The question I asked had to do with parliamentarians, the committee and Parliament. Although the bill has been studied by knowledgeable public servants, specialists and tax experts, even Mr. Moody acknowledges that it still contains elements that are largely incomprehensible.
Should we simply skip over the parliamentary process to pass the bill, as Canada Revenue Agency and Department of Finance staff see fit?
We understand this is important to your members and the Canadian public, but despite the time frame imposed on us, the members of this committee have a duty and a responsibility not just to study the content of the bill, but also to respect the process behind creating bills. I wanted more detailed information in that respect.
All of the witnesses we have heard from, those of you here today and those who have appeared before you, were extremely informative. In fact, we feel we should get more input to gain a better understanding of this highly complex process, the tax system.
Mr. Shilinger, would you like to start?