Evidence of meeting #22 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was provinces.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
That's it? Okay.
Mr. Payne, do you have a quick question as well?
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
LaVar Payne Conservative Medicine Hat, AB
I thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I'm actually surprised that I'm going to get in a question today.
First of all, I'd like to thank the witnesses for coming.
Secondly, I think what you're doing is very admirable. I can see that there are very good possibilities for helping out the first nations and being able to generate revenue for those first nations.
My question is around the property taxes. I'm not sure I understand what that involves. Is it on businesses that are coming in, is it on homes? Maybe you could expound on that for me just so I have a clear understanding of the property taxes that are involved.
10:55 a.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, First Nations Finance Authority
The taxation is any type of taxation that a first nation is able to raise. For instance, in my own community, the taxation is on the businesses, the residential.
Any type of tax that is normally collected by a local government is able to be leveraged. It's a certain percentage of that, of course, that would be available for leveraging.
10:55 a.m.
Chief Operating Officer, First Nations Finance Authority
With regard to residential, that's usually the people who are non-community members who choose to live on the reserve.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
LaVar Payne Conservative Medicine Hat, AB
Could you maybe expound on that a little for me? These are non-community members?
10:55 a.m.
Chief Operating Officer, First Nations Finance Authority
It's usually not taxation on the first nation members themselves. It's the people from outside of the community who come to live on the reserve lands who pay the property taxes. Those rules are legally required to be quite complex to protect the ratepayers.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Thank you, Mr. Payne. And thank you very much to our witnesses.
Oh, did you have a...?
10:55 a.m.
NDP
10:55 a.m.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
I wonder if it would be beneficial to the committee for the chair, on behalf of the committee, to write to the minister to ask about the state of the regulations, since it seems to be the piece that's getting in the way. Generally, across the board, we support ways to contribute toward economic development. So I wonder if the committee could write to the minister just to ask about the state of the regulations and the stimulus package.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Okay, we'll do that, then. We'll prepare it. Will we bring back a draft to let you have a look at?
We'll go ahead and essentially reflect the wishes of the committee members here today.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Of course. You'll be there to make sure we do. Of course, I would expect nothing less.
Again, thank you very much for your attention here this morning and your presentations. Safe travels back.
To members, before we go, I'll just add that we're back here Tuesday morning. We have the First Nations Education Council here for a full two hours. We'll prepare for that.
For subcommittee members, there will be a meeting between one and two o'clock on Monday. We'll get Monsieur Lemay's proper notice out on that, Monsieur Lévesque.
Have a great finish to the week and weekend. We'll see you next week.
Thank you very much.
The meeting is adjourned.
