Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good afternoon, Mr. Dinis. Good afternoon, gentlemen.
When we met during our study of the main estimates 2009-2010, I asked a question about cigarette smuggling. I wanted to know how much revenue the government was losing as a result of the smuggling. You could not give me detailed information at the time, and you were supposed to send us your answer, which we received last week, I believe.
But those answers are evasive. You do not include any estimate of the revenue being lost. The Canada Revenue Agency seems to be minimizing the problem. You end rather tersely by saying: “In cooperation with various other government organizations, the Canada Revenue Agency will continue to maintain and enhance compliance with Canada's tobacco laws and to support its partners...”. There are many good intentions, but that does not really prove that the government intends to take the issue in hand.
I want to point out that the Canadian food retailers association estimates that it is currently losing $2.5 billion in sales. That gives you a sense of just how big the problem is. Some recognized agencies have estimated the loss of revenue. The Quebec Employers Council, for example, estimated that the federal government was losing $1.1 billion annually, which is no piddling amount. The federation of Quebec chambers of commerce estimates that a total of $2.4 billion is being lost by both the Quebec and federal governments.
I would like to know why the Canada Revenue Agency, which is in charge of collecting the country's revenue, is not doing more to find a solution. I know you rely on the RCMP, among others. Have you discussed the issue seriously? Have you reported this loss of revenue to the government? In times of budget surplus, it is easy to think that losing $1 billion is not so bad, even though it is a significant amount of money, but today, there is a deficit. I cannot understand why you are not paying more attention to the problem. Can you comment on that?