Finance Committee on May 17th, 2007

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Is there one sector in particular that seems to be predominantly using tax havens or countries with tax treaties? High-income, we understand, but does one sector in particular use them, for example, investment holdings, insurance, banks...?

[Sheila Fraser]

I'm not aware if there is any particular sector. The Revenue Agency might be able to give you some indication of that.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Okay. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

Thank you very much, madam.

Thank you to your associates as well for being here. We appreciate your participation in the process.

We'll recess for a short time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

Welcome back, committee members. To some new committee members, hello, and thank you for being here.

Mr. Chong and Mr. Gourde, welcome.

Pursuant to the order of reference of Tuesday, May 15, 2007, we are considering Bill C-52, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 19, 2007.

We have before us the responsibility of dealing with the budget bill.

Yes, Mr. Del Mastro.

[Dean Del Mastro, Conservative, Peterborough, ON]

I would like to move a motion, if I could.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

I think that would be in order.

[Dean Del Mastro, Conservative, Peterborough, ON]

Thank you.

The motion reads as follows:

That in relation to Bill C-52, that at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, May 30th, 2007, if not already disposed of at the committee stage, C-52 shall be deemed adopted without amendment and the Chair ordered to report the Bill back to the House.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

Discussion on that?

Mr. McKay.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

We're generally agreeable to that motion.

The condition from our side is that there be up to four panels on the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and that in the event that any one of the premiers do choose to attend, they be given some consideration in terms of having a separate panel for them. Other than that, I don't think we really have any other concerns.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

Mr. McKay, for clarification, before I go to Mr. Crête, there are four panels and we would need an additional session to deal with clause-by-clause. Would you consent to adding clause-by-clause at the end of one of those panels?

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

I'm assuming that we'd go immediately into clause-by-clause at the end of the fourth panel.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

Thank you very much, sir.

Mr. Crête, you have the floor.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

I am very satisfied by this motion because it will enable us to meet yesterday's objective, in other words allow witnesses to be heard while ensuring that the bill moves forward as quickly as possible. It is important for this legislation to be adopted so that we can implement the budget's provisions.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

Merci.

I want to compliment committee members on their cooperative approach to dealing with this, as opposed to some of our colleagues who have had to display rather rancorous approaches to dealing with issues. I think this is much more productive and much more in keeping with the expectations Canadians have of the way we conduct ourselves.

Mr. Pacetti, then Mr. McKay.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

In terms of process, I don't want to raise it as a point of order, but is the motion properly presented, or do you wish to seek unanimous consent from the committee?

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

I don't have a problem with the motion. I think it's fine. If someone wishes to raise objection to it, they're welcome to do so.

I'll continue discussion now.

Mr. McKay first, and then Mr. Dykstra.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

In terms of process, we've agreed that we would expect to hear 12 witnesses. We've already submitted a witness list of slightly less than 12. We would want to have the understanding that we could have 12 witnesses and we may want to back-fill.

So the question on process is—and to the clerk, I suppose—that we should have a timeline by which we and the NDP will submit our witness lists, and the understanding is that neither the government nor the Bloc will be submitting any witnesses at all.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

Thank you, Mr. McKay.

I would propose to committee members, if they wish to submit suggested witnesses to the clerk's office, they do so by the end of the day today, no later.

I want to make clear to all committee members that I've had requests, at various times since your selection of me as your chair, from various of you, to see the witness lists of other members on the committee. On this, I must tell you, I've been consistent from the get-go—and I will continue to be—that those witness lists that you submit from your particular political party are your business and not the business of others on the committee. I will consistently conduct the affairs of this committee in that way.

That being said, we'll look for the complete and total list of all suggested witnesses by the end of the day, no later, so as to facilitate the contact that we have to make with the witnesses you desire to hear and get them here at the appropriate time.

Mr. McKay.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Both our critic and the—

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

I'm sorry, John. Five o'clock this afternoon.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Five o'clock is not the issue. The issue is that our critic and your parliamentary secretary are both out of the country. I would respectfully suggest—and I hope members would agree—that we make it Friday, that it be five o'clock tomorrow. We have the entire break week.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

There are some practical challenges to the Monday panels...by Friday.

Is the committee in agreement with that? I see no disagreement, so that will be the understanding.

Mr. Dykstra.

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, St. Catharines, ON]

I agree with the comments and support the motion. I agree with Mr. McKay's comments about the set-up of the panels, but I want to make sure we are clear on the understanding that we leave the discretion to the chair to arrange setting up the meetings and the timing on Monday and Tuesday.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

I'm working on the assumption that it will be the usual format.