Jane Groenewegen

Thank you. The bill as a whole?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Listening to the news, I also realized that MPs, some MPs, I’m not so sure about our MP, but some northern MP representing a northern region has also raised this in the House of Commons recently as well. I think that we need as large of a voice as possible on this particular issue, and so I would appreciate if our government could also engage those who are elected who are also trying to achieve this goal as well, to reinforce our case. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. To the motion.

Thank you, Mr. Blake. General comments on Bill 3. Detail?

As a government we have talked extensively about the cost of living in the Northwest Territories. When the GST was first introduced, we tried to have the GST exempted in the Northwest Territories. That did not work. That would have been an administratively burdensome thing for the federal government. The Minister regularly meets with his federal and territorial counterparts and, in fact, there’s a pan-territorial meeting on issues as well. Is this something, as a cost of living relief measure, that could be put on the agenda of the next meeting he attends with Finance Ministers or other...

Question is being called. Motion is carried.

---Carried

Does the committee agree?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance; Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Human Rights Act; Committee Report 1-17(3), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2010-2011 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories; and Committee Report 2-17(3), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2010-2011 Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission Annual Report, and would like to report progress with eight motions being adopted...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As announced in the recent federal budget effective this past June 1st, the Government of Canada will be raising the duty-free exemptions for cross-border shopping. Canadian residents who have been out of the country for 24 hours will be able to bring back $200 worth of goods duty free. This current exemption is only $50. The exemption for trips of 48 hours or more will increase from $400 to $800 worth of product duty free.

For the majority of Canadians who live within a few hours of the U.S. border – which is most of the country – this is a real tangible benefit. It...

Question has been called. The motion is carried.

---Carried