Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you, Madam Chair. Does the Minister have the answer to the question previously when the tax rate was at 14 percent, what was our revenue from the corporate income taxes?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am in favour of raising the rate, but there is one thing in the Minister's opening statement that kind of interested me about developing alternatives to the current approach to the tax effort. I was just wondering what the Minister meant with that. Sometimes I get the feeling that it's up to us to come with unique solutions to our fiscal problems, but perhaps the government is going to have to do their own thinking as well. I'm just wondering if there are some alternatives that they have been contemplating, Madam Chair.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I, too, rise and I would like to talk about the business incentive policy. That is of great concern to residents and businesses I represent in the Nahendeh riding. They have indicated to me that they want the BIP enforced and used at all times. It was put into place to recognize the high costs of our northern contractors who have to endure year-round costs where southern competitors don’t pay taxes here or have overhead. The North is a great place to live, but if we don’t keep and utilize the business incentive program, the whole of the NWT will just become a...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With regard to that specific area, it's something that Fort Liard is interested in. They were quite pleased with the results of the meetings and negotiations that happened in the fall, and they wish to keep the momentum in that area. That is just to advise the Minister with that regard. Thank you. That's all the comments I have, too, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Minister anticipated my next question, which basically was if they felt it served the GNWT to consolidate some of the activities in other departments. I was wondering if these other departments would feel sort of left out, I guess, if they did give up some of their direct input with Aboriginal Affairs in the negotiations. I was just wondering if there is interaction between the departments and sharing of information, or have there been any instances where they were tripping over each other.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just with respect to Aboriginal Affairs, I did note that there were some functions with regard to Aboriginal Affairs and many of the departments. I'm just wondering if the Minister was looking at that and somehow got some plan to kind of consolidate Aboriginal Affairs maybe under this very same department.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I don’t know if this is going to take agreement by committee, but under other expenses, under 5-11, I just require maybe a written breakdown for the benefit of the Members of the other expenses without really going back to that page. Can the Minister provide that?

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just a breakdown for other expenses.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think under initial discussions we're talking that there won't be like a lost position, it will eventually get back to Fort Simpson. I just want the Minister to confirm that, if that was our previous discussion.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just general comments with respect to POL moving the management employee from Fort Simpson to Yellowknife. I'm just wondering how much of a function we have in Yellowknife POL, especially when we have a headquarters in Fort Simpson. For the Minister, Madam Chair.