Finance Committee on Feb. 25th, 2014

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

So who pays the incremental fee?

[David A. Robinson]

It's a distribution fee for the downloading and storage and support of the virtualized card on the...but which is paid by the issuer.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Mr. Roberts, do you want to say something on this?

[Todd Roberts]

Yes. CIBC pays Rogers a fee, which is a matter of our contract and which is why neither of us is saying what the number is. It's small.

I pay that fee. So CIBC pays that fee to Rogers in order to put the credit card credential on the phone. Once it's on the phone it behaves just like any other credit card transaction where you tap.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

It's a one-time fee?

[Todd Roberts]

That's correct.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

And will you pass that fee on?

[Todd Roberts]

We are not passing that fee on.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

You're going to swallow that fee?

[Todd Roberts]

We have swallowed that fee.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Okay. My time is up. I think we'll continue this, but I appreciate this. This has been another very interesting panel, a very interesting discussion. Thank you all for being here.

I believe that two of you, possibly three, have tech demonstrations for members once we've finished the meeting. I'll thank all of you for being here.

We are going to move to a motion. We will excuse those witnesses who do want to leave the room, but for those who want to set up their tech demonstration we'll allow you to do so now.

Thank you very much for your presentation today. Anything further you wish us to consider, please submit it to the clerk and I'll assure all members get it. Thank you so much.

At this point we will move directly to the motion from the NDP. I believe Mr. Thibeault you are moving the motion.

[Glenn Thibeault, NDP, Sudbury, ON]

Yes. Thank you, Chair. As I'm substituting in for Ms. Nash I'd like to move the motion that she presented:

That the Committee invite the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, to appear before the Committee regarding the Supplementary Estimates (C) 2013-2014 before March 6, 2014 and that this meeting be televised.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Thank you very much.

That motion is in order, Mr. Thibeault.

Is there any discussion?

Mr. Saxton.

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, North Vancouver, BC]

Mr. Chair, I wanted to say that there will be government officials who are obviously available to come to talk. We're talking about the supplementary estimates (C) right now.

As much as the minister would like to be here, his schedule will not permit him to be here. I think that the opposition will have ample opportunity to ask the government officials from the department the questions that they may wish to ask.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Is there any further discussion on the motion?

Mr. Caron.

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

Since the Minister of Finance will be busy and we are looking at March 6, it is important that we hear from a representative of the government who is not a public servant, although we would also appreciate having public servants present. We could amend the motion to indicate that if the minister is not available, the Minister of State for Finance come give a presentation on supplementary estimates (C).

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Thank you, Mr. Caron.

Further discussion...?

Mr. Saxton.

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, North Vancouver, BC]

I want to point out that it's not the practice. It hasn't been the practice in the past to have a minister come and talk about supplementary estimates (C).

The minister will be here to talk about the budget implementation act and that's when you'll have your chance to ask the minister questions, but tradition has been that government officials answer questions on the supplementary estimates (C) and that the ministers do not.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Thank you, Mr. Saxton.

Mr. Thibeault.

[Glenn Thibeault, NDP, Sudbury, ON]

I'm finding it interesting right now, Mr. Chair. We're understanding that the Minister of Finance is unable to attend and now we're hearing that it's not the practice to invite the other minister, where in other committees we have had ministers come forward to present at supplementary estimates. If one of the ministers is available, I do think it would be important to have the minister here to speak to the supplementary estimates.

It's fantastic to hear from the parliamentary secretary that the Minister of Finance will be here for the budget implementation piece, but I also think it's important that we do have a minister here to be able to answer our questions. It's great. Government officials are also very important and very relevant to the conversation, but I think it would be important to have the minister of state here.

I would like to encourage my honourable friend across the way to consider putting that invite out to the minister of state.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Thank you, Mr. Thibeault.

Monsieur Caron.

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

To add to what Mr. Thibeault just said, I would note that at other committees where I have been a member, such as the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, when the Minister of Industry was unable to attend the meeting—he had already appeared to speak to the estimates—the ministers responsible for other functions within the department, for example the regional ministers for Economic Development Canada, came to give a presentation.

If the main minister cannot attend, it was perfectly normal for us to invite the minister responsible for an organization that reports to the department to give a presentation on the supplementary estimates.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Thank you.

Mr. Saxton, you have the floor.

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, North Vancouver, BC]

Mr. Chair, I appreciate my colleagues on the other side coming up with compelling reasons for what happens on other committees, but they know that each committee has its own practice and traditions.

It has not been the practice of this committee to have any minister appear for supplementary estimates (C) or for main estimates for that matter. It's not the practice of this committee. Each committee has its own practice and that is simply not the case here.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Can we go to a vote then on the motion? There's been a suggestion, regarding the minister of state, but I think one vote on the motion is sufficient. Or do you want to vote on the amendment as well?