Robert Bouchard

We’ve been talking in this House about generating more people in the Northwest Territories. Would it not be an incentive for people to stay in the Northwest Territories if that payroll tax was 5 percent? Can we increase the payroll tax to 5 percent, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Finance today in relation to my statement on payroll tax.

How much of the $42.7 million collected in payroll tax is paid by NWT residents and what percent of those residents can get their payroll tax back? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My only other question would be with these individuals, when we assess them… I’m looking for residency. If they are in a facility that is in the South for an extended period of time, do they ever become residents of that jurisdiction? That’s the main question. Do they stay NWT residents for the entire stay there? They could be there for life. We continue to pay from the NWT, but really they are residents of the jurisdiction. Would they be somehow put into a queue for that jurisdiction? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess I’ll have one question about the Hay River Health and Social Services Pension Plan. My colleague was asking about rolling them into the GNWT. I guess the Department of Health is working on this. Do we have knowledge about what other departments, such as Finance, would be involved in the assessment of this, or are we using outside pension people to give us an estimate on what the cost will be?

Like I indicated, I don’t have a problem with the demolition in Inuvik. I’m just wondering what other projects were deferred. What list do we have of this type of project that we selected from and Inuvik was chosen? Were there any other projects that were high on the Public Works and Services list to spend that $900,000?

I’m just wondering: obviously, the Department of Public Works and Services has been able to scramble together the money to do this and I’m not debating the merit of the demolition of this unit. I guess the question is where the money is coming from and how many other departments do we know of that have this type of a surplus sitting waiting for a project that they can transfer to any department or use for themselves. I guess, where are the checks and balances as far as when there is money that hasn’t been accounted for? Where would we see that in a reporting process?

I guess the question is Public Works had the demolition budgeted in this amount, or did they have this in their budget for other things and this is a surplus? If I can get detail where Public Works is finding $1.4 million.

Thank you, deputy minister. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Minister Beaulieu.