FINA Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Finance met in a televised session at 8:45 a.m. this day, in Room C-110, 1 Wellington Street, the Chair, James Rajotte, presiding.

The Chair calls Vote 1 under CANADA REVENUE AGENCY.

Mark Perlman made a statement and, with Richard Case, answered questions.

Vote 1 under CANADA REVENUE AGENCY carried on division.

The Chair calls Vote 5 under CANADA REVENUE AGENCY.

Vote 5 under CANADA REVENUE AGENCY carried on division.

It was agreed on division, — That the Chair report Votes 1 and 5, less the amounts granted in Interim Supply, under CANADA REVENUE AGENCY to the House.

ORDERED, — That the Chair report Votes 1 and 5, less the amounts voted in Interim Supply, under CANADA REVENUE AGENCY to the House.

The Chair calls Vote 1 under FINANCE.

Vote 1 under FINANCE carried on division.

The Chair called Vote 5 under FINANCE.

Vote 5 under FINANCE carried on division.

The Chair called Vote 10 under FINANCE.

Vote 10 under FINANCE carried on division.

The Chair called Vote 25 under FINANCE.

Vote 25 under FINANCE carried on division.

The Chair called Vote 30 under FINANCE.

Vote 30 under FINANCE carried on division.

The Chair called Vote 35 under FINANCE.

Vote 35 under FINANCE carried on division.

The Chair called Vote 40 under FINANCE.

Vote 40 under FINANCE carried on division.

The Chair called Vote 45 under FINANCE.

Vote 45 under FINANCE carried on division.

It was agreed on division, — That the Chair report Votes 5, 10, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45, less the amounts granted in Interim Supply, under FINANCE to the House.

ORDERED, — That the Chair report Votes 5, 10, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45, less the amounts voted in Interim Supply, under FINANCE to the House.

At 9:44 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 9:51 a.m., the sitting resumed.

Cheryl Gallant, Gail Beck, Karen Cohen, Carmela Hutchison and Akiva Medjuck made statements and, with Brian McCauley, answered questions.

Peggy Nash gave notice of the following motion:

That the Standing Committee on Finance issue a report to the House, asking that the House grant the Standing Committee on Finance the power to divide Bill C-60 into 6 pieces of legislation, which could then be properly referred to the appropriate committees, as follows:

Clauses 1 to 135 and all unnamed clauses in the list below remain as Bill C-60;

(a) Clauses 136 to 154, related to Investment Canada Act, be allowed to be renamed as Bill C-62;

(b) Clauses 161 to 166, related to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, be allowed to be renamed as Bill C-63;

(c) Clauses 174 to 199, related to the proposed Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Development Act, be allowed to be renamed as Bill C-64;

(d) Clauses 213 to 224, related to the National Capital Act and the Department of Canadian Heritage Act, be allowed to be renamed as Bill C-65;

(e) Clauses 228 to 232, related to the Financial Administration Act and collective bargaining between crown corporations and their employees, be allowed to be renamed as Bill C-66;

And that the subsequent be allowed to be referred to the following committees as passed after second reading:

a) That the clauses mentioned in section (a) of this report do form Bill C-62; that Bill C-62 be deemed read a first time and be printed; that the order for second reading of the said bill provide for the referral to the Standing Committee on Industry, Science, and Technology;

b) That clauses mentioned in section (b) of this report do form Bill C-63; that Bill C-63 be deemed read a first time and be printed; that the order for second reading of the said bill provide for the referral to the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills, and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities;

c) that the clauses mentioned in section (c) of this report do form Bill C-64; that Bill C-64 be deemed read a first time and be printed; that the order for second reading of the said bill provide for the referral to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development;

d) that the clauses mentioned in section (d) of this report do comprise Bill C-65, that Bill C-65 be deemed read a first time and be printed, and that the order for second reading of the said bill provide for the referral to the Standing Committee on Heritage;

e) that the clauses mentioned in section (e) of the report do comprise Bill C-66, that Bill C-66 be deemed read a first time and be printed, and that the order for the second reading of the said bill provide for the referral to the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates.

That Bill C-60 retain the status on the order paper that it had prior to the adoption of this order and that Bill C-60 be reprinted as amended; and that the law clerk and the parliamentary counsel be authorized to make any technical changes or corrections as may be necessary to give effect to this motion.

The Committee resumed consideration of Bill C-462, An Act restricting the fees charged by promoters of the disability tax credit and making consequential amendments to the Tax Court of Canada Act.

Questioning of the witnesses resumed.

Shelly Glover moved, — That, when and if, Bill C-60, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 21, 2013 and other measures, is referred to the Committee:

(a) the Chair of the Standing Committee write, as promptly as possible, to the Chairs of the following Standing Committees inviting those Standing Committees to consider the subject-matter of the following provisions of the said Bill:

(i) the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, clauses 136 to 154,

(ii) the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, clauses 156 to 160,

(iii) the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, clauses 161 to 166,

(iv) the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, clauses 167 to 168 and clauses 170 to 172, and;

(v) the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, clauses 174 to 199

(b) each of the Standing Committees, listed in paragraph (a), be requested to convey recommendations, including any suggested amendments, in both official languages, in relation to the provisions considered by them, in a letter to the Chair of the Standing Committee on Finance, in both official languages, no later than 9 a.m. on Monday, May 27, 2013;

(c) the Chair of the Standing Committee shall also write to each Member of Parliament who is not a member of a caucus represented on the Committee to invite those Members to file, in a letter to the Chair of the Standing Committee on Finance, in both official languages, no later than 9 a.m. on Monday, May 27, 2013, any amendments to the Bill which they would propose that the Committee consider;

(d) any amendments suggested pursuant to paragraphs (b) and (c) shall be deemed to be proposed during the clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-60, and further provided that the members of the Standing Committee on Finance may propose amendments notwithstanding the recommendations received pursuant to paragraphs (b) and (c);

(e) the Committee shall proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-60 no later than Tuesday, May 28, 2013, provided that the Chair may limit debate on each clause to a maximum of five minutes per party, per clause;

(f) amendments to Bill C-60, other than the amendments deemed to be proposed pursuant to paragraphs (b) and (c), be submitted to the Clerk of the Committee before 9 a.m. on Monday, May 27 and distributed to members in both official languages; and

(g) if the Committee has not completed the clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-60 by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28, 2013, all remaining amendments submitted to the Committee shall be deemed moved, the Chair shall put the question, forthwith and successively, without further debate on all remaining clauses and amendments submitted to the Committee, as well as each and every question necessary to dispose of clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill, as well as all questions necessary to report the Bill to the House and to order the Chair to report the Bill to the House as early as possible.

Debate arose thereon.

Scott Brison moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the words “174 to 199” the following: “vi) the Standing Committee on International Trade, clauses 62 to 103;

vii) the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, clauses 200 to 212, and clause 233; and

viii) the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, clauses 213 to 244”.

The question was put on the amendment of Scott Brison and it was negatived on division.

Scott Brison moved, — That the motion be amended by deleting the words “(c) the Chair of the Standing Committee shall also write to each Member of Parliament who is not a member of a caucus represented on the Committee to invite those Members to file, in a letter to the Chair of the Standing Committee on Finance, in both official languages, no later than 9 a.m. on Monday, May 27 2013, any amendments to the Bill which they would propose that the Committee consider;

(d) any amendments suggested pursuant to paragraphs (b) and (c) shall be deemed to be proposed during the clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-60, and further provided that the members of the Standing Committee on Finance may propose amendments notwithstanding the recommendations received pursuant to paragraphs (b) and (c);

(e) the Committee shall proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-60 no later than Tuesday, May 28, 2013, provided that the Chair may limit debate on each clause to a maximum of five minutes per party, per clause;

(f) amendments to Bill C-60, other than the amendments deemed to be proposed pursuant to paragraphs (b) and (c), be submitted to the Clerk of the Committee before 9 a.m. on Monday , May 27 and distributed to members in both official languages; and

(g) if the Committee has not completed the clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-60 by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28, 2013, all remaining amendments submitted to the Committee shall be deemed moved, the Chair shall put the question, forthwith and successively, without further debate on all remaining clauses and amendments submitted to the Committee, as well as each and every question necessary to dispose of clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill, as well as all questions necessary to report the Bill to the House and to order the Chair to report the Bill to the House as early as possible ”.

The question was put on the amendment of Scott Brison and it was negatived on division.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 6; NAYS: 5.

At 10:45 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.