Topper wrote:The discretionary part of the budget is rather small. Is that an increased of royalties on extraction operations that the NDP will refuse to permit to feed the transportation routes they refused to permit to ship out of the expanded port facilities they refuse to permit?
I suppose if we (government) wanted an increase in royalties we would have to allow more permits to make it more attractive for investment. But how about a public policy regarding royalties? Does such a thing exist? how much do resource Licenses payout in royalties anyway? Is it ridiculously low to maximize profits for the liberal's buddies? Or is it in the up and up? Just asking not accusing btw.
I remember you telling me about the old Barrett NDP government wanting tax on the total value of a license and not just what was mined...and at first that seemed unfair toward the industry. But on second thought, if they know x amount is just sitting there and a company has the licence to mine it at will, isn't that almost as good as actually going and getting it? I mean they can sit on it, borrow against it, sell it where it is etc. shouldn't the public benefit from that as well?
Especially since we actually have human needs, like taking care of the poor and the sick and building bridges and roads that they use to get there gold to market??