Bill S-217

Fairness for All Canadian Taxpayers Act (measuring the tax gap to fight international tax evasion)

An Act to amend the Canada Revenue Agency Act (reporting on unpaid income tax)

This enactment amends the Canada Revenue Agency Act to require the Canada Revenue Agency to list all convictions for tax evasion — including international tax evasion — in the annual report it submits to the Minister of National Revenue. It also requires the Agency, once every three years, to include statistics on the tax gap in the annual report. In addition, this enactment specifies that the Minister is to provide the Parliamentary Budget Officer with data on the tax gap.

Fairness for All Canadian Taxpayers Act

[Adam Chambers, Conservative, Simcoe North, ON]

moved that Bill S-217, An Act to amend the Canada Revenue Agency Act (reporting on unpaid income tax), be read the first time.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to sponsor this bill in this chamber. I would like to congratulate Senator Downe on his third time sending this bill, which deals with increased transparency at the CRA, into this chamber.

The names of those who are convicted of tax evasion, both in Canada and abroad, should be made easily and publicly available for all in Canada to see. In addition, this bill would require the CRA to publish statistics related to the tax gap, which is the amount the CRA assesses versus what it actually collects. It also includes provisions to make data more easily available to the Parliamentary Budget Officer.

I look forward to working with all members in the House to shepherd this bill through this chamber. As I mentioned before, this is the third time it has come to this chamber for consideration.

I would like to thank the seconder in this chamber, the hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent—Akiawenhrahk, who is a wonderful colleague and partner in this quest to introduce more transparency at the CRA.

(Motion agreed to and bill read the first time)