This is page numbers 345 - 392 of the Hansard for the 19th 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 going.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. I guess I will start on one of my favourite topics, and that's the lack of transparency with regard to the carbon tax. Here, on page148, we have carbon tax offset for 2021 at $22,988,000. On the next page, it's a different figure. It's out by maybe $12,000 or something. Should those be the same? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister of Finance.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. I was just confirming that the difference between the two that is the amount that is used for administration of the tax, so there is a portion that goes towards administration and not only to the offset. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. Maybe the main estimates are not the greatest place to actually lay out what money is collected and what it is actually used for, but where would I find in the budget what amount is actually rebated and what amount we actually retain? Is that anywhere here in the Department of Finance? Did I miss it somewhere? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister of Finance.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think I have made a previous commitment in another forum to do a better job of reporting on that and to ensure that those reports are made in a timely fashion. Indeed, I also think that I may have made a commitment, at one point or another, to take the draft document before preparing the report to committee so that they can have some input on what that report is going to look like. I expect that commitment is going to be fulfilled very soon so that reporting can be done in a way that is transparent and is as useable and functional as possible. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. Just generally in here, though, I see that the carbon tax offset is about $23 million, and some of it is, I guess, used for administration, or some portion of what is collected is used for administration. I guess, I look over at the revenue page, and maybe I'm not supposed to be looking over on page 134. I see it looks like we raise about $28.739 million of carbon tax and that we give back about $22.98 million in offsets. How much do we actually retain? How much are we actually going to retain this year, and what is it going to be used for? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister of Finance.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Madam Chair, thank you. I believe that there is approximately $5.8 million in carbon tax revenue available that is to be directed towards investments that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, at this point, the process of how those are being allocated is still part of the business planning process, so it's not allocated within the main estimates that are in front of committee right now. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. Thanks to the Minister for that. Does that money actually technically go into the consolidated revenue fund, or is it actually set up as a separate fund or revolving fund? I think I know the answer, but I just want to get this on the public record. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister of Finance.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. It is part of the consolidated revenue fund. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. Yes, so this is part of the problem. I tried to get this fixed in the last Assembly, and it's not. This is basically money that is at the complete discretion of Cabinet and doesn't even have to be used for energy investments. It can be used for whatever Cabinet wants to use it for, I guess, as approved by this Assembly. Do we actually have any rules yet set out for how the grants are going to be accessed? I know I asked the Minister in the House back in December about this issue. Are those rules or guidelines in place yet for accessing the grant money that is available? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister of Finance.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

February 28th, 2020

Page 362

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, I am alive that the Member has previously spoken about this topic, and I believe that I have previously made commitments to ensure that the draft materials for seeking those grants and for making application for those grants would be provided to committee for input before being finalized. I believe I will be completing that commitment in the very near future. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. I really look forward to getting that and some kind of improved reporting around the monies that we collect under the carbon tax, what it's used for, and then, how effective, if any of it is being reinvested, it is in terms of reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. I think that's what we owe to the public, and whether there is any sort of resulting change in fuel consumption behaviour patterns and so on, and, as a result of that, whether there are any greenhouse gas reductions. That is the kind of information that I think we owe to our public to report on.

There are some questions that I have on the Heritage Fund, Madam Chair, but I am going to leave that until we hit the schedule further down into the department. I think that is all I have for now. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Are there any other comments on the Management Board Secretariat? Member for Kam Lake.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Let me know if I'm in the wrong section here, but I do notice that there is some mention of some P3s on here. We have the Mackenzie Valley fibre link on here. I am just wondering what the process is for us entering into any further P3 agreements. Is it solely at the discretion of the Minister? Is it a Cabinet decision? Does that decision ever come through this side of the House? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister of Finance.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 362

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Madam Chair, there is a detailed policy, and it is a complex process, one that I have been familiarizing myself with, but in the interest of everyone's time, I will ask the deputy minister to provide some further detail. Thank you, Madam Chair.