I'm not sure which document that is.
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.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
In terms of the adjustments to reconcile to the 2005 budget, I think the main estimates indicated that it was going to be about $9 billion.
You know what? I'll leave that. I asked the question only because it's my understanding that for the previous year's tax returns, there was actually a mistake made in the returns. A whole new set of returns had to be produced and sent out. Is that the case?
4:30 p.m.
Commissioner, Canada Revenue Agency
No, there was no mistake made in the returns. I think the member might be referring to the five million returns that were already printed, wrapped, and on pallets at Canada Post when the budget was tabled. We had to issue a correction to those. It was cheaper to issue a correction than to recall the five million forms. But it was not a mistake, it was simply the timing of the budget and the timing of the mailing.
4:30 p.m.
Commissioner, Canada Revenue Agency
The budget was tabled and our forms were already printed and stocked at Canada Post.
4:30 p.m.
Commissioner, Canada Revenue Agency
The two budget measures; one was the change in the marginal tax rate and the other was the basic personal exemption.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
4:30 p.m.
Commissioner, Canada Revenue Agency
To issue the correction? We have that number. I think we've made it public, but I can't remember it offhand. We can provide it to the committee for the member.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Brian Pallister
I would ask you to add that to the list of the other information you're providing to the committee.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
Just on that, would that be the type of expense that would be added to the adjustments to reconcile?
4:30 p.m.
Commissioner, Canada Revenue Agency
No, I think we swallowed within our base the extra expense to make that correction.
Am I correct, Barbara?
4:30 p.m.
Assistant Commissioner, Assessment and Benefit Services Branch, Canada Revenue Agency
I think we did ask for a small amount from the department.
Would that be part of the $56 million that we were talking earlier about, Jim?
4:30 p.m.
Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Commissioner, Finance and Administration Branch, Canada Revenue Agency
If it's related to 2004-05, yes.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Brian Pallister
Pertinent to Mr. Dykstra's question is just the cost, which you're going to provide the committee with regardless of what envelope it came from. I think that's what he was asking.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
Just on this point, when issues and additional costs arise that weren't budgeted for, how much room is there within the budget to be able to deal with them in terms of a percentage? Does that amount to a dollar total, or is whatever you can work with from a percentage perspective?
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
There was a mistake made; an issue arose and an additional cost was incurred. You said that within the department you were able to find some of the money to cover that cost. How much flexibility does the department have in terms of additional...?
4:30 p.m.
Commissioner, Canada Revenue Agency
Actually, I was corrected by the chief financial officer that we did ask for the money to make that correction, and it's included in the $56 million, yes.