Financial Measures (2001) Act Reintroduced

The Financial Measures (2001) Act, which was originally tabled in the legislature two weeks ago, has been withdrawn and was reintroduced today by acting Finance Minister Michael Baker.

This measure was taken to include an amendment to the Revenue Act to authorize the tobacco tax increase announced April 4. The rest of the bill remains unchanged from when it was introduced two weeks ago.

Another amendment to the Revenue Act will allow for a graduated fine structure for tobacco offences. The new fine structure is in response to a 1998 Provincial Court ruling that struck down penalties outlined in the current legislation as a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This decision had the effect of leaving no legislated fine structure in place. Fines for tobacco smuggling continue to be imposed by the courts, but are not based on any legislated criteria and have resulted in great inconsistency across the province.

The structure will enable courts to consider such issues as the quantity of the illegal tobacco seized and any previous offences. The changes will also convey peace officer status on provincial compliance officers.

Another Revenue Act change will authorize the sharing of information between compliance officers and the Department of Health for better enforcement of the Tobacco Access Act. The Tobacco Access Act restricts the access of young people to tobacco products.

An amendment to the Assessment Act will enable government to establish a separate organization to administer assessment services in Nova Scotia. The province announced last year that it intended to recover the cost of assessment services from municipalities. Establishing this separate entity will give both the province and municipalities a say in how this service is administered.

The legislation includes amendments to implement changes to the equity tax credit and the small-business tax deduction resulting from the recent tax credit review. There is also an amendment dealing with details regarding the 2003 expiry of the Manufacturing and Processing Investment Tax Credit.

Fees to be implemented in 2001-2002 for a search of the Child Abuse Registry are also covered by the legislation. Registry searches are usually for employment purposes. The $20 fee will not apply to searches required by individuals for volunteer work, becoming a foster parent or adopting a child.

An amendment to the Municipal Grants Act will allow for capital grant funds that had been distributed to municipalities by way of a formula, to be used as the province’s one-third contribution to the Canada-Nova Scotia Infrastructure Agreement.

A change to the Theatres and Amusements Act reinstates a revenue- flow arrangement between the province and horse-race tracks. The tracks will be allowed to retain a portion of taxes collected on pari-mutual bets. This will end the current practice of the revenues being forwarded to government and then sent back to the tracks in the form of financial assistance from the province.