Evidence of meeting #53 for Finance in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amendment.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Cathy Hawara  Director General, Charities Directorate, Legislative Policy and Regulatory Affairs Branch, Canada Revenue Agency
Edward Short  Senior Chief, Tax Legislation Division, Department of Finance
Wayne Cole  Procedural Clerk

4:05 p.m.

Liberal

Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON

In the United States—

4:05 p.m.

Director General, Charities Directorate, Legislative Policy and Regulatory Affairs Branch, Canada Revenue Agency

Cathy Hawara

Oh, shelters. I apologize.

I don't know whether it's a requirement of the IRS.

4:05 p.m.

Liberal

Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON

All right. I'm advised that they do, and I'm pretty sure that it makes accommodations.

Can you tell me now how many shelters have any employees with over $100,000 in compensation?

4:05 p.m.

Director General, Charities Directorate, Legislative Policy and Regulatory Affairs Branch, Canada Revenue Agency

Cathy Hawara

I don't have access to that information. However, because we would be amending a portion of the provision that applies to more than just the compensation, it would have broader implications than just on compensation.

4:05 p.m.

Liberal

Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON

Mr. Chairman, I would prefer the “shall” wording, from the technical basis that a post office box.... I spent five years on the board of Interim Place, a shelter for battered women. I'm aware of the sensitivities. There are three locations now in our community, and I think they're all pretty well discreetly positioned and taken care of. But this is one situation. Since the U.S. has found ways, I'm pretty sure that, with the assurance here of the officials, a post office box.... I don't know what's on the registration of the charity, which is also public information, but I suspect that they've already handled it there, so that any disclosure of an address on that registration probably has already dealt with the same problem we're concerned with now. The shelters are not, in my view, a good example of why we should retain the discretion.

Other than shelters for battered women, are there any other groups or classes of organizations, charitable organizations, that would have any similar sensitivities?

4:10 p.m.

Director General, Charities Directorate, Legislative Policy and Regulatory Affairs Branch, Canada Revenue Agency

Cathy Hawara

The one issue that has come to me since I've been in this position has been officials working abroad. Some organizations have charitable activities abroad. That is the one instance I'm also aware of that I can raise for the committee's consideration.

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON

I would, as a consequence, support the amendment of Mr. Pacetti then.

4:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Thank you, Mr. Szabo.

Mr. Pacetti, and then Mr. Wallace.

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC

I'm not sure if I can perhaps make a friendly amendment and make everybody happy, if that's possible.

Paragraph (b): “the Minister shall, unless justified, make available to the”, and so on and so forth, so it's more like an opting out.

In my view, the French version is better than the English one.

4:10 p.m.

An hon. member

As always.

4:10 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON

Could you read it in English for us again?

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC

In English, it's easy: “the Minister shall, unless justified, make available to”. So he's just going to have to do it, unless somebody justifies that he....

December 8th, 2010 / 4:10 p.m.

Conservative

Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC

“Unless otherwise justified”?

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC

Yes, “unless otherwise justified” is fine.

4:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Okay.

Does everyone have what the proposal is?

4:10 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON

It's “otherwise justified”, is that what you're saying?

4:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Do you want to just read it?

Could you read out the English and French versions?

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC

Look, I can't write either French or English, so you guys are talking to the wrong guy.

4:10 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON

Try it in Italian, and let's see how we do.

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC

It's “the Minister shall”—

4:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Order.

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC

I'm okay with “the Minister shall, unless otherwise justified”. But I don't know why the “otherwise” needs to be there--“the Minister shall, unless justified”, but somebody has to correct me here.

4:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Okay, en français.

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC

That bill C-470, in Clause 1, be amended by replacing line 5 on page 2 with the following: (b) the minister shall make available to the

4:10 p.m.

Bloc

Daniel Paillé Bloc Hochelaga, QC

As the legislative clerk just...