Michael Miltenberger

Mr. Speaker, we’re talking about a government that’s going to be affordable. We’re talking about looking at revenues that currently haven’t been realized, like trying to grow the population.

We’ve been tasked to try to hit targets. The Members have indicated, through the last process, that doing it all on the backs of reductions of expenditures and programs is not the way they’re prepared to consider. So we’re looking at other options.

So, Mr. Speaker, we’re trying to be as broad thinking about this and as careful and as measured as we can be.

I appreciate the Member’s concern. We have committed to and the Assembly has voted money for a process that we are now undertaking. The plans have been laid out. We’re prepared to work with committee to make sure they’re the best plans possible.

I’d also point out that every year this Assembly, through the work of the committees and the government, votes a budget. If this Assembly makes determinations that the government is too big or that there are changes needed, then the authority to make those changes is here.

We came forward with a number of options last year. There was significant debate...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The revenue options that are being talked about are two taxes that have been referred to, resource taxes. There is potential for payroll tax increases. There is potential for other taxes, like taxing further alcohol and tobacco. We are also looking at revenue options that include signing up for the Territorial Nominee Program for immigration that would allow us to bring, at the very least, 150 new people to the North every year to take the jobs that are currently going vacant. As well, we are looking at working with the mines through the SEAs to start capturing the fly...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe that work has been done, looking at, if not getting rid of income tax completely, a type of flat tax. I can commit to share that information with the Member and with committees.

Mr. Speaker, we have engaged in a discussion. We’ve put out a discussion paper. We’re talking about options. There have been no decisions made. There have been a number of taxes listed. The documents laid out taxes that were there for consideration. The press clearly put a particular spin on it. There is a misunderstanding in some quarters that all these taxes are being basically agreed to.

Nothing has been agreed to. We’re looking at other revenue options like those that have been suggested by other Members. For example, trying to grow the population and bring more wealth, bring more people...

Mr. Speaker, that is entirely in keeping with the comment I made earlier. If we can focus on consumption areas and try not to put too heavy a burden on the income of individuals across the board but make it more focused on areas where there are consumption issues, where there are choices, then that would be better.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve embarked on a revenue options discussion, not the tax increase option discussion. We met; we had a massive circulation and mail out of the papers looking for feedback.

The round table was very productive. It brought together a very interesting group of Northerners from organizations across the North that don’t normally spend a lot of time together to talk about the issue of revenue options. There’s very strong commitment to the North and building the North. There was no unanimity when it came to the issue of, clearly, taxes. I’ll be coming forward with a report...

Mr. Speaker, one of the proposals was a potential $30 levy on all southern air travel. But, clearly, especially with the mines right now, there is a socioeconomic agreement, bilateral in nature, that we are working with. The Minister of ITI is engaged in those discussions, and the issue of the fly in/fly out, having workers in the North, is at the top of the list to assist us.

The estimates are that if we can work closely with the diamond mines, then we can start bringing, we believe, up to 100 workers a year, to have them, in fact, start living in the North, because there is going to be enough...

Mr. Speaker, I don’t have an exact figure, but it would be millions of dollars. The Member for Kam Lake had some numbers that he has used, but it is a significant amount of money. It is leakage south that we want to try to capture and keep in the North.

WHEREAS the Supplementary Appropriation No. 2, 2008–2009 document has been tabled in this House;

AND WHEREAS the supplementary appropriation document requires detailed consideration;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Tabled Document 75-16(2), Supplementary Appropriation No. 2, 2008–2009, be referred to Committee of the Whole for consideration.