Debates of February 14, 2005 (day 35)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Property Assessment and Taxation Act is nearly 20 years old. A lot has happened in our territory since the act was passed in 1987. Land claim agreements have been signed, we’ve divided from Nunavut and there’s been a tremendous surge in resource development with much more on the horizon. The Property Assessment and Taxation Act has not kept pace with these changes with our policy goals or with best practices across the country.

In the last few years, there seems to have been a general consensus that it needs to be rewritten and updated. There have been band-aid amendments from time to time to deal with specific issues, but the act has never been revisited. In March of last year, I welcomed indications to the Committee of the Whole that MACA would be doing a full review of the act.

Like other taxation legislation, PATA, as it’s called, is a policy instrument. It needs to be designed to complement our view on things like what school and community programs and infrastructure we want to have and how we would pay for it, what share industry, small businesses and residents should pay and what defines agricultural land assessment and which sectors of our economy need a break so they can grow to their potential.

There was a need to bring clarity to the process of assessing larger parcels of land within the NWT, especially lands related to agriculture. Practically speaking, it needs to be written in a way that allows taxpayers and administrators to make sense of it. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time today, I will be asking the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, for an update on this important initiative. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause