I believe it's you, Monsieur Harvey.
Evidence of meeting #18 for Finance in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cement.
Evidence of meeting #18 for Finance in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cement.
1:55 p.m.
Conservative
Luc Harvey Conservative Louis-Hébert, QC
Mr. Ouellet, does a medical clinic have inputs? Let's take, for example, the purchase of a thermometer scanner. Doctors who buy one will have to pay GST, but, in the case of a medical clinic, are there inputs? That clinic has to pay a secretary and a whole staff.
1:55 p.m.
President Elect, Canadian Medical Association
Unfortunately, no. All the accountants tell us that it's not possible, that we should enjoy the same conditions as all other businesses. And yet doctors are an exception under the law. There aren't any inputs. All taxes are paid by physicians. Since their fees are paid by the government, they can't bill patients for GST or QST.
1:55 p.m.
Conservative
Luc Harvey Conservative Louis-Hébert, QC
You also mentioned that some medical students had to repay their fees while they were still studying.
Is that the case if they specialize and are already receiving an amount that they have to start repaying?
1:55 p.m.
President Elect, Canadian Medical Association
Exactly. There are the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The undergraduate level, that is the medical course—
1:55 p.m.
President Elect, Canadian Medical Association
At the postgraduate level, they are required to repay what they have borrowed during their undergraduate studies.
1:55 p.m.
Conservative
Luc Harvey Conservative Louis-Hébert, QC
What is the average salary of individuals starting to repay their loans and bursaries while they are specializing?
1:55 p.m.
President Elect, Canadian Medical Association
If I told you the salary I earned during my residency, you wouldn't believe it.
1:55 p.m.
Conservative
Luc Harvey Conservative Louis-Hébert, QC
But I'm talking about people you currently represent. You must know those figures.
1:55 p.m.
President Elect, Canadian Medical Association
I don't know them exactly.
1:55 p.m.
Conservative
1:55 p.m.
Conservative
Luc Harvey Conservative Louis-Hébert, QC
My next question is for Mr. Clarke.
First, I'd like to confirm for you that our government believes in supply management and that it even recognized it in the Throne Speech. With regard to that concept, I can assure you that you have our full support. However, I'd like to know whether the compensation you're seeking represents a sharing of risk or a situation in which the government assumes all risk.
1:55 p.m.
Vice-Chair, Canadian Egg Marketing Agency
Our whole industry actually shares in a lot of the risk. On farms we are constantly doing programs such as Start Clean-Stay Clean, and we are always looking to ensure that our product goes to consumers on a safe basis, so they have confidence in it.
The compensation for avian influenza is not only for farmers' good but also the public good. We're asking for proper compensation relative to the potential outbreak of avian influenza, which would include not only the bird itself in the egg-laying industry but also the production from that bird. So it's very important that we get adequate compensation that would not just cover the bird but also the product outcome from the bird, and proper cleaning and disinfecting afterwards.
2 p.m.
Conservative
Luc Harvey Conservative Louis-Hébert, QC
Mr. Pineau, the film industry file is one of your responsibilities?
2 p.m.
National Director, Canadian Conference of the Arts
Yes, film producers belong to our association.
2 p.m.
Conservative
Luc Harvey Conservative Louis-Hébert, QC
We've heard that there is currently a lack of funding, since the Quebec film industry was doing very well and there were even a lot of projects.
Is that correct?
2 p.m.
National Director, Canadian Conference of the Arts
I admit frankly that I'm unable to give you those statistics.
2 p.m.
National Director, Canadian Conference of the Arts
It's not me whose seeking it, sir, it's the associations. We represent and cover all the sectors. That's why I can't give a point-blank answer to a specific question like that. However, I could send you the answer later.
2 p.m.
Conservative
2 p.m.
NDP
Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My question is for Mr. Brady. I take this opportunity to thank him for the presentation he just made on behalf of FEUQ. I see other individuals whom I've had the opportunity to meet in various places in Quebec in recent months. It's a pleasure to say hello to them as well.
I simply wanted to know whether you could help us solve an existential problem. I'm going to explain it to you. As Mr. St-Cyr said it so well earlier, the Liberals made cuts to federal transfers for postsecondary education, but, in exchange for its support for Mr. Martin's budget, the NDP demanded a transfer of $4.5 billion to three areas, public transit in the municipalities, social housing and postsecondary education.
Is it reasonable to think that, if we had been able to ensure that that transfer would be used for the objectives sought, particularly postsecondary education, we would not need to increase tuition fees by $50 per session in Quebec.
I need your help on the following question. What do you suggest to ensure that a real transfer is made in future and that it is possible to know whether it has reached the right place in the provinces, even though education is a provincial jurisdiction?