FINA Committee Meeting

Notices of Meeting include information about the subject matter to be examined by the committee and date, time and place of the meeting, as well as a list of any witnesses scheduled to appear. The Evidence is the edited and revised transcript of what is said before a committee. The Minutes of Proceedings are the official record of the business conducted by the committee at a sitting.

For an advanced search, use Publication Search tool.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the accessibility of this publication, please contact us at accessible@parl.gc.ca.

Previous day publication Next day publication

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 3

Thursday, February 19, 2004

The Standing Committee on Finance met at 9:33 a.m. this day, in Room 253-D Centre Block, the Chair, Roy Cullen, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Roy Cullen, Rodger Cuzner, Hon. John McKay, Hon. Maria Minna, Massimo Pacetti, Pierre Paquette, Pierre Paquette, Alex Shepherd, Monte Solberg, Monte Solberg and Hon. Robert Thibault.

Acting Members present: Derek Lee for Nick Discepola, Paul Harold Macklin for Sophia Leung and Bryon Wilfert for Gary Pillitteri.

In attendance: Library of Parliament: June Dewetering, Principal ; Stephen Laurent, Analyst . House of Commons: Jean-Michel Roy, Legislative Clerk.

Appearing: Hon. John McKay, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance.

Witnesses: Department of Finance: Krista Campbell, Senior Policy Analyst, CHST and Policy Development, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch; Natasha Rascanin, Senior Chief, Federal-Provincial Relation Division; Clare Scullion, General Counsel, Law Branch.

At 9:34 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 9:40 a.m., the sitting resumed.

Pursuant to the Order of Reference of Friday, February 13, 2004, the Committee resumed consideration of Bill C-18, An Act respecting equalization and authorizing the Minister of Finance to make certain payments related to health.

Pierre Paquette moved, — That the Standing Committee on Finance request an order of the House authorizing the division of Bill C-18, an Act respecting equalization and authorizing the Minister of Finance to make certain payments related to health, so that any matter concerning the transfer of an additional $2 billion to the provinces as part of the Canada Health and Social Transfer can be treated in another bill.

Debate arose thereon.

The question was put on the motion and it was negatived on the following recorded division:YEAS: Pierre Paquette, Monte Solberg — 2; NAYS: Rodger Cuzner, Derek Lee, Paul Harold Macklin, John McKay, Maria Minna, Massimo Pacetti, Alex Shepherd, Robert Thibault, Bryon Wilfert — 9.

The Committee commenced its clause-by-clause study of the Bill.

Clauses 1 and 2 carried on division severally.

Clause 3 carried.

On Clause 4,

Pierre Paquette moved, — That Bill C-18, in Clause 4, be amended by replacing line 13 on page 2 with the following:

“( i ) a cash contribution of at least $2 billion for each fiscal year that begins after March 31, 2004, to be paid”

The Chair ruled the proposed amendment inadmissible because it infringed on the financial initiative of the Crown, as provided on page 655 of House of Commons Procedure and Practice.

Clause 4 carried.

Clauses 5 to 7 inclusive carried on division severally.

New clause 7.1,

Pierre Paquette moved, — That Bill C-18 be amended by adding after line 5 on page 3 the following new clause:

“ 7.1 For greater certainty, an agreement in respect of fiscal equalization payments entered into between the Government of Canada and the government of each province after March 31, 2004 takes effect on April 1, 2004. ”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Pierre Paquette and it was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Pierre Paquette — 1; NAYS: Rodger Cuzner, Derek Lee, Paul Harold Macklin, John McKay, Maria Minna, Massimo Pacetti, Alex Shepherd, Monte Solberg, Robert Thibault, Bryon Wilfert — 10.

Clause 8 carried on division.

The Parliamentary Secretary and Clare Scullion, answered questions.

The Title carried on division.

The Bill carried on division.

ORDERED, — That the Chair report the Bill to the House.

At 10:00 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Richard Dupuis
Clerk of the Committee

2004/04/29 10:44 a.m.