Evidence of meeting #80 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was rcmp.
A video is available from Parliament.
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Conservative
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Conservative
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Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the witnesses for being here.
Certainly, we are all concerned about ensuring that there's proper discipline, transparency and integrity in the process of procurement. I know that as a government, at all levels, frankly, we take that very seriously. We want to ensure that everybody abides by the rules and that we concur with the outcomes, so I appreciate your being here as we look for those answers on transparencies.
Mr. Terrazzano, do you sit on the board of the Taxpayers Federation?
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Liberal
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Federal Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation
I am a federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
For more information on the structure of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, head over to taxpayer.com. You can take a look at our website, and while you're there we have a bunch of great petitions to sign. A popular one right now is to scrap the carbon tax.
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Liberal
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Federal Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Once again, if you want—
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Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
I went on it, and it doesn't say. It didn't tell me how many board members there are.
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Federal Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Already we've spent a minute talking about the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
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Liberal
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Federal Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Let me just say, with respect to the member: If you want all of the information about the Canadian Taxpayers, an overview of our financial statements, head over to taxpayer.com.
I will just add, if you just spent half of the time worrying about the people who fund your pay as you are right now questioning me about the CTF, all taxpayers would be better off.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
Actually, I'm just trying to assess the level of representation, because the Taxpayers Federation creates a great voice. I'm trying to understand the consequence.... You can't tell me how many board members there are, how many directors are on the board.
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Federal Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation
We have 235,000 Canadians—
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Federal Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation
In 2021 and 2022, the CTF raised $5 million on the strength of more than 45,000 donations. The average donation is around $110. I am here on behalf of hundreds of thousands of Canadians who want answers for a $54-million spend.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
It's my time, Mr. Chair.
I understand from your response, though, that Atlas Network and State Policy, from the United States, are also major donors—
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Federal Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation
We do not take any funding from international sources, only Canadian....
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Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
—and they're U.S. donors, not just Canadians.
I would like to ask the next question, if I may.
October 24th, 2023 / 4:50 p.m.
Liberal
Charles Sousa Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON
Mr. Terrazzano, you're very concerned about this. I'm not trying to accuse anybody of anything. I'm just trying to assess the level of the non-partisan activity of the Taxpayers Federation.
I know that many elected politicians have sat on the Taxpayers Federation, like Jason Kenney, Mike Harris, Rob Ford and a number of other great Canadians, who have represented a strong partisan level of Reform and Conservative Party...and that's okay.
I just want it to be clear to the public, and those here in the committee...to understand that level of non-partisan...and the level of integrity about which...going forward. I'm just trying to sense the level of funding that is received from the United States of America by your federation, the lack of transparency in terms of your board and how they're elected—because they're not elected by your members; they're not elected by the very people you've made mention of, by the bylaws, I understand.... You're just selecting yourselves within that board, and you're not being very clear.
I'm going to proceed with my next question as to the analysis of ArriveCAN.
Just out of curiosity, have you spoken to law enforcement in regard to the ArriveCAN issue?
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Federal Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation
We do not take a cent from outside Canada. We have 235,000 Canadian supporters, and we're here because hundreds of thousands of Canadians are demanding answers to the $54-million ArriveCAN scandal—
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Liberal
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Federal Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Look, we have techies who were saying that the cost of this was supposed to be $250,000—
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Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Mr. Terrazzano, we have a point of order. I'm sorry to interrupt.
Mr. Jowhari.
