This is page numbers 6187 - 6288 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 3rd 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 public.

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Bill 42: An Act to Amend the Petroleum Products Tax Act
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st, 2019

Page 6284

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the comments that are being made. I feel compelled to stand up and speak to whoever is left awake in the Northwest Territories at this late hour and let them know because the messaging that they have been getting is: we have been letting some of the negative messaging get out there. We need to not do that. We need to not play politics with something as important as this.

I have heard someone say that our Premier signed onto this Pan-Canadian Framework, and he agreed that we need to come up with a made-in-NWT approach. I believe we did. I believe we did. We did exactly what we said we were going to do. They recognized the uniqueness of the challenges of the Northwest Territories, so we worked with them to come up with an approach instead of just going with the stream, going with the current, sometimes, which is the easiest thing to do as we have seen so many times.

We had a public engagement. We went out to the public across the Northwest Territories. We tabled a "what we heard" document. You can pick and choose things out of there. Of course there are going to be comments in there, truthful comments about "We don't want a tax." They are being honest. A lot of comments in there about "Okay. We are going to be taxed, but we are worried about cost of living." We tried to take steps to address that.

I hear the comments about "Well, this jurisdiction that. This jurisdiction that. This jurisdiction that." I heard a number of comments about the Yukon. They are providing $11.7 million in rebates to individuals. Northwest Territories is providing about $18.5 million between COLO and the point of purchase rebate on heating fuel. They also provide rebates similar to NWT COLO. However, they are not rebating the carbon tax on heating fuel, which results in the NWT, in my opinion, being superior.

By providing a point of purchase on the carbon tax on heating fuel, this ensures that those who pay the carbon tax, like homeowners who pay all their bills, receive the rebate. It doesn't require the resident to pay the carbon tax upfront. This applies to businesses, as well. They are not required to pay the carbon tax on the heating fuel upfront because, if they had to, they would have to pass those costs on to someone. Who would they pass them on to?

We recognize what this carbon tax is supposed to do. It is supposed to do our part in helping to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions on the planet. We will do that. We also have an obligation to the people of the Northwest Territories that we are going to try and do what we can to protect them and their well-being and not have things to a place where it is so high that they consider moving out.

I have heard both the work that another jurisdiction is doing with the mines. One jurisdiction referenced, "Provide 100 percent rebate to the mining industry." How can we say we do that? Our system rebates about 84 percent. Some of that rebate is tied to greenhouse gas reducing initiatives. The jurisdiction in question is also not investing very much of their carbon tax, if any, into energy initiatives. Our government is expecting to invest about $8 million annually in energy initiatives with carbon tax revenue.

Municipal and Indigenous governments will receive some money under another rebate but will pay the carbon tax on all fuels. In the NWT, our community governments and organizations will get the point of purchase rebate on carbon tax on heating fuel. This is expected to save NWT community governments $1.1 million in carbon tax.

Electricity rates will also be protected for the community governments. Businesses in the Yukon are being rebated some money. In the Northwest Territories, businesses are being supported through the purchase rebates on heating fuel, which in our climate, as we all know, is a big cost driver. Let's face the reality here. It is a big cost driver.

My understanding from the information I got is that Nunavut and NWT Chamber of Mines doesn't agree with the Canadian Mine Association's position on carbon pricing.

We have done a lot of work. We have done the public engagement. We have listened to them. We have heard what they had to say. For anybody to stand there and say that this government is more concerned about rebates and that, we are trying to do our part in reducing the greenhouse gas emission. We will continue to do that. We have had a lot of energy initiatives that have been funded by this government. We have a lot of energy initiatives that have been partially funded by the federal government in their attempt to reduce the greenhouse.

Let's not use this as political pandering, Mr. Speaker. I mean that seriously. This is something that is very serious. I commend those who have said that, as hard as this is, "I am going to bite the bullet. I am going to support this." Because of the two options, I believe what they told me, first of all: I believe our plan is better.

I will continue to defend this because, at the end of the day, the bottom line is: we need to do our part. Even though our emissions are quite low compared to the rest of Canada, we will do our part. We have to. We have to. Our climate is very important to us. Let's not sound like it is, not to this Minister and the people he represents and the Indigenous people that he is a part of. Don't tell me that.

Again, I will go back to the fact that I commend those who have said this is a hard decision that they have to make. I have said that already, and I will say it again.

Mr. Speaker, it might look good, saying, "I am opposed to a carbon tax. I want to delay the carbon tax." It is going to be implemented. We have been told that. It is going to be implemented. It might look good politically to say that, but reality says that this is going to be implemented, and I will not take a chance on the well-being of the people of the Northwest Territories by playing politics with something as important as this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 42: An Act to Amend the Petroleum Products Tax Act
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6285

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. To the motion.

Bill 42: An Act to Amend the Petroleum Products Tax Act
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6285

Some Hon. Members

Question.

Bill 42: An Act to Amend the Petroleum Products Tax Act
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6285

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Question has been called. All those in favour, please stand.

Recorded Vote
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6285

Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer

The Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, the Member for Hay River South, the Member for Thebacha, the Member for Mackenzie Delta, the Member for Sahtu, the Member for Nahendeh, the Member for Deh Cho, the Member for Nunakput, the Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, the Member for Range Lake, the Member for Great Slave, the Member for Yellowknife South.

Recorded Vote
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6285

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. All those opposed, please stand.

Recorded Vote
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6285

Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer

The Member for Hay River North, the Member for Yellowknife North, the Member for Kam Lake, the Member for Frame Lake, the Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Recorded Vote
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6285

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. All those abstaining, please stand. The results of the recorded vote: 12 in favour, five opposed, zero abstentions. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 42 has had its third reading. Third reading of bills. Minister of Finance.

Bill 43: An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6286

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 43, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, be read for the third time; and, Mr. Speaker, I would request a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 43: An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6286

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. The Member has requested a recorded vote. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Bill 43: An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6286

Some Hon. Members

Question.

Bill 43: An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6286

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Question has been called. All those in favour, please stand.

Recorded Vote
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6286

Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer

The Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, the Member for Hay River South, the Member for Thebacha, the Member for Hay River North, the Member for Mackenzie Delta, the Member for Sahtu, the Member for Yellowknife North, the Member for Kam Lake, the Member for Nahendeh, the Member for Frame Lake, the Member for Yellowknife Centre, the Member for Deh Cho, the Member for Nunakput, the Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, the Member for Range Lake, the Member for Great Slave, the Member for Yellowknife South.

Recorded Vote
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6286

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Even my clerk is getting tired. All those opposed, please stand. All those abstaining, please stand. The results of the recorded vote: 17 in favour, zero opposed, zero abstentions. The motion is passed.

---Carried

Bill 43 has had its third reading. Third reading of bills. Minister of Lands.

Bill 46: Public Land Act
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6286

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 46, Public Land Act, be read for the third time; and, Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 46: Public Land Act
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6286

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. The Member has requested a recorded vote. The motion is in order. To the motion. Member for Frame Lake.

Bill 46: Public Land Act
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6286

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I know this has been a long night, but I do owe it to my constituents to tell them where I stand on this bill. This is one of the few pieces of post-devolution legislation that was not co-drafted. We established that for the record here earlier in this House. I believe that this bill was too rushed. It was not what was promised. There were to be sets of amendments for administrative purposes to the Commissioner's Land Act and the Northwest Territories Land Act, and we ended up with a bill that merged the two systems.

The most egregious part of the bill, Mr. Speaker, in my opinion is that it rolls back mandatory financial security for commercial and industrial land uses. That provision has been in place since 2011 in the Commissioner's Land Act. The Minister could not provide any evidence whatsoever that this has created a problem or issue, and I would have thought that the lessons learned from the Giant Mine a few kilometres down the road would dictate that we continue to keep that sort of provision in place.

Now, I've spent probably 25 years of my life trying to fix up the mess that's down the road, and I don't think this bill is going to make it any better. In fact, it rolls back protections that we already have in place for the environment and our taxpayers, so I will not support the bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 46: Public Land Act
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6286

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. To the motion.

Bill 46: Public Land Act
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6286

Some Hon. Members

Question.

Bill 46: Public Land Act
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6286

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Question has been called. All those in favour, please stand.

Recorded Vote
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6286

Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer

The Member for Thebacha, the Member for Hay River North, the Member for Mackenzie Delta, the Member for Sahtu, the Member for Yellowknife North, the Member for Kam Lake, the Member for Nahendeh, the Member for Yellowknife Centre, the Member for Deh Cho, the Member for Nunakput, the Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, the Member for Range Lake, the Member for Great Slave, the Member for Yellowknife South, the Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, the Member for Hay River South.

Recorded Vote
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6286

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. All those opposed, please stand.

Recorded Vote
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6286

Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer

The Member for Frame Lake.

Recorded Vote
Third Reading Of Bills

August 21st

Page 6286

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. All those abstaining, please stand. The results of the recorded vote: 16 in favour, one opposed, zero abstentions. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 46 has had its third reading. Third reading of bills. Mr. Clerk, orders of the day.

Orders Of The Day
Orders Of The Day

August 21st

Page 6287

Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer

Orders of the day for Wednesday, today, August 21, 2019, at 1:30 p.m.:

  1. Prayer
  2. Ministers' Statements
  3. Members' Statements
  4. Returns to Oral Questions
  5. Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
  6. Acknowledgements
  7. Oral Questions
  8. Written Questions
  9. Returns to Written Questions
  10. Replies to the Commissioner's Opening Address
  11. Petitions
  12. Reports of Standing and Special Committees
  13. Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills
  14. Tabling of Documents
  15. Notices of Motion
  16. Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills
  17. Motions
  18. First Reading of Bills
  19. Second Reading of Bills
  20. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

- Bill 45, Corrections Act

- Committee Report 29-18(3), Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Perceptions Held by Northern Businesses toward the Government of the Northwest Territories' Procurement Processes

- Committee Report 32-18(3), Standing Committee on Economic Development Committee Report on the Process Used for Devolution Legislative Initiatives

- Committee Report 34-18(3), Standing Committee on Social Development Report on the Review of Bill 45: Corrections Act

- Minister's Statement 151-18(3), New Federal Infrastructure Agreement

- Minister's Statement 158-18(3), Developments in Early Childhood Programs and Services

- Minister's Statement 211-18(3), Addressing the Caribou Crisis

- Tabled Document 442-18(3), 2030 NWT Climate Change Strategic Framework 2019-2023 Action Plan

  1. Report of Committee of the Whole
  2. Third Reading of Bills

- Bill 34, Mineral Resources Act

  1. Orders of the Day