Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, some work has been done by a company that was contracted by the Department of Finance to begin the process of looking at what can be undertaken in a review. We have yet to make a decision if it will be a full-blown review or if we would look at segments of it, but we are still in that process. We should be making a decision soon as to what degree we will go. If we, for example, put a panel together to look at all the issues and make recommendations on what avenue we should take, or if we would just use our normal process of getting some input and then...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again in how we would go about dealing with the Liquor Act review process, we would have to look at how we got that input; if it was in fact allowing for funding to go out to agencies to come and make presentations or, in fact, if we do a process where we go out and get their input. So we have to look at it. Cost is one area of concern that we have to look at for this whole process, but at the end of the day we want to ensure we have a Liquor Act that is up to date, that works for both sides of the equation in the sense of managing the sales and taxation...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated earlier, the work that has been done hasn't given us enough information right now if we should, in fact, look at splitting the act and look at one, for example, truly on the business side of the liquor equation, or if it continued along the same lines with some strengthening of areas and updating of the old legislation that is there today. We are in that process. The first phase, in a sense, has been done with the contract that was let and a report that is coming forward. It is actually in draft stage now, I believe, in the final stages. From a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, No. 2, be read for the third time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Frame Lake, that Bill 6, an Act to Amend the Payroll Tax Act, 1993 and the Income Tax Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill would amend the Payroll Tax Act, 1993 to increase the rate of the payroll tax. The bill would also amend the Income Tax Act. Alternative versions of the amendments to the Income Tax Act are included because Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, No. 2, also amends the provisions of the Income Tax Act relating to individual income tax. Both versions of the amendments would amend...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think we should also say that Members are involved in, for example, setting the priorities of this government, what are high priorities. So it is not all about cutting, we are still spending $1 billion in the Northwest Territories. So it is how we spend that billion dollars, what are the high priorities of this Assembly, and we will take those and look at areas of lower priority and do some shuffling of the deck. That will include involvement from Members, we need that input. We have heard comments already on some of the areas of importance here. A...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again the actual work that would begin on the business plan process doesn’t begin until June. There are a number of broad strategies that Members are aware of when we talk about what we will do with the effectiveness and efficiency of our government overall, with the partnerships that we want to work on and develop in the Northwest Territories. So there is already input at that level. Mr. Speaker, for the Members, there will definitely be a process that they will be involved in, and as Minister responsible I will be seeking information from them as we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is a high priority for the Department of Finance. We’ve highlighted that, brought it forward as we begin our legislative planning process. So it is a high priority for us and I intend to do the work necessary to bring it forward and try to have that dealt with in the lifetime of this Assembly. As the Member stated, this is a very old act, there has been some work done on it in the past. It is a high priority and we intend to move it forward as best we can. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I stated, I did meet with the Liquor Licensing Board here in Yellowknife a number of weeks ago and discussed a number of things such as mandate, goals, a number of their concerns over who has authority over the budget, how things were working, communications. I said I gladly open the door to having a good, healthy working relationship. It caught me by surprise that the letter indicated the resignation of the chairperson.

As well, Mr. Speaker, I think we will be proactive. Number one, the Department of Finance has the Liquor Act under our authority and we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are a couple of events happening that I would like to make mention of here before heading back home. One, Mr. Speaker, is that the Inuvik Ice Devils hockey team an oldtimer’s hockey team from Inuvik has just traveled down to Ottawa to take part in the 2004 World Cup. This event is an event of oldtimers’ teams from across Canada and international teams as well. Mr. Speaker, if I wasn’t in this forum, in this arena, I would be joining the team and hopefully helping them along. But I am wishing that they are successful. They have already had a...