Michael Miltenberger

Mr. Speaker, the most immediate example I can give is the electrical rate restructure was done that, in fact, lowered the price of commercial power in the Member’s communities in his riding by many cases 30, 40 or 50 percent and would have, in our hope and our plan, to have an effect on the food basket costs. That is probably one of the single biggest things in the life of this Assembly that has been done, an issue that has bedevilled Assemblies since before the 13th Assembly where we have tried to deal with the issue of the power rates to push for a one-rate zone but that particular decision...

Mr. Speaker, first, to reassure the Member, tomorrow we are going to give third reading to the budget bill and it is going to get assent by the Commissioner. In that bill, there are no new taxes.

There is work being done, as we discussed it in the House today with Member for Weledeh, in terms of the Greenhouse Gas Strategy. There was a roundtable held by the group Mr. Bromley was part of on looking at having further discussions on the carbon tax. All that work is going to be pulled together and it will be there for the consideration for the 17th Assembly and then there will be very careful...

That’s going to be part of the challenge. As we look at, for example, the federal approach to P3s, they have a fairly high threshold of $50 million. We’ve heard the concerns from the committee that in the North that’s going to put most projects out of reach. That’s one of the areas where we have to come to a final agreement on.

The Member has touched on a key point in terms of the risk and the tangible benefits. We do have an extensive list of feedback from the committee that we received in December and that work is still being reviewed in looking at how we can incorporate it into the policy going forward.

Thank you. We appreciate the Member’s point and we are of the same mind, that whatever we do has to be tailored and reflect the realities of the Northwest Territories as an individual and unique jurisdiction. We are doing the work in both areas, both on the Finance side and Environment and Natural Resource side, to pull together the best information that’s available so that we can set all the pieces in place for the incoming Assembly to make an informed decision, hopefully as quickly as possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have with me the deputy minister of Finance, Margaret Melhorn; John Monroe, the director of fiscal policy; and Mr. Ian Rennie, legal advice and legislative counsel from the Department of Justice. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am here to present Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act. This bill is the result of our collaboration with the Department of Justice and the Canada Revenue Agency to ensure the NWT Income Tax Act remains harmonized with the federal act pursuant to the Tax Collection Agreement between the two governments.

Besides minor changes in terminology, the proposed amendments relate to the following:

revising definition of “adjusted income” for the purpose of calculating territorial Child Tax Benefit;

Child Tax Benefit entitlements in a shared custody situation;

deductions...

Yes, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Friday, March 4, 2011, I will move that Bill 25, Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), 2011-2012 be read for the first time.

I give notice that on Friday, March, 4, 2011, I will move that Bill 26, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 5, 2010-2011, be read for the first time.

I give notice that on Friday, March 4, 2011, I will move that Bill 27, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2010-2011, be read for the first time.

We’re anticipating to start with the one and we’re still working on partnership arrangements with the federal government to get us up to three. Thank you.