Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is the GNWT willing to put, sort of, money where their mouth is and start to make a commitment to the engineering and the environmental assessment on this particular project so we are able to get this off the ground so when the federal government does get off and make a decision and finally agree that this is an important highway to connect people and families and certainly put industry together and create a window of opportunity for people to go to work?

Is the GNWT placed in order to be able to respond in a timely way to these important things? Thank you.

I think I was reading in the Huffington Post a few weeks ago about how important connecting communities to road infrastructure is and how it changes the life when it comes to cost of living. It adds benefits such as regular fuel supply, regular grocery supply and certainly family connections. I could go on about the merits, but the question really is when can we expect to see it in the capital plan to help lower the costs of communities like that, that are so close to the highway? We could make a real difference and a dent in the cost of living in their lives. We should be on this.

If we estimate that this could take – one day is $40,000 – six weeks, that’s almost $1.7 million. This is certainly an expensive meter running at the cost of the NWT taxpayers.

Is the Minister able to update us at all other than what the media report has already covered out there? Otherwise, we’re just sitting in the dark not knowing what’s happening and it’s very difficult to deliver any type of accountability on this particular initiative. It’s not about criticism, it’s about transparency as to what’s happening and what will taxpayers be on the hook for. Thank you.

Thank you. What’s the anticipated cost of this particular problem that we have going on right now? Can the Minister qualify the additional cost it’s going to run? Although he’d pointed out how we’re going to pay for it, let’s find out exactly how much we think it’s going to cost. Thank you.

Thanks, Mr. Speaker. I too wish to acknowledge and recognize a couple constituents. First off, Ms. Julie Green, a well-known person here in Yellowknife for her many activities. Thank you very much for your hard work. I believe Grant Gowans is still a constituent of Yellowknife Centre, if he hasn’t moved and, of course, if he’s still up there. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’ll just speak briefly. A few weeks ago I raised the issue of wanting to see further support from the department through the Arctic Energy Alliance for doors and windows. Since that time I’ve learned that there is an extremely small, I wouldn’t want to even call it meagre because that would sound like there’s something, but there is an extreme sliver of support for insulation, and I think we could be doing a lot more. I have yet to hear back from the Minister as to what the department plans to do or how they plan to move forward on that initiative.

Again, as I talked...

I’m not talking about every industry. I’m talking about ones that we’re spending a fair bit of money in. We’re spending $80 million on the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Optic Link, which is a great thing. Well, let’s support that with a tax structure that supports new investment. New investment means new taxation opportunities. If people don’t invest money, we don’t have taxation opportunities, no growth. That’s what I’m talking about.

So what is wrong with developing a climate that encourages new investment, which would be new taxation opportunities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions will be to the Finance Minister regarding taxation policy. A communication company has approached the Northwest Territories government and wanted to talk about creating a better or more appropriate taxation environment for investment and communication equipment and they’re trying to expand throughout the Northwest Territories, but at this time the monopoly seems to have all the corners covered and it’s very discouraging for a new business or a small business to invest in the NWT if the taxation climate isn’t favourable or reasonable or certainly one that is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again, I say to my very senior Member across the way, who probably didn’t hear me for various reasons, I don’t know why, I’m saying let’s create a tax holiday for infrastructure investment that’s new. I gave a targeted sector such as the communications sector a way to help stimulate new growth. I’m not talking about lowering the business tax on any other sector, for any other reason on anything. I’m talking about creating any investment climate, such as a tax holiday.

Quebec can do it. They have the courage to attract new investment. Let’s target sectors that work...

I appreciate that because I’d hate to see the Minister wrong twice, so I’m really glad we got through that.

The Quebec government has worked very hard to create a taxation scheme that develops and accelerates private sector investment in their economy through strategic sectors they’ve targeted, such as industry, manufacturing and data processing hosting. They realize focused tax opportunities create investment.

What is this government doing about creating investment in targeted sectors for growth? Thank you.