Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Northwest Territories has a unique program to help senior citizens and disabled persons in our communities. The Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act provides for tax exemption for eligible individuals to assist with their needs and help them remain in their own homes as long as possible. This well-intentioned law came into force in 1988 and the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has been reviewing it throughout the better part of my political career. A review and amendments to this act are long overdue.
Currently the act discriminates between eligible persons living in general taxation area communities and municipal taxation area communities. In the municipal taxation area you can only receive an exemption if the co-owners of the property are also eligible applicants or dependents. So if you are 67 but your spouse is 63, you are not eligible for tax relief until both of you have reached the age of 65. Likewise, if you are disabled and a co-owner of your home is not, you do not qualify for a property tax exemption. In the general taxation area there is no such condition.
This policy is extremely unfair. This benefit should assist the elderly and disabled members of our society regardless of their living arrangements. Just how many senior citizens and disabled persons are the sole owners of their homes? How many people give up the opportunity to work full time so that they can care for a member of their household who is disabled and requires extra help in their older years? We have a small population and we should be able to provide assistance to those who are less able to provide for themselves.
Time and energy went into proposing changes to this act in the last Assembly, but we need to do more than just talk about the issue. Amendments to this regulation/legislation are long overdue. These changes may require more public consultation and lead to debate, but that is what we do here. We work to make legislation in the best interests of the people of the Northwest Territories. Changes to this act must come forward so that we can provide reasonable, equitable benefits to residents who are among the most vulnerable in our society.
Mr. Speaker, we should adopt some of the slogans of some corporate entities, like “Get ‘er Done,” the Royal Bank “Can Do,” the Athletic Shirt “Just Do It.” Mr. Speaker, let’s get ‘er done. Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
