Finance Committee on Nov. 5th, 2012

[Carl Trottier]

The agency was created with a board of management. The agency has the power to hand over mandates to this board. The agency is the only separate employer that has this flexibility. To err on the side of caution, we also wanted all separate employers to be governed in the same way in order to be able to go to one source for all the mandates.

[Hoang Mai, NDP, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

What about the disparities in the conditions of the Canada Revenue Agency and those of other organizations? Are they very different? Is there a big gap?

[Carl Trottier]

The conditions are similar. Some differences may occur, as they did in previous years. However, I must say that the conditions now are almost the same.

[Hoang Mai, NDP, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Is double-dipping part of the negotiations or discussions?

[Carl Trottier]

No.

[Hoang Mai, NDP, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

It is a completely different story.

[Carl Trottier]

It is entirely different.

[Hoang Mai, NDP, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Okay, thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Merci. Are there any other questions?

Mr. Brison, go ahead.

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

Just to be clear, will these measures in Bill C-45 apply to the current collective bargaining negotiations?

[Carl Trottier]

Do they apply to the current parties that are negotiating? Sorry, is that the question? Yes, that's correct.

The CRA has two bargaining agents they deal with. They have two large collective agreements. One is currently bargaining, and one expired a month ago, I believe. Therefore, when this comes into effect, if their mandate has not yet been approved, then they will have to come to us and ask the President of Treasury Board for a mandate.

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

Okay, but when did the negotiations begin?

[Carl Trottier]

They began a month ago. The collective agreement expired a month ago.

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

But these provisions have not yet been passed?

[Carl Trottier]

No, they haven't, and they haven't been held to them either. However, if we just play this out and they take a year to 18 months to negotiate, when they are going to sign the collective agreement, they will be required to get Governor in Council approval before applying the settlement.

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

Just to be clear, despite the fact that these measures haven't been passed in Parliament, are they being applied to the current negotiations?

[Carl Trottier]

No, no, no. Sorry, I didn't mean to mislead. They're not being applied right now. They will be applied once this comes into force.

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

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Mr. Marston, go ahead, please.

[Wayne Marston, NDP, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

Just so we're clear, in the past the department itself conducted its own negotiations. They didn't have to go back to get these permissions. Is this new?

[Carl Trottier]

That's correct. This is entirely new for them.

[Wayne Marston, NDP, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

I'll follow up on what Mr. Brison mentioned. You would originally have to get an understanding of your mandate before negotiations started under these terms, and then when you concluded negotiations, you would have to go back to have that reaffirmed.

[Carl Trottier]

Are you talking about previously?

[Wayne Marston, NDP, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

If this bill passes now, on anything going forward from there, would you get pre-approval of where you are expected to go by the government, and then when you concluded negotiations, would you have to go back again?

[Carl Trottier]

You'd have to go to the Governor in Council, yes.