Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Finance can stay standing if he’d like.
My question is on revenue options. Specifically, in this case, one of the things I always hear back when I’m trying to come up with innovative ideas is that the cost of tax collection is prohibitive. Right now the federal government collects our taxes for us. If we take it on, is the Minister investigating what the actual cost of that tax collection would be so that we can make an informed judgment on whether that’s a valid response or not?
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’re considering, as we look at potential taxes that were laid out in the options paper, that the new ones would probably require new legislation. As well, depending on which tax it is, it would require a new collection and administration. So, yes, those are issues that we have to factor in and subtract from the potential gains from those types of taxes.
I’m hoping that this side of the House will be able to see the results of that exercise too. Is the Minister looking into revenue options that were not in the revenue options paper? Are his officials looking into other options perhaps as a result of the round table? If so, what are they?
We’re reaching out to Northerners for all and any advice they would care to give us. For example, the Territorial nominee program for immigration was not specifically listed, I believe, in the options paper. It’s something that we’ve been discussing. Same with the better application of the socio-economic agreements to the mines to get fly in workers to actually live in the North. So, yes, we’re looking for all ideas that could help lead to that.
In the two day round table there was significant longer term discussion about how we better market the Northwest Territories, how we sell the great advantages, how we list things and let people know about health programs for seniors and social or financial assistance for students. They have given us advice and identified issues we know are issues; for example, housing for staff in communities.
The exercise was positive enough that all the members present agreed — and I committed to this — that we would meet from now on for the life of this government at the same time next year here in Yellowknife. We’ll meet to go over what has been done, what the landscape is, how we move forward and how we keep factoring in that particular advice we are getting from all the folks from across the North so that we do it on a more planned, consistent way and not just when we are being squeezed for money.
I think the Minister semi-anticipated my next question. There are, as he mentioned, just less than a couple of weeks left. It happens to coincide almost with the federal election.
Are there any particular areas that our public should be aware of that you are interested in comments on that you have not heard from them on? This is an opportunity for our public to hear about that, and I think we’ve had some response on that. If there are any comments on how the public can best focus their comments on areas that might be most fruitful, this would be a good chance to hear about it. Thank you.
The area that is of most interest, the preferred vehicle for everybody we talked to, is the area of new revenue that is not going to come from taxes. The things we have talked about are in terms of the population growing carefully and developing revenue streams in a broadened economic base. For example, the Minister of ITI would be glad to talk to you about the recent diamond cutting operation that has set up an operation in Yellowknife. It is an opportunity that has been realized.
Those are the types of things that I think people are keenly interested in. They tell us as well as the government to control our cost, which, as I have indicated in my fiscal update, we are planning to do.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Time for question period has expired. Mr. Bromley will have a final supplementary.
Interjection.
Thank you. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item 8 in Orders of the Day.
Unanimous consent granted.
