Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, trying to give you the exact figure of how many of the employees are GNWT employees that would fall into that bracket, there are probably a significant amount. As to the actual going forward, there are a number of factors that would come into play as a government how we would go forward, in either a negotiation setting or just in our cost measures that we have to look at going forward. But it's hard to try to estimate or predict what might be on the table and what issues are there, the type of increase they will use. The cost of living will be a...

Thank you, Madam Chair. The current approach on the tax effort, as we've stated and stated to the federal government and put our arguments forward on is that it's not working in the Northwest Territories. Looking at alternative approaches is what we've been pursuing with Finance Canada, and we have had that agreement now with the news from Minister Goodale that they would forego that rebasing exercise for one year, and allow us that one year to come up with some work on the tax effort factor. We are starting to look at how we can develop something different than what is there now and, of...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, once that supp is approved because it is an ongoing commitment, it then becomes part of the base of the Department of Health and Social Services. So you would see an adjustment from the 2004-05 mains. There would be revised mains which would incorporate those, and then the estimates for the 2005-06. So it would be wrapped up into the base and forward from there. Thank you.

I take the Member’s comments. As we go forward, we will be sharing the information and building into the business plan process on the initiatives we set forth as government and how we are going to save the next $20 million. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We are a little bit better than middle of the pack, when you take a comparison to other jurisdictions. There is one at 4.5, one at three percent, and we're at four. I think there are only actually three lower than us in the small corporate tax area. I'm corrected: two. So we're third lowest in the small corporate tax area. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am unable to speculate on the matter of what we are looking at in the future in timelines. I am unable to do that at this time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I thank the Member for his comments. The discussion about alternatives is something that as a government we will have to look at to see how we can stimulate growth in a way that still protects our base. So there are initiatives looked at, the suggestion is made, we've already started to do some work to see where we can go as a government in those areas. Again, it's critical that because we're a small jurisdiction with a very small tax base, we will have to look carefully at the impacts not only through the effect of the formula, but just on the base...

Thank you, Madam Chair. To my immediate left is justice representative Rebecca Veinott; to my immediate right is Deputy Minister Margaret Melhorn; and further to my right is Mr. Gerry Gagnon, director of tax policy.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, this situation started back in January 2000. The Federation Franco TeNOise filed a lawsuit in the federal court claiming that the GNWT, the Legislative Assembly and the Official Languages Commissioner failed and continue to fail delivery of services in French at a level adequate to meet its alleged obligations under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. So that is what started this process. To date, including what we have estimated for 2004-05, we are looking in the neighbourhood of just over $800,000. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. To my far right is Mr. Gerry Gagnon, manager of tax policy; to my immediate right is Ms. Margaret Melhorn, deputy minister; and to my immediate left is Rebecca Veinott from Justice. Thank you.