Finance Committee on Oct. 31st, 2012

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

I call this meeting to order. This is the 86th meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance. Our orders of the day are pursuant to the order of reference of Tuesday, October 30, 2012. We are beginning our study of Bill C-45, A second Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 29, 2012 and other measures.

Go ahead, Madam Glover.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I would like to address the committee by moving a motion with regard to Bill C-45, with your permission.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Yes, you can move that motion now.

Does everyone have a copy of the motion? Yes? Okay.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

That, in relation to the Order of Reference of Tuesday, October 30, 2012, respecting Bill C-45, A second Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 29, 2012 and other measures,

(a) the Chair of the Standing Committee write, as promptly as possible, to the Chairs of the following Standing Committees inviting those Standing Committees to consider the subject-matter of the following provisions of the said Bill:

(i) the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, clauses 206 to 209,

which is part 4, division 8;

(ii) the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, clauses 351 to 410,

which is part 4, division 19;

(iii) the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, clauses 308 to 314,

which is part 4, division 16;

(iv) the Standing Committee on the Environment and Sustainable Development, clauses 425 to 432,

which is part 4, division 21;

(v) the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, clauses 173 to 178,

which is part 4, division 4;

(vi) the Standing Committee on Health, clauses 269 to 298,

which is part 4, division 13;

(vii) the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, clauses 219 to 232,

that's part 4, division 10;

(viii) the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, clauses 210 to 218,

which is part 4, division 9;

(ix) the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, clauses 264 to 268, and

which is part 4, division 12;

(x) the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, clauses 156 to 165, 179 to 184, 316 to 350 and 411 to 424, and schedules 1 and 2;

which make up part 4, divisions 2, 5, 18, and 20;

(b) each of the Standing Committees, listed in paragraph (a), be requested to convey recommendations, including any suggested amendments, in both official languages, in relation to the provisions considered by them, in a letter to the Chair of the Standing Committee on Finance, in both official languages not later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, November 20, 2012;

(c) any amendments suggested by the other Standing Committees, in the recommendations conveyed pursuant to paragraph (b), shall be deemed to be proposed during the clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-45, provided that the recommendations are received prior to the relevant clauses being considered, and further provided that the members of the Standing Committee on Finance may propose amendments notwithstanding the recommendations received from the other Standing Committees;

(d) the Committee shall proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-45 no later than Wednesday, November 21, 2012, provided that the Chair may limit debate on each clause to a maximum of five minutes per party per clause before the clause is brought to a vote;

(e) amendments to Bill C-45, other than the amendments deemed to be proposed pursuant to paragraph (c), be submitted to the Clerk of the Committee 48 hours prior to clause-by-clause consideration and distributed to members in both official languages; and

(f) if the Committee has not completed the clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-45 by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, November 21, 2012, the Chair shall put, forthwith and successively, without further debate or amendment, each and every question necessary to dispose of clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill, to report the Bill to the House, and to order the Chair to report the Bill to the House on or before Thursday, November 22, 2012.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Thank you, Ms. Glover.

Just to make sure everyone has all the information correctly, parts 1, 2, and 3 obviously would remain with the finance committee if this motion is passed.

Can we go through each division in part 4 and make sure...?

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Sure.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Part 4, division 1, financial institutions, would remain with finance under this motion.

Just for people's reference, I'm working off the table of provisions on the bill. That might help members.

Part 4, division 2, the Canada Shipping Act: if this motion passes, the transport committee would get it.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

That's right.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Division 3, preserving the stability and strength of Canada’s financial sector, would stay with finance.

Division 4, the Fisheries Act, would be at the fisheries committee. Division 5, the Bridge To Strengthen Trade Act, would be with transport. Division 6, the Bretton Woods and Related Agreements Act, would be finance.

Division 7, the Canada Pension Plan, would be finance. Division 8, the Indian Act, would be aboriginal affairs. Division 9, the Judges Act, would be justice.

Division 10, the Canada Labour Code, would be the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.

Division 11, the Merchant Seaman Compensation Act, is with finance. Division 12, the Customs Act, would be with the public safety committee.

Division 13, the Hazardous Materials Information Review Act, would be with the health committee.

Division 14, the Agreement on Internal Trade Implementation Act, would be finance. Division 15, the Employment Insurance Act, would be with finance.

Division 16, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, would be with citizenship and immigration.

Division 17, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Act, would be finance. Division 18, the Navigable Waters Protection Act, would be transport. Division 19, the Canada Grain Act, would be the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food. Division 20, the International Interests in Mobile Equipment (Aircraft Equipment) Act, would be the transport committee.

Division 21, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, would be with environment and sustainable development.

Division 22, the Canada Employment Insurance Financing Board, would be finance. Division 23, public sector pensions, would be finance. Division 24, the Canada Revenue Agency Act, would be finance.

Finally, schedules 1 and 2 would be transport.

That's all correct?

[A voice]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Okay. I just wanted to make sure I had all of that information.

Is there any discussion on the motion?

Go ahead, Ms. Nash.

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Given that we have just seen this for the first time, I'd request that we delay having the actual vote till the end of the meeting, if we can do that, just to give us time to converse among ourselves and fully understand the implications of the motion. It's a lengthy motion. We're seeing it here for the first time.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Book time at the end for debate and then have a vote before 5:30—is that what you're recommending?

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

That's what I'm recommending.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Okay.

I'll go to Mr. Brison.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

I think it would be helpful to have more time, but I also want to point out a couple of things. For instance, there were some areas where we're not referring parts of the budget implementation act to committee. In (a)(i) of Ms. Glover's motion, we see what's missing there is division 4, fisheries, which redefines aboriginal fisheries. In (a)(vii), for the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and Status of Persons with Disabilities, there should be, in addition to clauses 219 to 232, divisions 7, 10, 11, 15, 17, and 22. Those are examples—

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Mr. Brison, let's deal with your first recommendation first.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Well, the first one is division 4, fisheries, which redefines the aboriginal fisheries. It is not just clauses 206 to 209.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

This motion is recommending part 4, division 4, go to the fisheries committee.

Does that address your concern?

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Where is that? When these things are just dropped on us...

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

That would be (a)(v), Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, clauses 173 to 178, part 4, division 4.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

At the end of the committee we can go through this. We have a number of these areas where there's some delta between what the government is proposing and what we believe ought to be referred to, and to which committee. We will need that time.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Okay.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

In fact, I think there probably would be consensus that we would have this vote at the next committee meeting, when we've actually had an opportunity to....

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

As the chair, my only recommendation for dealing with it now is that if we are going to do this, we should let these other committees start as soon as possible. I would recommend we deal with it today. That's my recommendation, but if the committee wants to wait until later in the meeting to deal with it, it's up to committee.

I'll go to Monsieur Mai.

Mr. Mai, the floor is yours.