Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On this last day for Members’ statements for a while I would like to give voice to comments I have received in response to the revenue options paper put out by the Finance Department. The comments were many, and they were thoughtful and included questions such as: “Where is the analysis of the impact of cutting jobs on the GNWT finances? Why are suggestions from knowledgeable people being ignored, and why is critical research absent? Why are cost reduction mechanisms nonexistent?”
But to the suggestions, Mr. Speaker. First and foremost, I received a consistent message that an increase in taxes is the wrong way to go. To quote one writer, “A focus on taxes is completely missing the boat.”
Having said that, there is support for certain taxes, such as applying a surtax to companies that fly their employees in and out of the Territories for work; increasing the payroll tax while at the same time increasing the northern residents tax deduction as an offset; creating a road tax for resource development companies; raising corporate taxes, particularly for the mining industry; increasing the so-called sin taxes and make liquor and cigarettes very expensive; and lastly, instituting a 6 per cent hotel tax.
In addition, I heard concern about the cuts that residents expect will be part of the 2009–10 operations budget. Two more quotes for you: “Take a planned, comprehensive approach to cutting the public service” and “The last effort was inadequately considered and prepared.”
We need to reduce our expenditures, no question, and our residents accept that, but they feel there are other actions besides job cuts that will accomplish the objectives. Their ideas: cut out wasteful government spending; decrease or eliminate print ads in newspapers and magazines; file annual or other reports electronically instead of by hard copy; eliminate non-critical jobs as they become vacant; establish a committee of frontline GNWT staff to identify cost savings; put in place the necessary agreement with the Government of Canada to allow us to nominate new immigrants, especially in the areas of medicine — doctors and nurses — and skilled tradespeople; establish an employee incentive program to reward staff who identify significant operational savings.
I will finish with one last quote, Mr. Speaker, which we would be well advised to heed: “In budgeting, reduce harm and improve services for the needy. Make this your one rule, and you will achieve social justice.”
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
