Evidence of meeting #112 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was information.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

8:50 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

I call this meeting to order.

This is meeting 112 of the Standing Committee on Finance. Our orders of the day, pursuant to the order of reference of Friday, March 8, 2013, are to do with Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act, the Excise Tax Act, the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act, the First Nations Goods and Services Tax Act and related legislation.

Colleagues, I want to welcome officials back from the department to our clause-by-clause consideration of the bill this morning.

Obviously this is a fairly sizable bill. I'm proposing that we do our clause-by-clause consideration in parts. There are eight parts to this bill, and there's one schedule.

Is it okay if I proceed in that manner, colleagues?

8:50 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

8:50 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Moving to clause-by clause-consideration, then, pursuant to Standing Order 75(1), consideration of clause 1, the short title, is postponed.

Therefore, I will deal with part 1, clauses 2 to 28.

I will recognize colleagues who wish to be recognized. And if anyone has any questions to ask of the officials, now is the time to do so.

Is there any discussion on part 1, dealing with clauses 2 to 28?

If not, I will call the question.

(Clauses 2 to 28 inclusive agreed to)

We will deal now with part 2, clauses 29 to 53.

Is there any discussion?

(Clauses 29 to 53 inclusive agreed to)

Part 3 deals with clauses 54 to 90.

Is there any discussion on these clauses?

(Clauses 54 to 90 inclusive agreed to)

We'll move to part 4, clauses 91 to 168.

Is there any discussion on these clauses?

(Clauses 91 to 168 inclusive agreed to)

We'll deal with part 5, clauses 169 to 412.

Is there any discussion on part 5?

(Clauses 169 to 412 inclusive agreed to)

Next is part 6, clauses 413 to 416.

Is there any discussion?

(Clauses 413 to 416 inclusive agreed to)

We'll move to part 7. Part 7 deals with clauses 417 to 425.

Is there any discussion on part 7?

(Clauses 417 to 425 inclusive agreed to)

We'll deal with part 8, clauses 426 and 427.

Discussion?

(Clauses 426 and 427 agreed to)

Shall the short title carry?

8:50 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

8:50 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Shall the schedule carry?

8:50 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

8:50 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Shall the title carry?

8:50 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

8:50 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Shall the bill carry?

8:50 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

8:50 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Shall the chair report the bill to the House?

8:50 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

8:50 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

I will report this bill to the House.

That was probably the toughest series of questions we've had for our Finance officials.

8:50 a.m.

Voices

Oh, oh!

8:50 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Thank you very much for being with us this morning. That was a very efficient process of dealing with this bill. We appreciate all of your work on this bill and in appearing before the committee beforehand. We do appreciate that sincerely, very much. Thank you.

8:50 a.m.

Some hon. members

Hear, hear!

8:50 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

We look forward to seeing you every year from now on.

8:50 a.m.

Liberal

Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS

Chair, there was one title idea I had: “Modernizing Canada's Tax System Without a $22-billion Tax on Everything”—but from the NDP.

8:50 a.m.

Voices

Oh, oh!

8:50 a.m.

Liberal

Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS

I just thought that would be....

8:50 a.m.

An hon. member

That would fit.

8:50 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Well, we've already dealt with the titles, so I will not see that as admissible.

We are going to deal with two motions. The meeting will stay in public.

Mr. Rankin, I'll move to your motion first.

8:50 a.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I provided notes.

8:50 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Maybe you could just read your motion into the record again.

8:50 a.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

I provided this notice of motion some time ago, and it goes like this:

That the Canada Revenue Agency provide the Standing Committee on Finance with information pertaining to estimating the Canadian Federal Tax Gap, including but not limited to: a) data or information regarding the difference between reported and assessed employment, dividend, and interest income for an anonymous random sample of T1 and T2 tax filers; b) any estimates held by the CRA regarding “collectability” of resulting reassessments and the rates of “non-detection” of incorrect returns through audit; c) any other information held by the CRA pertaining to the preparation of a Tax Gap estimate and; d) that this information is shared with parliamentarians and the Parliamentary Budget Office so that an attempt to estimate the Tax Gap can be made through other means as the CRA does not prepare Tax Gap estimates.

That is my motion. I don't know if any further elaboration is required.