Wouldn't Ontario collect its own taxes as well?
Evidence of meeting #2 for Finance in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was budget.
Evidence of meeting #2 for Finance in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was budget.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
Wouldn't Ontario collect its own taxes as well?
4:55 p.m.
Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Commissioner, Finance and Administration Branch, Canada Revenue Agency
With respect to the GST, which we're talking about in this case, it's a value-added tax. The three Atlantic provinces have a harmonized tax with the GST. A different arrangement has been chosen whereby the federal government collects that tax on behalf of the provinces. So different arrangements are clearly out there today.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
Is the breakdown you provided the chair anywhere in the annual report? Or is it from your notes?
4:55 p.m.
Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Commissioner, Finance and Administration Branch, Canada Revenue Agency
It's from my notes. It could be derived, as I say, because of the cost attribution of the overheads. I'm not sure I could point to it in a public document at this point in time.
4:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Brian Pallister
Thank you.
We'll conclude with you. Ask a quick question, if you would.
4:55 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
Sure, it's just a clarification. A colleague across the floor asked the question about the 16% to 15%. I know there are numerous tax reductions in this year's budget, but from a legislative perspective, two adjustments that are going to be in this budget are the confirmation of the 16% to 15%, and then the 15% to 15.5%. Those two adjustments are going to be included in this piece of legislation.
4:55 p.m.
Acting Assistant Commissioner, Legislative Policy and Regulatory Affairs Branch, Canada Revenue Agency
I think the two the member is referring to are the marginal rate reduction and the basic personal allowance adjustments that were announced in the November 2005 changes. These are the two that have to be grandfathered into this budget.
4:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Brian Pallister
That's it.
Thank you very much to our guests today. We appreciate your being here. We'll allow you to make your way, and we wish you the best.
Committee members, we'll reconvene for some housekeeping in a couple of minutes, after we allow our witnesses to leave.
5 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Brian Pallister
For the information of committee members, on Wednesday we will have finance officials here at 3:30. I appreciate everyone being here on time today, and we'll try to keep it efficient on Wednesday as well.
Next Monday representatives from FINTRAC and from the International Trade Tribunal will be here. Tentatively, on Wednesday the Superintendent of Financial Institutions will be here as well. These are upcoming events.
We'll endeavour to get to you at the earliest opportunity the information that we were promised by the officials. There were some good questions asked there.
We have the report to adopt here, and we can be under way. It is the first report of the subcommittee on agenda and procedure of the Standing Committee on Finance, from our steering committee meeting the other day. Is there any discussion on that? Everybody has a copy?
Yes, Mr. Christopherson.
5 p.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Regarding the second round, I'm assuming there's a misprint, because there's no notation of the NDP having any second-round questions, no time at all. That has to be a mistake, right?
5 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Brian Pallister
No, that's not a mistake. That was actually in the last session.... I'll ask Mr. Pacetti quite frequently to verify things for me, as he chaired the committee the last session.
May I ask him if he wants to comment on that?
5 p.m.
Liberal
Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
We had the NDP informally, but not formally, because most of the time not all members attended. What we decided at the steering committee was that because all members will be present, you wouldn't be able to fit them in. If there were no members present, as we saw today, the NDP usually got a second go-round.
5 p.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Fair enough. I appreciate that, and I don't think anybody is trying to do anything untoward. I'm just making the case that given the fact that there are 29 members, to not have any berth at all, or any time at all guaranteed, seems to me to be a bit much.
5 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Brian Pallister
You're in the first round, Mr. Christopherson, just for clarification. Of course, you do get the seven minutes in the first round.
5:05 p.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
I see that. I'm just pointing out that I think it's unfair.
5:05 p.m.
Bloc
Thierry St-Cyr Bloc Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
I think the rule is simpler. Each committee has the right to speak. That applies to Liberals, Conservatives, the Bloc Québécois and the New Democrats. That makes sense to me.
5:05 p.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Of course you think it's logical; you get a second turn. I'm talking about the NDP. No, we don't get a second turn. That's my point, my colleague.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Brian Pallister
I'll try to prevail on the members to get the attention of the chair if we're going to have a discussion.
Who would like to speak? Seeing no response....
Yes, Mr. Christopherson.
5:05 p.m.
NDP
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
I'll make the case again.
I think my friend made the argument almost as if to say everybody's got the same, and it's fair all around, but it's not.
We have 29 members in the caucus. In the second round, as Mr. Turner showed today, oftentimes there's an important follow-up just for a matter of clarification. To be denied completely, not even a reduced amount, no opportunity to do any follow-up, when all the other caucuses.... It's not only the fact that I get to share it with other members--and that's fine, because you have bigger caucuses--but that the caucus as a whole doesn't get one single guaranteed opportunity for a follow-up. Even if it were three minutes--something--to ensure that the NDP, in terms of reflecting 29 seats in a minority, is part of the play in the second round.... I don't think that's an unreasonable request.
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Brian Pallister
Thank you, Mr. Christopherson.
Mr. Loubier, gp ahead, please.
5:05 p.m.
Bloc
Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Chairman, even though it's not formally written down anywhere, as a rule there are a few minutes remaining after the questioning is completed. Mr. Pacetti can confirm that there is always some time left for an NDP member to ask a second question. However, as my colleague pointed out, if there are four members representing the same party, they will be able to ask four questions. That's why during the second round, the Liberals and the Conservative are allowed to ask a total of four questions. The Bloc members can ask two questions. and the NDP representatives, one question. We can't conjure up an extra committee member. A total of 29 party members were elected, not 50. However, as a rule, there is always time for an NDP member to get a second question in, and the member takes advantage of the opportunity.