Finance Committee on May 16th, 2012
Evidence of meeting #59 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was tax.
A recording is available from Parliament.
On the agenda
MPs speaking
Also speaking
- Ted Cook Senior Legislative Chief, Tax Legislation Division, Tax Policy Branch, Department of Finance
- Sean Keenan Director, Personal Income Tax Division, Tax Policy Branch, Department of Finance
- Brian McCauley Assistant Commissioner, Legislative Policy and Regulatory Affairs Branch, Canada Revenue Agency
- Pierre Mercille Senior Legislative Chief, Sales Tax Division, GST Legislation, Tax Policy Branch, Department of Finance
- Lucia Di Primio Chief, Excise Policy, Sales Tax Division, Excise Act, Tax Policy Branch, Department of Finance
- Gordon Boissonneault Senior Advisor, Economic Analysis and Forecasting Division, Demand and Labour Analysis, Economic and Fiscal Policy Branch, Department of Finance
- Jane Pearse Director, Financial Institutions Division, Financial Sector Policy Branch, Department of Finance
- Annie Hardy Chief, Financial Institutions Division, Structural Issues, Financial Sector Policy Branch, Department of Finance
- Ling Wang Chief, Financial Institutions Division, Housing Finance Review, Financial Sector Policy Branch, Department of Finance
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
Scott Brison Kings—Hants, NS
With regard to the other measures, you provided the cost of two of the measures, the mining tax credit and the RDSP. Would you provide an itemized list of the costs to us for the other measures, or are they all too insignificant?
3:55 p.m.
Senior Legislative Chief, Tax Legislation Division, Tax Policy Branch, Department of Finance
Sorry, I'm not sure—
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
Scott Brison Kings—Hants, NS
There are a number of tax reduction measures in part 1. You responded to Ms. Nash's question about two of them, the mining tax credit and the RDSP. What about the other ones?
3:55 p.m.
Senior Legislative Chief, Tax Legislation Division, Tax Policy Branch, Department of Finance
The medical expense tax credit is recorded in the table provided in the supplementary information as being less than $1 million.
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
3:55 p.m.
Senior Legislative Chief, Tax Legislation Division, Tax Policy Branch, Department of Finance
The change from adding blood coagulation monitors to the list of eligible expenses is expected to be less than that.
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair James Rajotte
Thank you, Mr. Brison.
I just want to clarify one point with Mr. McCauley.
We've had this issue before, and CRA has been very explicit about it. I think it's important to note, because there is often a lot of discussion in the media and elsewhere on the government's actions or inactions with respect to the charitable sector and certain charities. I want to emphasize your answers, Mr. McCauley, in terms of there being no political direction given whatsoever. And if there were, CRA officials would frankly disregard it. They themselves would make the decision with respect to any auditing or oversight of charities with respect to the law.
I want you to answer that very clearly, for the committee's sake.
3:55 p.m.
Assistant Commissioner, Legislative Policy and Regulatory Affairs Branch, Canada Revenue Agency
That's the way we've done business since forever, regardless of the government, and that's the way we'll continue to do business. There is no political direction, and that's absolutely essential to the integrity of the system.
4 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair James Rajotte
When there are statements made about the government, political people, or members of Parliament targeting charities, the fact is that CRA is independent. It exercises its own independent oversight, analysis, and judgment with respect to the charitable sector.
4 p.m.
Assistant Commissioner, Legislative Policy and Regulatory Affairs Branch, Canada Revenue Agency
We act in a manner that's consistent with the Income Tax Act and the policy direction the Government of Canada provides to us. And those are public, yes.
4 p.m.
Conservative
May 16th, 2012 / 4 p.m.
NDP
Guy Caron Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would like some clarification on the first part, which pertains to grains, so that we are sure about the scope of the clause. The idea is to maintain an advance payments program for farmers who, until now, were under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Wheat Board. Is that correct?
4 p.m.
Senior Legislative Chief, Tax Legislation Division, Tax Policy Branch, Department of Finance
With respect to the first clause, it has to do with a change as a result of the ultimate dissolution or commercialization of the Canadian Wheat Board. It takes a current measure that applies in respect of grain producers who produce in western Canada, essentially, and makes it available to all farmers of listed grains in Canada. Essentially what it does is take out a reference to an area designated by the Canada Wheat Board and replaces it with all of Canada. The measure also, in the first clause of the bill, adds a reference to canola.