Thank you, Mr. Kalgutkar. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, even though the property is not in production, they still have all their assets there, the valuation of the assets have changed because they're not in production? I understood that property taxes were assessed based on your assets on the ground, not whether the facility is operating or not. Could I just ask whether that assumption is correct? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Mr. Kalgutkar.

Thank you, Mr. Kalgutkar. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. It's interesting. I just don't understand why the -- all the same assets are there, some of them may not be used, why they're not valued at the same rate. But I'll accept the information as presented. It just seems rather strange to me.

The other question I have is about corporate income tax. We have wildly fluctuating amounts here. Last year the predicted revenue was $40 million, but only $25 million came in. This year the projection is for $60 million. Can the department tell me why these numbers keep going up and down and what we're doing to try to stabilize revenues from corporate income tax? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Mr. Kalgutkar.

Thank you, Mr. Kalgutkar. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. That sounds like a good way of increasing the predictability. I was also hoping, though, that the department might be looking at other forms of taxation, like a capital asset -- or capital investment tax and so on to try to have a more stable source of revenue, but I think that's a debate for another day.

I have one other question about taxation. I was at a meeting recently with the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority, and people there raised the issue of a tax on sugary drinks and noted that, in Mexico, when such a tax was brought in, it reduced consumption by 15 per cent. Is this something that the Department of Finance is looking into or prepared to look into? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister McLeod.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, it's not something that we are looking at, at the moment. However, having said that, we are going into business plans in September. We have three weeks, I believe, with business plans. There'll be opportunity there for us to have that discussion with Members on a way forward. We look forward to having that discussion because we have seen some of the numbers that the Member references. So we'll have that discussion with Regular Members when we go through our business plans in September, and we'll plan a course of action from there. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I look forward to having that discussion, as it is not so much raising the revenues. I think we want to look at trying to promote a healthier lifestyle and providing some incentives for folks to do that. I look forward to that discussion the next business plans. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you Mr. O'Reilly. Minister McLeod.

The Member made more of a comment. But we, as well, look forward to having that discussion. I can see where he is coming from. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Any further questions on page 138? Mr. Vanthuyne.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wonder if the department or the Minister could give us a little bit more detail and explanation on the line item of the investment interest. It appears over the last couple of years that it has been decreasing. So maybe an explanation on what it is and what we are invested in and why this seems to be decreasing over the last couple of years? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister McLeod. Mr. Kalgutkar.

Thank you, Mr. Kalgutkar. Any further questions, committee, on page 138, information item? I see none. We move to page 139, active position summary, information item. Any questions? Are we agreed?

Brings us back to page 137. Finance, bureau of statistics, operations expenditure summary, activity total, $1,002,000. We will also defer this and move on to page 142. Active positions, information item. Any questions? I see none. Back to page 141. Bureau of Statistics, operations expenditure summary, total activity, $1,002,000. Are we agreed?