Robert Bouchard

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated in my Member’s statement, Hay River needs dredging. I know the Minister of Transportation had federal meetings, including the meeting with the federal Minister of Transportation. Was Hay River dredging on the agenda?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve been here for three years and I’m going to continue to dwell on the issue that Hay River needs dredging. The community of Hay River is the hub of the North. We do a lot of transportation; we have a railhead there. We’ve been asking for many years to get dredging in the Hay River.

It used to be a federal responsibility. We’ve been talking, I’ve been talking, my colleagues have been talking about dredging requirements. This year has been extremely low. As everybody knows, water levels are low everywhere, but now it is a critical situation.

Now we need our government...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As you all know, the residents of the Northwest Territories this summer hit a wall, the wall of cost of living. They’re concerned with the rising cost of living in the Northwest Territories.

It saddened me this summer to hear a lot of long-term Northerners talking about leaving the Northwest Territories because of the cost of living. The low water rates and the potential 13 percent increase in the cost of power was one of those things that basically hit the wall and they said, that’s it, we have a crisis, we need to leave, we’re talking about leaving.

Yesterday the...

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister Miltenberger, any reply?

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. I know the question is very detailed, but we are in general comments. I’ll allow the question to happen and ask the Minister to answer it, but if I could just remind all the Members that we’re in general details and we’ll have plenty of time to ask detailed questions. Mr. Miltenberger.

I will open the floor to general comments on TD 115-17(5). General comments. Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you very much, Mr. Minister. Would the Minister like to bring witnesses to the House?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Finance is looking at things they’ve studied before. They say we’re stable, we haven’t changed anything. That’s right. We haven’t changed anything. We’re looking to promote 2,000 people to come to the Northwest Territories.

What’s the indicator to bring them here? What is the government going to do to promote the Northwest Territories as a place to live and reduce the cost of living? Maybe we don’t have to stay the same. Maybe we reduce the cost of gas taxes so that people can come.

What is the government going to do in the future to encourage people to...

In the cost of living issue currently before us, why would the Minister of Finance not be talking to the federal government about this situation to allow a bigger tax break for Northerners, especially when we have a declining population?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated in my Member’s statement, the cost of living in the Northwest Territories has escalated to a point of crisis. My questions today – and I understand the government is working on an Energy Strategy – will be to the Department of Finance Minister.

My first question is: Has the government talked to the federal government about northern residency deductions and increasing that allowable tax deduction for Northerners so that more money can go into their pockets to assist with cost of living?