Bill C-296 (Historical)

Government Awareness Day Act

An Act respecting a Government Awareness Day

This enactment designates the eighth day of July in each and every year as “Government Awareness Day”.

Government Awareness Day Act

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-296, An Act respecting a Government Awareness Day

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to introduce this bill, an act respecting government awareness day. I would like to thank my hon. colleague, the hard-working and excellent member for Courtenay—Alberni for seconding the bill.

The bill would have Parliament establish July 8 every year as government awareness day. The purpose would be that there be a day for Canadians to reflect on and celebrate our democracy. July 8 was the first day that Parliament ever sat in our country. That is the significance of that day. It would encourage citizen engagement, a celebration of our democracy, and education. It would encourage all citizens to use that day to contact any representative they wish, municipal, provincial, or federal, and make their views known to that representative as a way of showing that democracy is about government by the people for the people.

I hope that all members of the House will join with me in establishing such an important day, which we do not have now in the country, to celebrate, respect, and enhance our democracy.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Okay, thank you. We will turn to questions.

I believe in my discussions with Mr. Fréchette, the group before us is willing to answer and discuss any of the eight reports that you mentioned. However, I think it's a moot point on Bill C-239, which was defeated last night in the House.

The first round of questions goes to Mr. Sorbara.

[Jean-Denis Fréchette, Parliamentary Budget Officer, Library of Parliament]

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and vice-chairs.

I would like to introduce my colleagues. With me today are Dr. Mostafa Askari, assistant parliamentary budget officer; Chris Matier, senior director, economic and fiscal analysis and forecasting; Tim Scholz, economic analyst; Elizabeth Cahill, financial adviser-analyst; and Jason Jacques, director of fiscal analysis.

Thank you, committee members, for this invitation to appear and for the opportunity to discuss our recent reports. Since our last appearance before your committee on April 19, we released eight reports, including two analyses last week on the cost estimate of private members' business, Bill C-239 and Bill C-241. These two studies were done in the context of your committee's routine motion requiring the PBO to conduct a detailed and comprehensive costing analysis of selected private members' business appearing on the order of precedence.

Since yesterday, Bill C-239 is, of course, no longer on your agenda.

Since the committee’s notice of meeting also refers to our recent reports and since those cover a wide range of topics, I will stop there, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

We'll come to order.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), we are here on the study of the cost estimate of Bill C-239, an act to amend the Income Tax Act (Charitable Gifts), and the cost estimate of Bill C-241, an act to amend the Excise Act (School Authorities), and recent reports that the parliamentary budget officer has done.

We have with us today, Jean-Denis Fréchette, the parliamentary budget officer, and a number of officials are with him. Welcome, Jean-Denis and company. We'll hear your opening statement and go from there.

Welcome and thank you.