Finance Committee on April 2nd, 2009

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

I guess it expands on Mr. Laforest's motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

On the same point of order, Mr. Mulcair.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Yes, go ahead.

[Jean-Yves Laforest, Bloc, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

I am prepared to accept it as a friendly amendment and to amend my motion. It could be the same as that proposed by Mr. Menzies. I think that ten meetings is a lot and that if we said a maximum of six, that would still be quite a few.

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

Fair enough.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

So you would be okay with it if it said “of a maximum of 10 meetings”?

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

It would be good to add “a maximum”.

[Jean-Yves Laforest, Bloc, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

“A maximum of six meetings”.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

It says “a maximum of ten”, but it could be six.

[Jean-Yves Laforest, Bloc, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

For my part, I am saying, “a maximum of six”. I think that is quite a few.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Okay.

Mr. Mulcair, do you want to—

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

I think that six meetings would be good. I like the amendment. It expands a little on the main motion and goes in that direction. I am prepared to support it.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

My sense is that the mover of the motion will accept the friendly amendment, if there's another friendly subamendment—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

—to have a maximum of six meetings.

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

It's all friendly!

I'll move it that way, if it simplifies things.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Okay, thank you.

[Jean-Yves Laforest, Bloc, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

All right. Please read my amended motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Let me read it.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Okay, sure, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

It would state:

That the Finance Committee conduct a study of the credit card and debit card system in Canada consisting of a maximum of (6) meetings to examine, but not limited to:

(a) Transaction fees imposed on merchants; and

(b) Proposed changes to the credit card interchange fees and the debit payment system; and

and report its observations and recommendations to the House.

I'll take Mr. Wallace first, and then Monsieur Laforest.

[Jean-Yves Laforest, Bloc, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

According to what you read, or at least to the translation, you stated: “—of the various debit and credit card transaction fees—”. I would like to retain the phrase “imposed on merchants”.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Right.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Should we read the French version?

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Jean-François Pagé]

That the Finance Committee conduct a study of the credit card and debit card system in Canada, consisting of a maximum of six (6) meetings to examine, but not limited to: (a) Transaction fees imposed on merchants; and (b) Proposed changes to the credit card interchange fees and the debit payment system; and report its observations and recommendations to the House.