David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will pick up where my colleague from Range Lake left off. I learned my lesson yesterday, Mr. Speaker, in talking about documents that are provided from Cabinet to the regular Members, so I will stay clear of some of those numbers that were contained in those documents. The first question I would have for the Minister, and in fact for all of Cabinet really, is didn’t they learn a lesson with the new Yellowknife Correctional Centre, and do they suffer from a case of amnesia? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to use my Member’s statement today to draw attention to an area of our economy that does not always get the respect it deserves. That area is tourism, Mr. Speaker.

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I believe that the Government of the Northwest Territories has to get serious about tourism and the way we market and promote our territory to Canada and the rest of the world. Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories Arctic Tourism Association carries the mandate from this government to promote and market the Northwest Territories. This organization should be recognized for the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to utilize my Member’s statement today so that I can again bring up a topic that has been heavily discussed in this House over the last week. The topic is the tender for 22 mobile homes, which are to be sent to various communities throughout the Territories. The tender was issued by the Housing Corporation and closes this Friday, April 2nd.

Mr. Speaker, I have some very serious concerns with the evolution of this tender, the decision-making process on how and why the business incentive policy was waived on this has not, to date, been fully explained to this...

Clause 3.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I could, I can agree with the Minister on the upper tax bracket maybe being somewhat difficult to pin a figure on because there really is no upper limit to that. But as some Members tried to equate this tax increase, especially for the second highest bracket, to a box of doughnuts, I think that's not right and it's sending the wrong message out to the taxpayers in that bracket. On average, Mr. Chairman, they're going to be seeing an increase of close to $70. So it's not a box of doughnuts, it's a utility bill, Mr. Chairman. I think the residents of the...

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Just to clarify, Ms. Lee's comments do not conclude the discussion on this item, so to the motion.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for that reminder, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to make one last comment. I know there are going to be some difficult decisions to make here. I have a strong stomach and if some of the things he talks about are going to happen here the next couple of years, he will have my full support in that. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Handley.