Evidence of meeting #13 for COVID-19 Pandemic in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Mr. Chair, my colleague is alluding to previous current and future agreements. We have had discussions and we have reached a number of agreements with our friends in the Bloc Québécois. It was going very well, but there was one agreement they did not like and they went off and sulked.
When you are not happy, you do not go off and sulk; you stay at the table and negotiate. That is how things work.
Bloc
Marilène Gill Bloc Manicouagan, QC
I urge the honourable Leader of the Government to recall the House. I am ready to be here, on the ice, all the time. I must remind him that we are not sulking. The Bloc Québécois has self-respect and respect for the public.
An agreement is not a promise, it is an agreement. A word is given in dignity and sincerity; a bond of trust is created.
When a player decides not to play by the rules, I do not let myself be taken in twice. I prefer to negotiate here, as we should be doing all the time in Parliament, not trying to play with someone who never keeps his word.
I would just like the Leader of the Government in the House to tell us that the measure about the 10 days is not up to him and so he will not be able to make it happen.
I could also ask him whether he found out from the Government of Quebec whether it agreed with the measure.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Mr. Chair, of course, it is not in my jurisdiction personally. We agree on that. It depends on a number of players, including the provinces and the private sector. We at federal level are holding discussions with the provinces and people in different areas. Of course, we are holding discussions with everyone involved.
I want to know what my colleague has against having six hours of questions instead of four. What does she have against the fact that, from now on, people will be able to ask questions about anything, not just about COVID-19? What does she have against the fact that we are going to meet again this summer? What is it that she does not like?
Conservative
The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Ms. Gill, you have about 30 seconds left for your comment. Go ahead.
Bloc
Marilène Gill Bloc Manicouagan, QC
Let me teach the Leader of the Government in the House some arithmetic.
First, 37.5 hours per week, as well as the time we spend sitting on our normal committees, is quite a bit more than the eight short hours each week he is giving us.
Second, once again, the leader said that it is absolutely not in his jurisdiction. So he reaches agreements with parties though his word is worth nothing. I hope that the NDP has not reached an agreement with him.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Mr. Chair, it all depends on government decisions, and clearly, we are having discussions with the provinces. Actually, we have already started doing that.
However, I still do not understand what she has against having more time than I do to ask questions. I would really like an answer from her.
Conservative
The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
We will now take a brief pause so that the technicians can spell each other off.
Order.
I see Mr. Bezan on a point of order.
Conservative
James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Earlier, during the question time here, Mr. Sweet, the member for Flamborough-Glanbrook, got up and was raising a number of issues about the Hong Kong protests, where 360 people have been arrested. The People's Republic of China, the regime in Beijing, and their rubber-stamp parliament, the National People's Congress, are circumventing Hong Kong legislation and the Hong Kong government in putting their own will upon the people of Hong Kong. I believe this demands an emergency debate here in the House of Commons.
Mr. Chair, I'm asking if you would rule on this and schedule an emergency debate so that Parliament can actually discuss this crisis, this human rights crisis, as political protestors are being imprisoned because of their standing up against the communist regime in Beijing.
Conservative
The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
I thank the honourable member, Mr. Bezan, for his point of order. It was really more of a request. He may know, and for the benefit of other honourable members, that we're operating in this Special Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic under the auspices of an order made earlier this week. There is no provision in that order for emergency debates.
However, I would certainly encourage him to speak with his House leader, whips and others. Of course, he'll know that discussions of this sort are being shared, so he might want to pursue that opportunity.
I see Mr. Bezan rising.
Mr. Bezan, is it a different point of order?
Conservative
James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB
No. I'd just like to respond to that if I could.
Conservative
James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB
Mr. Chair, this is the problem with this special committee. Our rights and privileges as members have been completely degraded. It makes it impossible for us to address the issues of this day.
Conservative
The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Mr. Bezan, we're all operating under an order that was agreed to by the House. We'll stick to those provisions.
Again, understand the situation we're in. Certainly circumstances do change, but I leave that to the party leaders to decide.
For our last round of questions, we're going to Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, Mr. Morantz.
Conservative
Marty Morantz Conservative Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My questions are for the Minister of National Revenue.
Minister, I've been informed by some of my colleagues that CRA officials have been directing constituents to phone their member of Parliament to resolve CRA-related issues.
Why on earth would CRA direct individuals away from the agency during this stressful time when they're just trying to get their tax information and file their taxes?
Liberal
Diane Lebouthillier Liberal Gaspésie—Les-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague for that important question.
I can tell you that CRA employees have to deal with questions put to them. It is not up to MPs' offices to deal with specific questions about individual files.
Conservative
Marty Morantz Conservative Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB
Minister, you didn't answer the question. These are your CRA officials directing constituents away from the CRA. You really should be answering that question and not just talking about how inappropriate it is, although I appreciate that.
Also, on your website, it says that the telephone service for the individual-inquiries line will be available to Canadians until June 5, and there is no further information about further live service. When will you get your agency under control and make sure it provides an actual person on the other end of the line to provide the information that taxpayers need?
Conservative
The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Just before we go to the minister, I would remind hon. members to address their questions through the chair. It's a little bit different from when we're questioning witnesses in a committee. We're using the rules more related to what we use in committee of the whole.
The honourable minister has the floor.
Conservative
Marty Morantz Conservative Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB
On a point of order, Mr. Chair, as far as I'm aware, this is not Parliament; this is a committee. I've been sitting on committees since October. I've talked to my colleagues, and no chair, including the chair of the finance committee, has ever asked me to address a question through the chair. So with the greatest of respect, unless this is in fact Parliament, which I'm told it's not and the Parliament voted that it's not, we really should be able to address the witnesses directly, should we not?
Conservative
The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Thank you, Mr. Morantz. This really is a question around the way in which this special committee on COVID-19 has been structured. We're operating under the rules that were agreed to by the House in an order that was passed and adopted on Tuesday of this week, so we're bound to manage the affairs of this committee in that way, and one of those includes asking members to address their comments and questions through the chair to other hon. members. So I ask you to abide by the rules of the committee, and we'll pursue that.
Now we'll go to the response to your second question.
The honourable minister has the floor.
Liberal
Diane Lebouthillier Liberal Gaspésie—Les-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
Mr. Chair, I must thank the officials who have done excellent work during this historic COVID-19 period.
I must tell you that CRA call centres are an essential service and the agency is able to answer calls quickly. The employees are answering calls from their homes.
Conservative
Marty Morantz Conservative Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB
Some of my colleagues have spoken to the CRA about drop-off boxes for paper returns actually being removed at some locations, citing COVID-19 as a reason. Has the CRA removed these boxes at all locations? Given this, will you commit today to make paper filing postage-free, since paper filers can no longer drop off their returns at all of the locations?
Liberal
Diane Lebouthillier Liberal Gaspésie—Les-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague for that important question.
At the CRA, we continue to process paper returns and to do the work that we usually do.
I repeat, I must highlight the exceptional work that the agency employees are doing.
Conservative
Marty Morantz Conservative Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB
On the subject of paper returns, there have been numerous reports—in fact I asked you on May 10 for a written response at the government operations committee, OGGO, which I have not yet received—on the delays in processing paper returns. Apparently this is still ongoing. When will Canadians who filed paper forms have their returns processed so they can get the refunds they need during this difficult time?
Liberal
Diane Lebouthillier Liberal Gaspésie—Les-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
Mr. Chair, I can confirm that the Canada Revenue Agency continues to process paper returns. Because of COVID-19, we have had to implement distancing measures to protect the employees.
We must ensure that employees are safe, but we continue to process paper returns.
Conservative
The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Mr. Morantz, you have about 45 seconds left. Go ahead with your question.