Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a resident of Weledeh, Tracy St-Denis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to follow up on my comments yesterday regarding our need for revenue to fund our programs. Some jurisdictions worldwide have done precisely what this government says is impossible. Deriving meaningful public benefits from their non-renewable resource extraction, they have built programs and heritage funds that are the envy of the world, through higher taxes and resource revenues, while pursuing progressive policies aimed at mitigating unintended, harmful effects of exploitation activities.

Norway is perhaps the best example we’ve all heard about. Thanks to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, February 16, 2015, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that the Legislative Assembly strongly recommends that the Department of Health and Social Services clarify procedures for Stanton Territorial Hospital employees to follow when violent incidents occur, including procedures expressly for the use of physical restraint in these cases;

And further, that the Department of Health and Social Services direct Stanton Territorial Hospital management to hire security personnel with recognized...

Obviously, the Minister has got a hope and a prayer for revenues, but I think we need a little more than that. You know, the hope that people are going to move here because we want them to move here is not going to get us what we’re looking for. We need some real action on revenue. Increasing taxes on bad behaviours, or sin taxes they’re called, are always popular and we’ve done a little bit of that. The increased revenue is useful and any decreased demand on costs of the bad behaviour is welcome.

The inclusion of fossil fuel use for energy generation and transportation could be considered in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to follow up on my Member’s statement today with questions to the Minister of Finance. This government definitely needs increased revenues if it’s to shift to a sustainable foundation and continue providing a sufficient level of services and programs to people it serves. We’ve heard of a plan to attract 2,000 new souls to the North. To date, we have seen neither the plan nor the souls.

The global economy is, understandably, stalled and our big investments in giant infrastructure provide little economic return. Five percent on $2 billion worth of diamonds...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have a revenue problem. It’s no surprise that when the Minister of Finance was gathering views of NWT residents during his Budget Dialogue 2014, no one called for lower taxes. Indeed, some suggested increasing revenues through smarter taxation and improved royalties.

The need for investment in sustainable energy infrastructure, home retrofits, early childhood education, adequate housing, job training and addictions is obvious. Expenses are going up. How can we address this need? Shifting to a smarter tax approach is a good start.

Reducing taxes on low and middle income...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate the opportunity to speak here on housing and the Housing Corporation proposals. I’d like to recognize, first of all, the 2014 NWT Community Survey. These five-year surveys are a huge tool, sort of an evaluation tool, a monitoring tool and I know have played an important role in pointing the Housing Corp towards problem areas. I think the data reflects a job well done in many of our small communities, most of which have shown some significant improvement. That has not been done without big challenges, and I recognize the effort that has been put in to make...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. I agree this is complex and there’s a complexity to this that can’t be addressed in this format, but this Minister is not coming forward with discussions on revenue generation. We’re not having any of that. There’s no analysis being done. To do analysis requires an unbelievable effort on part of committee. Currently there is no tax levy on natural gas and propane in the NWT. The Mackenzie Valley Pipeline, had it gone ahead, would have been powered on natural gas without a penny of tax collected by this government, and this situation, this...

I think the fibre optic line is a good project and probably our best and, unfortunately, our only example. The 400 jobs the Minister speaks of are obviously far beyond any estimates I’ve seen provided by Cabinet, but I do support that project.

Obviously, the GDP that the Minister mentions is a false measure. It has been well recognized as a false measure. We know that over half a billion dollars, the Minister tells me, in wages are being sent out of the Northwest Territories. That all goes to the GDP, right? So how real is that?

One possible enticement for people who might be considering a move...

A better balance is needed. The resources of the North belong to the people. They are valuable and they are being exploited with too little public benefit for owners of the resource.

A revenue tune-up is long overdue, but I acknowledge it will take courage to get it done. Mahsi.