Mr. Speaker, the federal backstop is not going to be providing individualized COLA payments -- or individual payments based upon communities in the Northwest Territories. More likely than not, and I can't say for sure because I don't know what they're going to do. I certainly had no control over the fact that they decided to change their program to remove the fact that they're being a connection to the pricing signal, remove the exemption for heating fuel. That was entirely a federal decision. If we put ourselves into that, into their system, we have even less control over what happens with the revenues that are generated from Northwest Territories residents. What we've done, Mr. Speaker, is try to find a way to look carefully at every one of our communities, take in the division of those 33 communities, looked at their average costs from carbon tax, estimated what the costs would be now under the new federal system, and design a program where the individual and average cost to each resident can be met using a zone system, which was an idea brought forward by my colleagues on the other side. I'm happy to have it, especially with respect to the High Arctic communities. So the zone system of providing COLA payments back to them will indeed address that very issue. Mr. Speaker, Nunavut is not going to be -- they're going to also have to phase out their system. Mr. Speaker, Yukon sees everyone getting the same. If you're outside Whitehorse, you get an extra 10 percent. That won't meet the needs of the residents in Nunakput if we give them an extra 10 percent. It can be much more nuanced under our system, Mr. Speaker. And I'd be happy to review every single one of the average payments per all 33 communities with any Member of the House or provide that charting to this House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Caroline Wawzonek on Question 1316-19(2): Petroleum Products and Carbon Tax
In the Legislative Assembly on February 8th, 2023. See this statement in context.
Question 1316-19(2): Petroleum Products and Carbon Tax
Oral Questions
February 8th, 2023
Page 5129
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