EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
At that time their minister stated the majority of people with a total income of less than $66,000 will benefit from the combination of changes to the Payroll Tax and the Personal Income Tax and the cost of living credit.
My question to the minister is this: can he confirm that Nunavummiut in the lowest, in the two lowest tax brackets, will not have to pay any more tax?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Tootoo. Minister of Finance.
Yes, that is my understanding as far as I can understand that’s the way it is.
I certainly hope that those people in the lower tax brackets are not affected by that if that understanding is correct; those are the people that can afford it the least.
Mr. Speaker, while our government always seems to be short of funds to pay for improvements to programs and services, we appear to have no shortage of funds to hire outside consultants to come to Nunavut to work for the government in various projects on a contract basis.
Mr. Speaker, I understand that the legislation, the Payroll Tax applies to wage and salaries, but not necessarily to the kinds of fees that are paid to consultants which are issued by the Government of Nunavut on a contract basis for their work.
My question to the minister is this: how will this Payroll Tax Plan capture a measure of revenue of this type of individual that just seems to be, on some cases making $500 a day or more, and they don’t pay any taxes here?
You know, there’s numerous, numerous of these types of individuals working for the government themselves.
So I’d just ask if he could explain that.
Hon. David Simailak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I understand the question of the member and it’s a good question, but I have to talk to my officials to understand those consultants, and how exactly it affects them in regard to the Payroll Tax.
I would have to be able to consult my staff first before I can make a clear explanation to the member and I will get back to the member on his question.
Question 344 – 2(3): Federal Administration of Food Mail Program (Peterson)
The Premier met recently with the Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Jim Prentice.
We learned from testimony that the federal minister gave before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development on November 2, that he met with the Premier on November 1. One of the topics that he discussed was the Federal Food Mail Program.
Mr. Prentice made the following statement to the standing committee. I’ll quote, “I have some questions about how the Government of Canada administers this program. Frankly there are questions whether the Government of Canada should be the one administering this program at all.
There is a public government in Nunavut that perhaps is best able to administer that.”
My question for the Premier: I’d like to ask the Premier what his position is with respect to the Federal Food Mail Program and which level of government should be administering it.
I advised the minister that we are open to assuming the responsibility provided that the resources follow with the responsibility.
So I advised to him that we are quite open to it and there is room for improvement and there is room for cost savings as well for the program and making sure the perishables reach the communities on time and with less spoilage of the perishables. So that was the focus in my meeting.
I am hoping we can improve the program for all Nunavummiut. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The federal government recently announced that it has finally completed its review of the point of entry issue in the Kivalliq region. There is a press release on November 3. My question for the Premier: can the Premier tell the House today whether he pushed for further reviews for the Baffin and the Kitikmeot?
Hon. Paul Okalik: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I advised the minister that there is room for improvement that there has to be a logical point of entry into Nunavut to improve the program and to decrease spoilage of perishables that arrive in the final destination.
So that was the focus for our meeting and I was very glad to see that we at least had an impact on changing the point of entry for the communities in the Kivalliq and we hope to see more changes and improvement to the program for the people of Nunavut.
The Premier is likely aware that Canadian North Airlines has filed a complaint to the Canadian International Trade Tribunal concerning INAC’s award of the food mail contract. This issue was raised at the Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated AGM last week here in Iqaluit.
My question for the Premier: can the Premier tell us what the Government of Nunavut’s position is in this matter?
Hon. Paul Okalik: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We weren’t involved in the contracting so it would be…I don’t know all the details.
It is a matter between the department that administers the program and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and Canadian Airlines.
So we haven’t really looked at it as it is a matter that has to be determined by the parties.
As I indicated in my initial question, the Premier met with Minister Prentice earlier this month and as we all know Minister Prentice has significant impact on how we do operations up in Nunavut.
My question for the Premier: when he met with Minister Prentice, what others issues did he discuss and what commitments from the federal government did he achieve?
Hon. Paul Okalik: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The main focus of the meeting was on devolution and the territorial funding formula. The issue of food mail came up when he was discussing possible changes to the program and I was making sure that the program will continued.
And on devolution the focus was on the mandate that will be assumed by the negotiator and hopefully we can work with the mandate that can speed up our discussions on this file.
And as always our funding formula is one of the top priorities at this point before the federal government brings on their budget in the spring. So hopefully we can get some assistance that we badly need as a government.
So there are other issues that we discussed but those were the primary ones.
Question 345 – 2(3): Funding for More Social Workers and Mental Health Workers (Evyagotailak)
My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services.
In my Member’s Statement today I talked about the needs for more social workers and mental health workers in my community of Kugluktuk.
Can the minister tell me how her department decides how many social workers each community in Nunavut will receive funding for?
Right now, there are social workers in every community and there are mental health workers in most communities.
The one thing that we are trying to do in addressing recruitment of social workers in our communities is train social workers through the Cambridge Bay Social Work Program. At the same time we started this past year a Mental Health Training Program that is offered in Iqaluit and our hope is to recruit the graduates coming out of those programs to fill some of the positions in our communities.
Right now the way we look at allocation of PYs is basically dedicating a PY to each community. Some of the restraint that we are under is around budgets and limitations of budgets, but presently there are social workers in every community.
One of the other things that we are looking at as a department is the functions of each social worker.
We have been examining the work that the social workers carry out, and in the past have done work in, to a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Justice to provide probation services. We are looking at the kind of work that the social workers are dealing with and trying to address some of the increases in case loads by examining some of the functions that they carry out.
Thank you madam.
In the past with that, just not long ago you have probably heard that there were quite a few suicides that were happening and we had quite a few community meetings also and this came up.
My constituents in Kugluktuk have told me that the community needs more social workers and mental health workers; can the minister tell me what her department is doing to address the concerns of this community?
Mr. Speaker, recognizing that there is a need to provide mental health services as well as social work, I mentioned earlier that we are also trying to train Nunavummiut to take on some of those positions within our own territory and recruiting those individuals to various positions in the community.
During some of the crisis in Kugluktuk this past year, our staff had met with the community. As well, the regional office had provided assistance to Kugluktuk, in trying to address some of their needs and had met with local staff, the municipality, and the community to extend the support the community was requesting at the time.
Having said that, we continue to examine ways how we can deliver more of those programs in the community, like I said earlier, by examining some of the work load of each social worker and trying to distribute positions throughout the Nunavut territory based on the increases in case work.
Question 346 – 2(3): Turbot Fishing (Arreak)
I would like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for Economic Development and Transportation.
In regard to his statement on turbot fishing, I would like to ask the minister what percentage of it is allocated to Nunavut businesses.
Minister responsible for Economic Development and Transportation, Minister Akesuk.
The turbot fishing quota in 0A and 0B is distributed through the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board as to which they will get from which quota.
So it is the responsibility of the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board as to the weight or the quota that they will get, but we try and make it beneficial for all of Nunavut.
They are very capable of fishing, and there is enough turbot.
Can the community of Clyde River or Qikiqtarjuaq be assisted if they want to open a fish plant in either of those communities?
The community has to do a feasibility study to see if the fish plants would be operational and depending on how successful it would be, if it can make money. Those are the things that the government would need to do research on, so that it can sustain itself in the future, if we were to open up another fish plant in Nunavut.
If they have to do a complete study, and with enough fish around, is the government prepared to do a study at this time?
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): If we’re talking about turbot, if they are able to manage and operate fish plants in the communities, if we were to build one, we would have to support those as the Government of Nunavut.
We can look into this further as to how it would be.
If it would succeed, then we would fully support having a fish plant.
Is he agreeing that they will do a study on a fishery whether it would be profitable or beneficial?
Minister of Economic Development and Transportation, Minister Akesuk.
My apology if I misunderstood you Mr. Arreak.
The government has agreed to assist the communities but we would have to work very closely with those communities.
The organization that is responsible for quotas would have to be involved too.
Question 347 – 2(3): Arctic Sovereignty (Barnabas)
Mr. Barnabas (Interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
(interpretation ends) Earlier today I spoke of the unique role that Grise Fiord plays as Canada’s most northerly community in the country and a living example of protecting Canadian sovereignty in the High Arctic.
Just as an example, earlier this summer an unexpected and illegal visitor arrived in this community by the way of a small boat traveling across Baffin Bay from Greenland.
I am happy to say that this criminal was quickly detained by Grise Fiord residents and was recently sent to jail for violating Canada’s Immigration Act.
Even though there are military bases in Eureka and Alert and Thule in Greenland, Grise Fiord played a critical role in this man’s capture.
I would like to ask the Premier what recent discussions has he held with the federal government on the topic of sovereignty and the plans for protecting the High Arctic from intruders.
Hon. Paul Okalik: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have tied in the sovereignty issue with the Prime Minister on devolution and assuming control of all the resources in the High Arctic to support sovereignty in those waters.
That is something that we’ll continue on to try to deal with, devolution, on a government to government basis. At the same time I had a recent meeting with my northern colleagues here in Iqaluit and we affirmed that sovereignty should not just be about military installations and hardware. There are people and there are Inuit that live in the High Arctic that require a standard of living just like the rest of the country.
So that is the position that we have taken with our federal government and that is the position that we will continue to assert to support sovereignty in the High Arctic and in Nunavut.
I understand that the federal government will not make a final decision on establishing an Arctic army training centre until a National Defense Capability Plan is finalized and approved.
Can the Premier tell this House what input the Government of Nunavut has had into this plan?
Hon. Paul Okalik: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have been lobbying for the commitments to be fulfilled and the election of their government and that they be honoured and they are implemented in Nunavut during their mandate and that decisions be made as soon as possible.
The Federal Minister of Defense has committed to making decisions on the port, for example, before the end of the year. On the training centre, I don’t know where that is at the moment.
The issues of sovereignty and the protection of Northwest Passage in the High Arctic becoming increasingly important especially as more and more international travelers are seeking passage through these waters.
Will the Premier commit to supporting efforts to establish a stronger military presence in the Canada’s High Arctic?
Hon. Paul Okalik: Thank you Mr. Speaker. We have offered assistance, wherever needed, by the Department of Defense, making sure that any infrastructure they plan to build is in support of our efforts and for support of the communities throughout Nunavut.
That’s the commitment we’ve made and we hope that we can deliver on these with the federal government during the life of this government.
Question 348 – 2(3): Research Study on Climate Change and Polar Bears (Kattuk)
I have raised this question before back on February 21 in regard to polar bears.
On the climate change, we hear through media that it seems like the polar bears live on sea ice and the ice is not forming as early.
When I called earlier, it’s raining in our community.
The ice should’ve been formed.
Those are the concerns that we have.
And I have raised this question, will there be research done on those issues?
With the climate change and the environmental change, all kinds of wildlife will be affected.
We are in the planning stage of what we should do because we are not sure how it will affect us, how the climate change will affect us. We are just in the process of doing research on that.
Mr. Kattuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If they’re going to do research, will that include the polar bears around the communities?
Hon. Patterk Netser: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, that will include the polar bears. Our department will hold a meeting on December 6 to 8 and we will be open to the public and invite people who are interested.
Can the minister state how they will do a study on polar bears?
Do they have any basic idea, or give us information as to where and how they will be studied, especially in this warmer climate?
Hon. Patterk Netser (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not exactly sure what we’re going to be doing with the polar bear, but we are well aware of the change in climate. The issue of polar bears is very important, and I’m sure that my department will be working on it.
Your final supplementary, Mr. Kattuk.
I apologize if you didn’t understand me.
I’m not exactly sure what is happening with the polar bear, so I’m asking you how the polar bears are affected by the warmer climate, and if there are going to be any studies done?
Minister responsible for Environment. Mr. Netser.
We have been studying polar bears for a number of years, and we have done studies in the Western Hudson Bay area. Because of the ice conditions and earlier break-up, the polar bears are starting to move.
I would like to assure the member that we are going to continue studying polar bears, and also how they are affected by the changing climate.
Question 349 – 2(3): Payroll Tax Increase (Tootoo)
Before I ask my question to the Minister of Finance, I would like to say hello to an old neighbor of mine from across the road in Rankin Inlet, and that is Raymond sitting back here in the Gallery. I would like to say hi and welcome him here.
My question to the minister, going back to the Payroll Tax, I appreciate his responses earlier and the fact that this is taxes, and tax credits and income.
It’s not a very easy thing to get your head around and understand.
I think you have to be a very good investigative reporter and accountant to decipher what it all means.
The minister was saying earlier that no one in the lower two tax brackets would be paying any more taxes than they are right now as far as the Payroll Tax goes.
And, to my understanding Mr. Speaker, the second lowest tax bracket ends at about 60-some-thousand dollars a year. In reading the backgrounder that the department provided, it states that in the past, the one percent, people maxed out the credit at $75,000 a year. Where they would pay the $750, and get the $750 credit back.
Under the current regime of two percent now, you’re maxing out, if I’m reading this right, it says that the tax amount paid and the amount able to be deducted are equal and the salary amount would drop to $45,000 a year.
So I would interpret that as saying anyone between $45,000 a year, and what ever the 60-some-thousand dollars a year is at the high end of the second lowest tax bracket will be paying more in taxes because the credit maxes out at the $45,000 and not the $75,000 that it had before.
So I’d like to ask the minister if he could clarify that, or look into it, or at least talk to his officials to see if they could provide that information so that it could be very clear, maybe in some form of a table where someone making $30,000, $40,000, $50,000, $60,000, and so on and so forth, and how much taxes they would pay in that.
Minister of Finance. Mr. Simailak.
Yes, in my earlier responses I did say that it maxes out at $45,000.
That’s where the Payroll Tax would come in at $900 which is the credit that we’re presently looking at.
So anybody earning more than $45,000 per annum would be paying a bit more depending on how much they’re making above the $45,000.
So in terms of coming up with some sort of a table that lists all of those possible taxes and depending of course on what other credits an individual may have when he or she is doing their income tax for this coming year.
Yeah, we can certainly provide a table of some sort and I am sure staff are already working on that, having heard the question.
I don’t want the minister to get me wrong, I have no problem having people who could afford to pay more taxes pay more taxes, but then, you know, in this case, I would say someone that’s in the bottom two tax brackets has very little, if any, disposable income to work with, and now they are going to get hit.
Anyone making over $45,000 is going to get hit with more taxes. They can’t afford it; they’re already the working poor.
Can the minister look at somehow changing, or will they look at some way of changing it so that those individuals in those lower two tax brackets, who are basically the working poor, are not paying more that they can’t afford, because those are the ones that can’t afford it.
Of course we can look at it again, and the Financial Management Board is going to be having a meeting tomorrow and we can deal with it in the morning.
We are looking at $900 whether there should be an increase or a decrease, the Financial Management Board is having a meeting tomorrow morning and we will look at it again.
Possibly, what we could do is bring it up to $1,500.
We will make a decision on it tomorrow.
Yes, we know exactly where you are coming from and we will look at it again tomorrow.
We are drafting the piece of legislation, so there is a lot of room for making changes.
I appreciate the minister’s willingness to take a look at it, and I would certainly hope that when they do eventually come forward with legislation that that is taken into consideration.
Because I know for anyone here in this room, there’s no problem paying the extra one percent. You know, people making $45,000 a year, I would say in the $60,000 range or more is poverty line in Nunavut.
Those people can’t afford to pay more.
You know we have, as I had indicated earlier, contract consultants and other contract employees and our, you know, maybe even the agency nurses are contract employees, I don’t know if they pay the Payroll Tax.
Maybe they can look at how much are they going to lose by losing increasing that limit so that no one in the lower two tax brackets pays additional and find ways to, like I said, maybe we need a PC Tax, Professional Consultant Tax.
Those are the ones that are taking money out, and which is the whole intent of the Payroll Tax is to retain money from leaving the territory by workers that are doing that.
And I know that the minister of any department would probably have a list of quite length, and some departments more than others of contract employees.
So would the minister commit to looking at that to offset the lost income that they may be looking at if they help Nunavummiut who really can’t afford to pay more?
I know exactly where you are coming from and I said again earlier that the Financial Management Board is going to be having a meeting tomorrow morning and we will look at options and see if we can increase that $900 to $1,500.
Question 350 – 2(3): Bathurst Inlet Port and Road Project (Peterson)
Mr. Speaker, the minister is well aware, after five years in Cabinet, that the Bathurst Port Road is important to Kitikmeot, Nunavut and Canada. Recently the Kitikmeot Inuit Association passed another resolution calling on various levels of government to move forward on this initiative.
The Federal Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada recently told the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce that the Northern Territories require infrastructure such as transportation to lay foundations for an improved economy.
My question for the minister is: has the minister had a sit-down, face-to-face meeting with both Minister Cannon and Minister Prentice in Ottawa to discuss how to move forward on this project?
I just had a discussion with Minister Cannon in April and we did discuss the issue of the possibility of building docks in Nunavut, but I never had this discussion with Mr. Prentice.
We did talk about mining and other possibilities. We’ll see if we could get more financial support from the federal government through discussions with the Ministers.
Speaker: Your first supplementary, Mr. Peterson.
And thank you to the minister for that information.
I’m not sure if the minister understands; I’m not asking about docks; I’m asking about the Bathurst Inlet Port and Road Project which is a significantly larger project than a dock and that we’ve been talking about that for what seems like decades now.
Mr. Speaker, I follow the proceedings of the Northwest Territories Legislature and on October 24, our colleagues were debating on all-weather road, a year-round road to the diamond mines because of the problems with the Lupin winter road.
Our colleague MLA Hawkins made the following statement and I quote, “Mr. Speaker, I have a solution to the problem. We need to finally complete the Ingram Trail by building an all-weather road, year-round road to the mining quarter.
We have to do this long before Nunavut wakes up and realizes that the Bathurst Deep Water Port maybe a good argument.”