Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would like to thank you all for allowing me to join you today. I'd also like to thank Brent Rathgeber for proposing Bill C-461. Mr. Rathgeber has shown character and courage in standing up for his beliefs and to his caucus when he has nothing to gain politically or personally by supporting this bill. This is evidence that principles are still alive and well in the House of Commons, and this gives us at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation hope that this bill will lead the government in the right direction.
My name is Gregory Thomas. I am the federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. We are a federally incorporated, not-for-profit citizens' group dedicated to lower taxes, less waste, and accountable government. We represent over 84,000 supporters across Canada. I am here on behalf of our Taxpayers Federation and our supporters to defend the current iteration of Mr. Rathgeber's bill.
We believe that all governments should stick to their founding tenets: transparency and accountability to the people. When administrations base their governments on these two seemingly simply ideas, it benefits them, their supporters, and everyone in between. More accountability to the public gives taxpayers the rights they deserve—to know who is being paid with their tax dollars and how much of our money they receive.
Bill C-461 would cause the government to disclose all earnings above $188,000. We believe this is a necessary shift in federal disclosure policy. Although in a perfect world every penny paid out by the government would be public information, we believe Mr. Rathgeber's bill pushes the government away from its self-imposed opaqueness and pushes the government into disclosure policy that will greatly benefit all Canadians.
This bill in its current state, we feel, does not go far enough, but the enthusiasm and hard work put in by Mr. Rathgeber makes up for this and gives us hope that other MPs will push for further reforms in the future. That being said, there have been criticisms of these amendments from all sides of the House, and I would like to address each of them.
First, there is concern regarding the number of people who would land above the $188,000 salary disclosure limit. Their concerns have centred on the number of people whose salaries would be disclosed. We believe this is a non-issue in this discussion. Government employees are all accountable to the public precisely because we sustain their salaries. To suggest otherwise takes away from the real issues affecting Canadians: government accountability and transparency.
We hear this from the government, and, quite frankly, it confuses us. I'm not the first one, nor will I be the last, to reference the current Senate expenses scandal involving former Conservatives Mike Duffy, Pamela Wallin, Patrick Brazeau, and former Liberal Senator Mac Harb. If the government allowed us access to the records and documents relating to their expense claims, this wasteful, unaccountable spending could have been nipped in the bud before it spiralled out of control into a $90,000 cheque with many reputations tarnished.
The same will go for this bill. If we see what government employees are earning, we can stop unreasonable salaries, benefits, and pension entitlements before they spiral out of control. It should be clear that this would help any government avoid embarrassment and scandal, while ensuring taxpayers are being treated with the respect they deserve.
The other major criticism relates to the effects of this bill on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Again, we believe this takes away from the real issues surrounding the amendments. The CBC is not the only affected crown corporation. All crown agencies, from the Atlantic Pilotage Authority to VIA Rail, are covered in this bill. In fact, there is a specific provision in this bill that would allow the CBC to withhold information that threatens its independence, and it would be subject to a test that could be tried in the courts.
We believe there are plenty of members in the official opposition, as well as the Liberal Party, who genuinely support the spirit of this legislation. I would simply plead with you not to get caught up in the sideshow that relates to the CBC, but rather focus on the real issue, which is accountability, transparency, and waste.
Now, you may be asking yourself, how exactly does federal disclosure policy help the average taxpayer, the average citizen? The fact of the matter is this: if we can see what crown CEOs are making and what their job descriptions are, we can avoid potential scandals before they spiral out of control.
You may believe that not every Canadian pays attention to the salaries of government officials. It's a valid assumption, and I don't deny it. However, we still owe it to taxpayers to treat their dollars with dignity. Even if every Canadian on every main street isn't going to file an access to information request, you can be assured that the Taxpayers Federation, as well as other advocacy groups for free press or free media, will be watching vigilantly to see how taxpayers' dollars are spent.
We're here to ensure that the government operates within reasonable limits. The day we stop respecting a person's money because they don't have the time or resources to be involved in the same manner you are, I believe, is the day we lose our moral authority to levy taxes.
I hope my testimony has shed some light on this issue. Canadians deserve the best from their government, and we believe the public's concerns, until this bill arrived, have been falling on deaf ears.
We commend Mr. Rathgeber and all members who support this legislation. You are the people who listen to Canadians and who are working for positive change in the stewardship the government shows over our tax dollars.
