Finance Committee on Nov. 1st, 2012

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

I'm no Scott Brison.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

We'll leave that comment at that.

We'll thank the officials for this part.

We'll bring our next officials forward for part 3, the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act.

If you're following it in your Library of Parliament briefing, in the English, it's page 12.

Do you have a question on the process, Monsieur Caron?

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Thank you.

I would just like to know one thing. At present, we are studying the various parts of the bill indicated on the sheet given to us, that is, Part 3 and certain sections of Part 4. It depends on the decision made by other committees who have been asked to examine the relevant sections. If those committees reject the offer to examine the sections concerned, will it come back here?

For instance, we are going to study sections 1, 3, 6 and 7, which are relevant to our committee. But if the committees we have asked to examine sections 2, 4 and 5 decide not to examine them, are they going to come back here so that we can invite the public servants to examine them?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

We certainly could. My intention, at this point, is to do the first set of briefings dealing with the sections that have stayed with the finance committee and allow those other committees to decide whether or not they wish to study those sections. That's why, in the letter to all the chairs, I did indicate that I'd like to know as soon as possible whether they are going to study those sections or not. Hopefully we'll have responses very quickly on that.

I believe we'll finish on Monday with the officials and, hopefully, we'll know by then what the other committees are doing. Our clerks are actually keeping a running tab in terms of what the other committees are doing and when they're having their meetings. Hopefully by Monday we will know that information for the committee. At the end of this, if members wish to, they can go back to previous sections.

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Thank you.

Do you have a question on this, Ms. Nash?

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Depending on other committees studying this, and whether or not they choose to study elements of this bill, if there is something that committee members are particularly concerned about or interested in, I assume we could still have officials or witnesses or pose questions on that here.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

If other committees are choosing to study it, my preference, as your chair, would be that they then go to those other committees. That's why we did send it to the other committees. If the other committee is choosing to study it, I would hope that if members of this committee are interested in that topic that they would go there and study it.

During clause-by-clause study, of course, as this committee will be doing all the clauses, all of the officials for all of the parts of the bill will be at this committee and we can certainly review it with them then.

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

We can ask our questions while we're doing the clause-by-clause study. Is that what you're suggesting?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

You can certainly ask questions then, but I would hope that if members of this committee are interested in, say, navigable waters, they would go to the transport committee and sub in at that committee or sit in as a member to follow that discussion there.

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Could I ask, through you, Chair, that we be informed when the other sections being referred to other committees for review are being studied? Could we gather all of that information so that we could, in fact, take your suggestion, which is to take advantage of those meetings and try to sub in?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

We could certainly endeavour to do that. I would, though, encourage you to talk to the members of your own party who are on those committees. That's what I'm doing with the other chairs. I'm having an ongoing dialogue with them.

We can certainly endeavour to do that, but I would encourage you to have ongoing rapport, as I'm sure you do, with members of your own party who are on those committees.

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Okay.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

On this point, we'll go to Mr. Sorenson, who is a chair of one of the committees.

[Kevin Sorenson, Conservative, Crowfoot, AB]

Yes, thank you.

Thank you to the finance committee and the public safety and national security committee for sending us some clauses to look at.

We just received the letter last night. By way of process, our understanding is that at our first opportunity of a meeting, we will have committee business. It will be decided then whether we will study it. I would assume that we will be studying it, but it would still be through a motion.

In your letter, you also stated when you want this reported back to you. If you talk to any of your critics on those committees, I would imagine it would be at a regular committee meeting. I'm certain that you'd be able to attend as well.

I know that we're going to deal with it during committee business early Monday.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Okay.

In fact, a list is being drafted. Some of the other committees are indicating to us when they're having the minister, when they're having officials, and when they're having witnesses. We will endeavour to share this on an ongoing basis with members of this committee.

Mr. Harris.

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Since I don't normally sit on this committee, maybe this question was answered at another time. Is this list of 10 committees completely final at this point? Will there be no modification?

I only ask because, for instance, for the SR and ED tax credits, there are certainly a number of changes that could be studied at committee, but the industry, science and tech committee is not on the list of committees looking at the bill.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

If my recollection serves me, my understanding is that a colleague in your party proposed that, but the committee decided to leave those measures with the finance committee. That decision was made by the committee.

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

If that happened, it would have happened in camera.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

No, it was in public. In fact, you could have watched it on TV last night. It was very scintillating.

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

It was in the committee?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Yes, it was in the committee.

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Was it this committee?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

It was our committee.

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Oh, okay.