Debates of October 17, 2006 (day 9)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Premier, Mr. Handley. It gets back to my Member’s statement that I made earlier in terms of what the real state of the economy here is in the Northwest Territories. For a territory of 42,000 people with an economy that’s grown 71 percent in the last number of years, to be losing people is very, very concerning to me and concerning to a lot of residents here in the Northwest Territories.

I would like to ask the Premier if the government has a strategy to deal with the migrant worker issue. The reason I ask this question is we are losing $200 million. That’s just an estimate on my base of about 2,000 migrant workers that we have here. I would like to ask the Premier that question, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 108-15(5): Economic Development And Migrant Workers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are a lot of different reasons why our population is dropping. We haven’t seen the analysis from Stats Canada, but I understand it’s something like we have 700 people less than we had at the last census. Part of it is people having smaller families. Part of it, Mr. Speaker, has to do with cost of living. Those are issues we have to deal with as well. Some of that is availability of land and that’s another issue we are dealing with. Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of reasons why. There are a number of initiatives our departments are undertaking to keep the cost of living within reason, assuming that is one of the main reasons why people are choosing to live outside of the Territories in many cases and rotate back and forth.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 108-15(5): Economic Development And Migrant Workers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, is the government currently working with industry to try to find some ways to keep people here? There has been many of us on this side of the House over the past three years who have suggested ways and means to try to attract people and retain people here in the Northwest Territories. For instance, a tax-free zone north of 60 has been suggested, tax deductions have been suggested, we talked about putting the revenue from resource royalties in trust. That hasn’t gone anywhere either. I would like to ask the Premier that question. Where is that at, Mr. Speaker? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member’s question is with regard to what we are doing with industry and that falls within the responsibility of the Minister for ITI. I will refer it to him. I recognize that he also carried on with some discussion about fiscal issues as well. I will leave it to the Minister of ITI to respond. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 108-15(5): Economic Development And Migrant Workers

Mr. Speaker, thank you and thank you to the Member for the question. Obviously, we are concerned about leakage from the economy. I have had a number of discussions with the chambers of commerce around the Northwest Territories. As the Members opposite know, we had a proposal we were taking to some stakeholders with regard to the elimination of the BIP and the reduction of corporate taxes. There are a number of goals here that we had set with the interest of becoming more and more competitive. We have recognized, Mr. Speaker, if we're going to develop macroeconomic policy and do it in a way that’s adequate, we're going to need some horsepower and some people on the ground who can do some of this work. The Minister of Finance is developing a unit. I think it’s this kind of work that needs to be done if we're going to set a policy framework that helps us stop this leakage and keep the business in the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 108-15(5): Economic Development And Migrant Workers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is a question, a group of questions that is paramount to the government in its totality. That’s why I am asking the Premier those questions. I would expect that the Premier would be able to answer those questions that I am asking, Mr. Speaker. Again, my colleague, Ms. Lee, asked the Premier, produce some evidence that you have asked the federal government and the federal government has put us on the radar. Where is the proof? Where is the evidence? We have stood up here time and time again and asked the government to suggest things to the federal government. We never get any proof. Where is the proof that they have asked the federal government about a tax-free zone here, tax reductions? Where is the evidence of that, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 108-15(5): Economic Development And Migrant Workers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said, I will provide the evidence that I have in terms of the questions that we have put forward, the commitments made by the federal government and I will provide that to all of the Members. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.