loophole, especially from southern wholesale distributors?
The only one who can shine light on this mystery is our Minister of Finance, and I’ll have questions for him later today. Mr. Speaker, I will be tabling supporting documents as well. Thank you.