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FINA Committee Meeting

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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 44

Thursday, March 23, 2000

The Standing Committee on Finance met in camera at 10:10 a.m. this day, in Room 208, West Block, the Chair, Maurizio Bevilacqua, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Maurizio Bevilacqua, Roy Cullen, Ken Epp, Roger Gallaway, Richard Harris, Sophia Leung, Richard Marceau, Lorne Nystrom, Karen Redman and Paul Szabo.

Acting Members present: Larry McCormick for Nick Discepola.

In attendance: From the Library of Parliament: Jean Soucy, Researcher; Marion Wrobel, Senior Analyst.

In accordance with its mandate under Standing Order 108(4), the Committee met to consider its future business.

By unanimous consent, the Committee proceeded to meet in camera.

The Committee proceeded to consider the First Report of the Committee on Agenda and Procedure.

It was moved, -- That the clerk be authorized to prepare a list of witnesses that the Committee wishes to hear during its consideration of Bills C-22, C-24 and C-25 and that the members of the Committee submit the names of their witnesses to the clerk as soon as possible.

After debate, the motion was amended to read "That the clerk be authorized to prepare a list of witnesses that the Committee wishes to hear during its consideration of Bills C-22, C-24 and C-25 and that the members of the Committee submit the names of their witnesses to the clerk by Monday, March 27, 2000."

The question being put on the motion, as amended, it was agreed to.

It was agreed, - That, pursuant to Standing Order 81(4):

The committee hold meetings to consider and report on the 2000-01 Main Estimates for the Department of Finance;

The committee invite the Minister and senior officials to appear before the committee as soon as possible after March 30, 2000 but no later than May 31, 2000;

The Minister provide information relating to future expenditure plans and priorities of the Department; and

That, pursuant to Standing Order 81(7&8):

The committee consider and report recommendations on the future expenditure plans and priorities of the Department no later than June 3, 2000.

It was agreed, - That the Committee hear the Governor of the Bank of Canada, in a televised session, on Tuesday, May 16 at a time convenient to the Governor.

It was agreed, - That the Committee approve the operational budget for the period April 1, 2000 through June 30, 2000, as presented.

The Committee proceeded to consider the following proposals:

  • That the Committee study the Bank of Canada, in particular (1) the independence of the Governor and (2) the Bank's monetary policy.
  • That the Committee study the effects of government subsidies on economic growth.
  • That the Committee study the matter of the insurance industry and a natural disasters reduction plan (in a roundtable format).
  • That the Committee study the matter of household debt (in a roundtable format).
  • That the Committee form a joint sub-committee with the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development to study the subject of dependency relationships.
  • That the Committee study the issue of regulation and cost recovery for government services as a follow up to last year's study on productivity.

It was moved, That before selecting from among the topics presented, the Committee be provided with a written proposal or framework outlining how a subject should be studied and that these proposals be referred to the Steering Committee for consideration and recommendations to the full Committee.

After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was agreed to.

It was agreed, - That these frameworks be provided to the clerk by Tuesday, March 28, 2000.

It was agreed, - That further proposals be submitted to the Clerk.

It was agreed, -That the Chair be authorized to prepare a draft workplan for consideration by the Committee based on the discussions at this meeting.

It was moved, -That the Committee hold Pre-Budget Consultations in the fall.

Debate arose thereon.

The motion was amended to read: "That the Committee hold Pre-Budget Consultations in the fall with travel across Canada."

The motion, as amended, was agreed to.

It was agreed, - That, wherever possible, the Committee will meet on Tuesdays, from 9 to 11 a.m. and on Wednesdays, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

At 10:35 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Pat Steenberg

Clerk of the Committee