Finance Committee on Feb. 4th, 2008

Evidence of meeting #22 for Finance in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was federal.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Committee Business
Study on Direct Assistance Measures and Fiscal Environment for the Forestry and Manufacturing Sectors

MPs speaking

Rob Merrifield
John McKay
Massimo Pacetti
Paul Crête
Rick Dykstra
Dean Del Mastro
Tony Martin
Mike Wallace
Daniel Petit
Garth Turner

Also speaking

Robert Dunlop  General Director, Economic Development and Corporate Finance, Department of Finance
Mark Hodgson  Senior Policy Analyst, Labour Markets, Employment and Learning, Social Policy, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch, Department of Finance
Pat Saroli  Senior Advisor, Trade Remedies and General Economic Relations, International Trade Policy Division, International Trade and Finance, Department of Finance
Nancy Horsman  Director, Business Income Tax Divison, Tax Policy Branch, Department of Finance
Yves Giroux  Director, Social Policy, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch, Department of Finance
Isabelle Amano  Director, Economic Analysis and Forecasting Division, Economic and Fiscal Policy Branch, Department of Finance
Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Jean-François Pagé

4:20 p.m.

The Clerk

Yes.

February 4th, 2008 / 4:20 p.m.

Liberal

Garth Turner Liberal Halton, ON

Are we going back there on a regular basis for those meetings that we know about?

4:20 p.m.

The Clerk

We're supposed to be at the Centre Block next Wednesday.

4:20 p.m.

Liberal

Garth Turner Liberal Halton, ON

Okay.

4:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Mr. Crête.

4:20 p.m.

Bloc

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

I wish to speak to the same topic. In the 14 years I have spent in the House, my impression has always been that the finance committee has priority 90% of the time when it comes to televising proceedings in the Centre Block. It would be good if this were to continue being the case, particularly as the committee holds its pre-budget and budget meetings in the coming months, and if the persons in charge of assigning rooms take this into account, so that at the earliest opportunity, we are...

Even today, while we cannot agree, we can still respect each other's views. However, for the sake of public opinion in Canada, it would be important to televise as many of our meetings as possible, to keep the public apprised of the situation. I hope that as many meetings as possible are televised.

4:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

The point is well taken. I think the clerk will take it under consideration.

With that, we'll call the meeting adjourned.