Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government is taking a two-track approach to this particular issue. The amendments to the Dog Act are being worked on, there’s a legislative proposal expected in November that will be ready by a review by committee and, hopefully, introduction in the winter session. That will give some immediate relief and more authority to the people dealing with issues of animal cruelty. At the same time, Justice is at work doing the necessary preliminary work on a whole new piece of legislation for animal cruelty, keeping in mind that our legislative cycle takes, on average...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to inform the Legislative Assembly that at the appropriate time later today I will be tabling the Department of Finance’s Strategic Action Plan 2009-2012.

This document is the first strategic plan for the new Department of Finance, which was created on April 1st of this year by combining the previous Department of Finance and the Financial Management Board Secretariat. It is a milestone in that it represents the first strategic plan for a central agency department in this government.

The new department’s role in this government is multi-faceted. As a central agency, it...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Government of the Northwest Territories will employ all the contracting standards and regulations that are there to promote maximum northern involvement in all these projects. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Margaret Melhorn, deputy minister of Finance; Russ Neudorf, deputy minister of Transportation.

When the Member mentions leading the charge, of course, I think of the charge of the Light Brigade into the Valley of Death of 600. But, yes, we will play a leadership role and we will pull together an integrated comprehensive package, recognizing that some work will get done in time for this budget, but any significant restructuring of our tax system is going to take time to do the work and the consultations and hopefully reaching consensus, so that if it’s not ready for this budget, it will be ready for the budget of ‘11-’12.

We would be prepared to look at all of the suggestions. I am not prepared to negotiate the contents of the upcoming budget in the House. At this point, there have been lots of recommendations made. We are looking at trying to maintain tax levels, so we are looking at things like tax shifting, recognizing, as well, it’s a delicate balancing act.

The other concern is if you continue to raise taxes at the high income level as well, you have trouble attracting people when they look at the tax regime and where is the best place for them to come and provide their services. We recognize the pressures...

I will be talking about this issue with my Cabinet colleagues tomorrow morning and we’ll look at what’s possible and is there an ability to use existing legislation from other jurisdictions modified to the northern reality and not have to do this from scratch to see what’s possible. Thank you.

A full briefing on both these particular pieces of legislation has been offered to committee and the folks stand ready to sit down with committee to be able to go through in detail both pieces of legislation, the amendments to the Dog Act as well as the new legislation and the work that the working committee has done. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Floyd Roland will be absent from the House today and tomorrow to attend a meeting of provincial and territorial Ministers of Aboriginal Affairs and leaders of national aboriginal organizations in Toronto, Ontario. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to proceed with third reading of Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Petroleum Products Tax Act. Thank you.