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Results: 91 - 105 of 200
View Diane Lebouthillier Profile
Lib. (QC)
I thank my colleague for her question.
Our government has in fact committed to study the tax gap, something the Conservative Party never wanted to do. Our approach is quite different, in that we work on the basis of facts. That is how I asked the Canada Revenue Agency to work. The agency is working in collaboration with the Parliamentary Budget Officer on the tax gap issue.
A first report was submitted last June. The work is continuing. Other meetings will be taking place. The important thing for us is to use all the tools at our disposal, to make sure that Canadians have trust in the fairness of our tax system.
I repeat my commitment, and the government's commitment, to continue our work and to make it public.
View Diane Lebouthillier Profile
Lib. (QC)
A first report was submitted last June. As to how the work is continuing, Mr. Gallivan is more current as to dates and all the technical aspects.
View Diane Lebouthillier Profile
Lib. (QC)
I thank my colleague for his question and for his concern for people. Indeed, not everyone has access to electronic services, and I am very aware of that.
In terms of customer service, in my opinion, everyone must be treated fairly. Just because someone sends their returns on paper does not mean that they will be treated less well than those who filed their returns online.
I am happy that almost 90% of the people send their returns to the agency electronically, but when we receive paper returns, we process them in the same way as electronic returns.
View Diane Lebouthillier Profile
Lib. (QC)
I thank my colleague for his question.
At the beginning of tax season, I was told that it was difficult to find forms in French in some places. It was also difficult to get forms in some other places. I immediately contacted people at the agency to resolve the situation. Mr. Gallivan will be able to give you more information about that and to talk to you about the agreements we have reached with Canada Post in terms of paper tax returns.
View Diane Lebouthillier Profile
Lib. (QC)
I thank my colleague for his question.
As my mandate letter mentions, one of the agency's priorities is customer service. Our government is committed to having the agency provide Canadians all across the country with the best service.
The objective of streamlining the services is to concentrate processing activities in the three national verification and collection centres.
I have been able to tour the agency's offices all over Canada. Actually, the tour is just coming to an end. I have been meeting with employees to see how the streamlining of services is going in the trenches, because streamlining means change. Employees and management are working together and are committed to serving Canadians. I was extremely surprised to hear employees all over the country tell me that they had never seen a revenue minister in their offices and in their regions. Streamlining the services has allowed us to consolidate our services in the regions. As I see things, all the regions of the country are important.
The only office that was closed was in Toronto, but there are already three other agency offices in that city. We made sure that we worked with the unions to support employees through all the changes that were implemented.
Everywhere I went, I met Canada Revenue Agency employees who are committed to customer service. I always take the opportunity to tell them how much of a priority customer service is for me. I am a social worker by training and, as I see it, everyone must be treated the same, from the poorest to the richest.
View Diane Lebouthillier Profile
Lib. (QC)
You are perfectly right. The fact that there are two tax returns is peculiar to Quebec. The CRA is working closely with the Ministère du Revenu in Quebec. I have also met with my colleague, Minister Leitão, on several occasions.
With that introduction, I will ask Mr. Gallivan to answer your question in more detail.
View Diane Lebouthillier Profile
Lib. (QC)
Like us, all the committee members around this table want to work to provide a better tax system for Canadians. So I will be happy to answer your questions.
View Diane Lebouthillier Profile
Lib. (QC)
I thank my colleague for his question.
I will repeat myself and tell him that we have not changed the rules.
View Diane Lebouthillier Profile
Lib. (QC)
At the Canada Revenue Agency, we apply the legislation that is the responsibility of…. If the act is to be amended, we would have to consult the Department of Finance. At the Canada Revenue Agency, no changes have been made to tax rules. They continue to apply, as they applied when your government held public consultations when you were in power. You did not change the rules at that time and, in turn, we continue to apply exactly those same rules.
View Diane Lebouthillier Profile
Lib. (QC)
I met with the Auditor General over the winter on the objection process. We discussed his report. It was submitted and I have considered it.
We accepted all the recommendations on objections in the Auditor General's report. An action plan with the goal of reducing delays in processing objections is already being developed and will be submitted soon. We will make it public so that people know how to proceed when they have an objection.
We know that there is a backlog of objections and we really intend to reduce it. We want objections to be processed as quickly as possible. Service to Canadians is a priority for us.
View Diane Lebouthillier Profile
Lib. (QC)
Thank you for your question.
As I mentioned before, what's important to us is that everyone pays their fair share and receives what they are entitled to. My goals are to have effective and efficient services that are geared to Canadians. That's actually at the heart of my mandate letter.
There are still services within the agency. Our goal is not to put people in difficult situations and shut down businesses, but to reach agreements with people to find the tax base that will enable the government to invest in public services, education and health, to help the poorest of the poor and to invest in infrastructure. That is what the Canada Revenue Agency is all about. There's always a way to reach a deal with the Canada Revenue Agency. Each case is treated separately. Our employees are there to help and support people, as well as to enter into agreements with them.
Perhaps Mr. Huppé could elaborate on that.
View Diane Lebouthillier Profile
Lib. (QC)
You have two questions.
I'll answer the first one about the $51 million for children in the care of the state, of foster families or people other than their parents.
Yes, the money is earmarked for the state, because child services and foster care fall under provincial jurisdiction. The money makes it possible to provide assistance to the children, because they have specific needs when they are young and live with those families. That's what the money should be used for.
View Diane Lebouthillier Profile
Lib. (QC)
I take note of your remarks. I can't give you more information, because these areas are under provincial jurisdiction.
The other question that you asked me is whether all the families have received the Canada child benefit. I will take this opportunity to convey a message that's important to me. I say this wherever I go.
Those who have not filed their tax returns are not entitled to the Canada child benefit or any tax credits. At the meetings I have, when I go to indigenous communities and when I meet with community organizations—I do some fieldwork, because it's important for me to involve the public—I tell those in charge that it's important that they talk to their people. That's the responsibility of every elected official, be they in Parliament, the provinces, municipalities and grassroots organizations, which are much closer to people and families. I tell them to check whether the people have filed their tax returns so that they are entitled to the Canada child benefit.
This is not about penalizing people. For those who have not filed their tax returns, they may go as far back as 10 years for some programs. So some people have received $15,000 or even more in tax credits, from the money they were entitled to. I therefore strongly encourage you to check in each of your ridings with your organizations and to ensure that the people file their tax returns so that they get what they are entitled to.
In terms of the agency, as long as I'm there, it will not make money on the backs of the poor. However, when it comes to the wealthiest who hide their money abroad, let me tell you—and I have said it before—I will not let them off the hook.
View Diane Lebouthillier Profile
Lib. (QC)
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I appreciate the opportunity to participate in the committee's study of the supplementary estimates (B).
I am joined by two senior officials from the Canada Revenue Agency: Mr. Ted Gallivan, the assistant commissioner of international, large business and investigations branch; and Mr. Roch Huppé, the assistant commissioner of the finance and administration branch and the agency's chief financial officer.
Mr. Huppé will speak briefly about the supplementary estimates in just a moment, but I would like to say a few words by way of introduction.
In May when I last to spoke to this committee, I was six months into my mandate as Minister of National Revenue. At the time, I gave an overview of some of the measures outlined in budget 2016 to help the Canada Revenue Agency combat tax evasion and tax avoidance.
Now, having served as minister for more than a year I have an even deeper appreciation of the challenges involved in these activities and the CRA's other business lines. As you know, the CRA is a client-focused agency that exists to serve Canadians. I am pleased to inform the committee that the agency is becoming fairer, more helpful, and easier to use.
The CRA is delivering on the government's commitments by effectively administering the middle class tax cut and the Canada Child Benefit. And it is taking definitive steps to combat aggressive tax planning and tax avoidance, improve services for taxpayers, and enhance the role of charities in our society.
The agency has accomplished a number of objectives on the compliance front—both at home and abroad—since my last appearance. They are taking concrete steps here in Canada to crack down on tax cheats. The CRA is currently conducting audits on over 750 taxpayers and criminally investigating 20 cases of tax evasion specifically linked to offshore tax havens.
Recently, the CRA launched the hiring process to add 100 new tax professionals to its already robust audit team. These individuals will assist in auditing high-risk multinational corporations and unravelling complex offshore schemes to crack down on tax cheats. It is a strategy that will collect an estimated additional $500 million in revenue over five years.
As for service to Canadians, the CRA makes sure taxpayers have access to the information they need about taxes or benefits—on its website, through its call centres, or through mobile applications. To respond to the public's needs the agency has added resources to its telephone service and is improving upon the clarity of correspondence with Canadians.
In addition, the CRA is streamlining its processing activities and creating three new national verification and collection centres. Canadians will experience faster, more efficient processing of their tax and benefit returns and better handling of calls to the call centre.
The Canada Revenue Agency has also made a significant commitment to the charitable sector by engaging with key stakeholders. The government has pledged to further clarify the rules governing a registered charity's involvement in political activities.
To this end, the agency recently launched online consultations with the public, and starting next week, will begin in-person consultations with registered charities. This consultation will result in a better understanding of the needs of charities and help identify ways to better communicate the rules governing political activities.
It is clear, Mr. Chair, that the Canada Revenue Agency is improving its service to Canadians and acting on its commitment to crack down on tax cheats. I am proud of the accomplishments of the agency's dedicated employees. But there remains much more to be done. Supplementary funding will help the agency enrich its programs in a number of ways.
It will enhance the agency's efforts to crack down on tax cheats. It will fund measures to improve communications with taxpayers and outreach to Canadians, and it will implement and administer the new home accessibility tax credit for seniors and people with disabilities.
I could go on, but instead I will yield the floor to Mr. Huppé, who will speak to the details of the supplementary estimates.
Thank you for your attention.
View Diane Lebouthillier Profile
Lib. (QC)
In the mandate letter I received from the Prime Minister, I was asked to focus my efforts on all of the client services provided by the Canada Revenue Agency. The work to renew the services was done all through the year. To me it was important that we maintain the regional offices.
We kept the Gatineau office. We also added 500 administrative positions to the Winnipeg office. In Rimouski, we consolidated part-time positions and other positions in regional offices. To me and to everyone who works at the agency, it was also important to make an announcement in this regard. We have two years to work on the reorganization. This makes the employees feel more secure, and everyone knows where we are going. We will also work in cooperation with the unions on this.
Results: 91 - 105 of 200 | Page: 7 of 14

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