Tom Beaulieu

I would like to ask the Minister, along the same line of questioning, if the Minister would do a socio-economic model on what the reduction in, say, social spending would be if the $750,000 was put into small businesses in the communities where there is low employment. The models I have looked at indicate that there could be about 2.5 times the amount of a reduction in social spending on the expenditures. Would the Minister look at doing some sort of socio-economic model on the money that we are referring to pertaining to a 1 per cent reduction in taxes for small business?

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

The White Paper includes several recommendations to improve the CEO's reporting to the Legislative Assembly and to ensure the timeliness of the CEO's advice, which is particularly important when legislative amendments might be needed. Clear and timely reporting requirements have the added benefit of increasing accountability and the information available to the public.

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures recommends that the Elections and Plebiscites Act be amended to:

Require the CEO to submit an annual report to the Legislative Assembly describing work done...

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that, on October 19, 2017, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that this Assembly formally revokes the pleasure of the Assembly from the appointment of the Honourable Louis Sebert as a Member of the Executive Council;

And further, that this Assembly recommends that a Member be chosen to be a Member of the Executive Council.

And, Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time tomorrow, I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to follow up on the responses from the Minister of Finance to the honourable Member from Kam Lake's questions on small businesses. The Minister indicated that a 1 per cent cut would cost the government about $750,000 in revenue. I would like to ask the Minister if he would consider another method of putting the $750,000 directly into small businesses in the NWT. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, committee wishes to consider Committee Report 12-18(2), Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning Report on the Progress Review of the Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019; and Tabled Document 419-18(2), Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019 (Revised). Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, changing gears just a bit. I’d like to ask the Minister if the department has been able to determine the cost of alcohol to the health system in the NWT.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement, I talked about the alcohol impacts of small communities. I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services what is the department doing to address mental health and addiction issues in small communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a great issue with alcohol in the NWT, and a plan needs to be developed on how to strategically deal with addictions, and promote healthy families in small communities in the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I’m looking forward to the revised mandate as well. I know that the mandate document is a very, very big document. Sometimes, you kind of tend to look at the mandate and have a lot of difficulty really prioritizing the mandate. There is a lot of and it’s a huge document. The larger the mandate gets, the priority the each of the items get.

For me, I look at the mandate and I apply certain things that I’ve come here to do. I come to the Assembly and then I always said and I feel that any mandate items that provide employment to our citizens and in across the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, early this month, the federal government committed to providing $204 million to support First Nations and Inuit communities to improve mental health services. I’d like to ask the Minister if his department is up to speed on that and if they are going to be accessing any of that money over and above what’s coming directly to the GNWT from the federal government. It seems to be a special type of an announcement aside from that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.