Debates of March 2nd, 2017

This is page numbers 2115 – 2164 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was information.

Topics

Oral Questions

Prayer

Progress Statement – Governance: Office Of The Auditor General Of Canada Performance Audit

Online Service Improvements

Pursuing An Agreement With The Federal Government On The Management Of Offshore Resources

Health And Social Services System Transformation Implementation

Snow King Winter Festival

Chief Julian Yendo School Annual Trip To Alberta

GNWT Land Lease Rates

Diamond Mine Environmental Agreements

Community Support In Response To K’atlodeeche Tragedy

Deline Got’ine Library Proposal

Elders’ Residence For Tsiigehtchic

Indigenous Wellness And System Of Care

Health Information Act Implementation

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Elders’ Residence For Tsiigehtchic

Yellowknife Airport Improvement Plan

Diamond Mine Environmental Agreements

New Generators For Yellowknife Power Plant

GNWT Land Lease Rates

Junior Kindergarten Funding

Deline Got'ine Library Proposal

Health Information Act Implementation

New Generators For Yellowknife Power Plant

Diamond Mine Environmental Agreements

Return To Written Question 17-18(2): Impact Of Proposed Aurora College Program Changes

Return To Written Question 18-18(2): Instructional School Hours

Committee Report 8-18(2): Report On The Review Of The 2014-2015 And 2015-2016 Annual Reports Of The Information And Privacy Commissioner Of The Northwest Territories

Motion To Receive Committee Report 8-18(2) And Move Into Committee Of The Whole

Tabled Document 311-18(2): Strategy For Revitalizing The Great Slave Lake Commercial Fishery - March 2017

Tabled Document 312-18(2): Follow-Up Letter For Oral Question 572-18 (2): Social Services Facilities In Downtown Yellowknife

Tabled Document 313-18(2): Letter From Giant Mine Oversight Board Dated February 28, 2017 Regarding Giant Mine Oversight Board Roll Over Provision

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Further Consideration Of The Estimates For Finance

Report of Committee of the Whole

Orders of the Day

Committee Motion 74-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Stewart.

Stewart

Thanks, Mr. Chair. The expectation was that they were going to sunset, but they are actually vacant at this time. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Stewart. Anything further, committee? Seeing nothing, I will call this activity. Finance, human resources, operations expenditure summary, total activity, $19,577,000. Does committee agree?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, committee. Moving on to activity three of five, liquor revolving fund, $63,000 activity. Comments or questions? Mr. Testart.

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The liquor revolving fund, once the legalization of marijuana becomes a reality in Canada, is the department looking at a model similar to this to regulate and tax cannabis production and consumption in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister.

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I do not think a determination or decision has been made on what department this might fall under within the GNWT. I suppose we would have that broader discussion when it actually does happen. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Testart.

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate that, but I would hope that we would adopt something similar to this because we have a great deal of expertise. So can the Minister commit to taking this on under the portfolio of Finance so we have some clarity on who is actually developing the regulations for cannabis in the Northwest Territories? It is coming sooner than we would like to think, for this government it seems, and we should be realizing this opportunity and being prepared for the change and not struggling to pass the buck. So if the Minister could commit to taking this on as a Finance priority? Thank you.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister.

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Yes, the Member likes to throw language like that in there. He knows that this government does not pass the buck, and if there is an opportunity to take a lead on this we will do that because this would more than likely probably be the landing place for it, and I think we have already been doing some preliminary work towards this with the anticipation that this was coming down. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Testart.

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, and thank you to the Minister for that. I do appreciate that we are going to use our existing expertise to assist this new world order, as it would seem, and I know that it is still carries some degree of controversy, but it is something we need to get on with. So with that, I will leave it. Thank you.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Testart. I see nothing further. I will call this activity: Finance, liquor revolving fund, operations expenditure summary, total activity, $63,000. Does committee agree?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, committee. Moving on to activity four of six, management board secretariat. This is on pages 140 to 143, a $63,000 activity. Management board secretariat, pages 140 to 143. Mr. Testart.

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I asked earlier about tax policies or tax changes. My question is more of a policy one, but it is related to this activity, and currently my understanding is that, if we were to change tax rates in the Northwest Territories, that needs to be done by legislative amendment to the Income Tax Act. Is that correct?

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister.

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and, Mr. Chair, the Member is correct. For the income tax, that is what would have to happen. Thank you.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Testart.

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you to the Minister for the clarification. Is there a hard and fast reason for doing that rather than putting tax into regulations so we would have flexibility in adjusting tax rates to meet the needs of economic conditions? We will start there. Thank you.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Mr. Stewart.

Stewart

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I tend to agree with the Member on this. This is part of the reason for the changes to the Child Tax Benefit that are in the Income Tax Act. We are moving some of that from the legislation to regulation, which will make it easier to increase rates into the future. You know, I do not want to call it a historical artifact, but when these pieces of legislation were set up they often had that, and I think the concept that the Member is talking about makes good sense to make it easier to adjust these as you go forward. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Stewart. Mr. Testart.

Debates of March 2nd, 2017

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