Robert C. McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled "Northwest Territories Waste Resource Management Strategy and Implementation Plan." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. We designed a program that would mitigate the impact to the people of the Northwest Territories, the cost of doing business in the Northwest Territories. Like I said before, the easiest thing we could have done is nothing and let the government decide what's good for us, like they have been doing for a long time. Those days are over. I've said before, to delay this to the 19th, we need to come up with a decision. Do we just stop what we do and say, well, federal government, you take over because nobody wants a carbon made-in-the-North approach to carbon tax, and...

I take the Member's point, because we are from a region where there is still a lot of traditional activity that goes on. They depend on the funds received from a lot of these auctions to finance their upcoming season. One of the ways that we do help them, though, is with the Grubstake Program, which is one of the better programs that are offered to those that continue to live a traditional lifestyle. We don't anticipate any changes to the normal timelines, and I think the plan is on track and will be available in and around September 15th.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair, and I will be very quick. The easiest thing for this government to do would have been to say, okay, well, we will do nothing. We had a lot of people working on this, trying to mitigate some of the impact, but the easiest thing to do would have been to just sit back, do nothing, and let the federal government put their backstop in. Then this government would have been accused of not doing anything and letting the federal government just come in and impose their backstop on us without trying to work for the people of the Northwest Territories and help mitigate some of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories made a mandate commitment to develop a strategy for improving the way that waste is managed in the Northwest Territories.

Waste management is a shared responsibility, and improving waste management in the Northwest Territories requires a collaborative approach that considers the diverse interests of all groups producing and managing waste.

After extensive engagement, I am pleased to share that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, together with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, has completed and...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am done.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As I said earlier, any type of motor fuel is going to be subject to the carbon tax. I have to point out that with the heating fuel and propane, 100 percent rebate comes to about $9.5 million dollars. That is a substantial amount right there. We worked with Canada. We came up with an approach that we thought would be beneficial. Nobody likes a tax. That is the way a lot of people see this.

What people out there need to understand is that there is going to be a carbon tax regardless. If our approach is not used, there will be a federal backstop, which I believe will be not...

No, Mr. Chair. That does not because they would be using motor fuel to haul the heating fuel. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We can't know for sure. Our intention is that, once we deal with Bills 42 and 43, if approved by the Legislative Assembly, then our approach would be implemented on September 1st. Then, we would have some other provisions in the second bill that we are dealing with to deal with the interim payments on the cost of living offset. As far as writ goes, we are under the assumption that we are going to work to try and get our piece of legislation passed so our approach would be implemented on September 1st. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Not at this point. We didn't contemplate that at this point, but there may be opportunities in the future. We don't know; right? We don't know, but at this particular point, the direct response to the Member's question is "not at this point." My interpreter can interpret that.