Kevin O'Reilly

Thanks, Mr. Chair. That sounds like a good way of increasing the predictability. I was also hoping, though, that the department might be looking at other forms of taxation, like a capital asset or capital investment tax and so on to try to have a more stable source of revenue, but I think that’s a debate for another day. I have one other question about taxation. I was at a meeting recently with the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority, and people there raised the issue of a tax on sugary drinks and noted that, in Mexico, when such a tax was brought in, it reduced consumption by 15...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I don’t want to prolong this, so communities can use the funding that they get from MACA, which has incrementally increased, and that’s a good thing, and I know even in this budget, but they can use those funds to support their participation in water licensing and whatever? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. That is helpful. I notice in the notes over on page 160 that it talks about an Environmental Liability Fund. Further down, there is a Liquor Revolving Fund. There is a report on that. It is $26 million. Should there be a page for this Environmental Liability Fund so that we could understand what our liabilities are? How we are paying them off, so to speak, by paying money to remediate sites? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Even though the property is not in production, they still have all their assets there, the valuation of the assets have changed because they’re not in production? I understood that property taxes were assessed based on your assets on the ground, not whether the facility is operating or not. Could I just ask whether that assumption is correct? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I notice that there is a contribution that took place in 2014-15, Management of drinking water in the NWT for $50,000, but there’s no further funding provided for that purpose. Was that money that we received from another order of government, or are we continuing to support the function in some other way? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am just looking at the environmental liabilities line here. Back in 2014-15, it was $25 million and change. The remaining numbers are $2 million. Can someone explain to me what is happening there? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Sorry, I just didn’t hear the last few words about why the payroll tax projections show a decrease in revenues. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am just trying to understand the scope of this research. Is the department looking at a total review of the CTV Act or just this specific very small change that is being requested to allow the tax-based municipalities to have the authority to use local improvement charges for this very specific purpose? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair, and I apologize. I should have asked, the Northwest Territories Heritage Fund is on this page, and it’s in our mandate that there’s going to be a review of that legislation undertaken. I’m just wondering if the Minister can tell us when that is going to begin. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Under the taxation list here, there’s a bunch of revenue coming in and there’s a couple of trends I’m just wondering about here. Personal income tax has been higher back in 201415, but the projection here is that it will continue to increase, even though we’re in tough economic times, so the personal income tax is increasing, but, payroll taxes, the projection is that there’s going to be a decrease. I’m just wondering if someone from the department can explain these two contrasting trends? Thanks, Mr. Chair.