FINA Committee News Release
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Standing Committee on Finance |
HOUSE OF COMMONS CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES OTTAWA, CANADA K1A 0A6 |
Comité permanent des finances |
For immediate release
NEWS RELEASE
PRE-BUDGET CONSULTATIONS 2009
Ottawa, June 10, 2009 -
When Parliament returns in fall 2009, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance will begin its pre-budget consultations for 2009, with hearings in Ottawa and in selected communities across Canada (see below).
The recent financial turbulence and economic difficulties worldwide have been unprecedented, at least in recent history. While the Canadian financial system has been more resilient than that in most other industrialized countries, the impact of the world economic slowdown has affected, and continues to affect, our nation. That being said, monetary and fiscal stimulus measures have been taken by governments in Canada and in other countries, although views vary on the extent to which they are effective and are having the desired results. Going forward, decisions must be taken about the measures needed to ensure prosperity and a sustainable economic, social and environmental future.
In this context, the Committee invites all interested Canadians to participate in the pre-budget consultations and to share their views on the following two questions:
1. What federal tax and program spending measures are needed to ensure prosperity and a sustainable future for Canadians from an economic, social and/or environmental perspective?
2. What federal stimulus measures have been effective and how might relatively ineffective measures be changed to ensure that they have the intended effects?
The Committee hopes to hold public hearings in Ottawa the weeks of September 14, October 26 and November 2, 2009, and to meet with Canadians in the following communities:
Vancouver, British Columbia: September 28, 2009
Edmonton, Alberta: September 29, 2009
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories: September 30, 2009
Summerside, Prince Edward Island: October 5, 2009
St. John’s, Newfoundland: October 6, 2009
Quebec City, Quebec: October 7, 2009
Regina, Saskatchewan: October 19, 2009
Winnipeg, Manitoba: October 20, 2009
Toronto, Ontario: October 21, 2009.
If you wish to make an appearance before the Committee during the pre-budget consultations, please send an email to the Clerk of the Committee, indicating three locations where you are willing to appear. All indications of your desire to make an appearance must be received by the Clerk no later than Friday, 31 July 2009. The Committee will try to accommodate all witnesses requesting an appearance, but cannot guarantee that everyone will have an opportunity to make an oral presentation.
The deadline to submit the accompanying written brief is no later than Friday, 14 August 2009 in order that the brief can be translated and distributed to Committee members. You are able to submit a brief even if you do not wish to make an oral presentation. Briefs should be no longer than five pages in length, should include an executive summary, should contain a maximum of three recommendations that reflect your most important federal tax or program spending priority, and should – where possible – indicate the expected federal cost of your proposal.
In the event that briefs contain more than three recommendations, or three recommendations that contain a number of parts, only the first three recommendations or the first part of a multi-part recommendation will be considered by the Committee.
The 31 July 2009 and 14 August 2009 deadlines will be respected, and exceptions will not be given.
Electronic requests to appear, as well as electronic or written briefs, can be sent to:
Jean-François Pagé Clerk,
Standing Committee on Finance
6-14 131 Queen Street
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
fina@parl.gc.ca
Since the Parliamentary schedule changes from time to time, the dates indicated above for the hearings may have to be altered. Information will be updated regularly on the Committee’s website should there be any changes, so be sure to visit the website at www.parl.gc.ca/FINA for current information.
The Committee continues to believe that your contribution to the pre-budget consultations is critically important, and – on behalf of the Committee – I look forward to hearing from you and having you identify your priority issue for the next federal budget.
Sincerely,
James Rajotte, Member of Parliament
Chair, Standing Committee on Finance
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