Evidence of meeting #48 for Finance in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was volunteers.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conrad Sauvé, Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Red Cross
In the case of the Red Cross volunteers, no.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
So only if they're called to an emergency and have done the training would you define that as work that could qualify for the 100 or 200 hours.
Conrad Sauvé, Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Red Cross
Yes, and the simulations, of course. It's everything related to that.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Okay, and the record keeping is good enough—I say this because it is one of the items that was turned down last time and why the bill didn't go forward then. It sounds easy—and I think Alex asked why it was taking so long—and it just seems common sense. But from a practical point of view, we need to be ready.
So do you believe that the organization you're with is prepared and ready to be able to identify to CRA that those records are kept?
Conrad Sauvé, Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Red Cross
Yes.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
The other issue that I have, and which you have absolutely nothing to do with, is that the rules around here have been that private members' bills aren't allowed to raise money. So these bills can't raise taxes; otherwise they'd be ruled out of order. There has been some slippage wherein private members' bills can reduce taxes. And in this case, technically, if everybody applied and did it, as you heard earlier, it would reduce the amount of revenue the Government of Canada gets.
So this issue really has nothing to do with you folks, but it is something that I, as a politician, have to take consideration of, because we have to be prepared to—
Liberal
Liberal
Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
I just want to table the amendments that I circulated and have the members look at them to see if they're in order.
Liberal
Massimo Pacetti Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
They were distributed.
They're just technical amendments. They're just a result of an earlier change to income tax.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
We're going to have another meeting on Thursday. We can do it then.
Go ahead.
Conservative
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Well, it's not really an answer. I just want to let these people who represent volunteers know that there are other underlying issues besides the specific issue we're dealing with today when we're talking about private members' bills. I just wanted that to be clear. That's part of my thinking pattern on this particular item.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
Fair enough.
Now, on the motion that was on the floor earlier, I would just explain to the mover that it didn't look like we had unanimous consent, so I don't see any point in hurting the committee by getting into an in-depth debate on that—and our time has gone.
I see a couple of hands, but I do want to mention before our time has totally gone that we have a meeting with the OECD Secretary General on Wednesday from one to two o'clock.
Go ahead, Mr. McCallum.
Liberal
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
I'd like to propose that we immediately vote on clause-by-clause of this bill.
Conservative
Bloc
Paul Crête Bloc Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
When are we going to continue this debate? When is our next meeting?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
On Thursday morning, we're hoping to have Mr. Easter come forward and deal with this from eleven to one o'clock. I'll try to schedule that.
Conservative
Bloc
Paul Crête Bloc Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
Can we hold a meeting on commercial paper on Thursday, from 9 to 11 o'clock? Then from 11 to 1 o'clock...
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
I'll talk to you about it afterwards, and we'll see if we can—
Bloc
Paul Crête Bloc Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
If I may, I move we hold a meeting on commercial paper from 9 to 11 a.m.