Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a couple quick questions on this activity on the revenue. As the Minister is aware, we’re currently doing the Health and Social Services Professions Act. This act is currently in committee and I’m sure will be coming back to the House. That said, with the potential regulation of a number of new professions that will be affected in this fiscal year, I’m surprised to see that the amount of professional licensing fees has remained the same from the revised of last year to this year.

Does the department not consider the fact that there will be a lift in registration fees...

Thank you, committee. We’ll commence after a short break.

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Good afternoon, committee. I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As many are aware, the 2015 Canada Winter Games are in full swing in Prince George, British Columbia, and our NWT delegation is in sizzling hot pursuit of medals. But it’s just not medals that our athletes are competing for, but for the chance to do their best and celebrate in friendship through sports.

Many have been following the opening ceremonies and some of our early events that are being featured on Facebook, Twitter and through media coverage, and I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of our delegation. So proud that I want to do a shout out to my Range...

I guess the question is: Does the government see the potential benefits of increasing the amount of wage dollars going to those most vulnerable on the low end of the wage scale? Does the government or the department not see a benefit of not only raising the average wage, which we did, but also take a look at a combination of also putting more dollars in people’s back pockets by adjusting the cost of living tax credit?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to thank the Minister for replying to the majority of my opening comments. On page 148, it does list in the taxation column both for tobacco and fuel tax, we see a very modest and actually very insignificant I call it decrease in the revised estimates to the main estimates. In fact, it’s almost statistically insignificant when you factor in an audit component.

That being said, if we look at the statistics we are getting from the Department of Health which clearly indicates that the smoking rate is going down, the number of smokers is going down, so just by virtue of...

So, how will Members know the findings of this audit? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister Miltenberger.

Madam Chair, I have no further questions.

I appreciate that response. So, for the sake of fullness here, four out of the 11 outside wholesalers, these are wholesalers that are established outside the border of Northwest Territories. Is this the first time that this government has audited these outside wholesalers? Thank you.