Finance Committee on May 29th, 2014

Evidence of meeting #39 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site.) The winning word was amendment.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Bill C-31, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on February 11, 2014 and other measures

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Brian Ernewein General Director, Tax Policy Branch, Department of Finance

Ted Cook Senior Legislative Chief, Tax Legislation Division, Tax Policy Branch, Department of Finance

Bernard Butler Director General, Policy Division, Policy, Communications and Commemoration Branch, Department of Veterans Affairs

Suzy McDonald Director General, Workplace Hazardous Materials Directorate, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Department of Health

Jason Wood Director, Policy and Program Development, Workplace Hazardous Materials Directorate, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Department of Health

Brian McCauley Assistant Commissioner, Canada Revenue Agency

Denise Frenette Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Services, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

Soren Halverson Senior Chief, Corporate Finance and Asset Management, Department of Finance

Wayne Foster Director, Securities Policies, Department of Finance

James Wu Chief, Financial Institutions Analysis, Department of Finance

Donald Roussel Acting Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety and Security, Department of Transport

Kash Ram Director General, Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulation, Department of Transport

Michel Leclerc Director, Regulatory Affairs Coordination, Department of Transport

Colin Spencer James Director, Policy and Program Design, Temporary Foreign Workers, Skills and Employment Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development

Darlene Carreau Chairperson, Trade-marks Opposition Board, Department of Industry

Paul Halucha

Nathalie Martel Director, Old Age Security Policy, Income Security and Social Development Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development

Thao Pham Assistant Deputy Minister, Federal Montreal Bridges, Department of Transport

France Pégeot Special Advisor to the Deputy Minister, Department of Justice

Ann Chaplin Senior General Counsel, Department of Justice

Atiq Rahman Director, Operational Policy and Research, Department of Employment and Social Development

9 p.m.

NDP

Guy Caron NDP Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC

If I'm suggesting that we apply it, it will be the same.

9 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Okay, I don't have unanimous consent, so we will do it this way.

We'll go to division 16, Telecommunications Act, clauses 239 to 241.

We'll have discussion on clause 239, please.

9 p.m.

NDP

Guy Caron NDP Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC

No, it's fine.

9 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Recorded vote.

(Clause 239 agreed to: yeas 9; nays 0)

9 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

We'll go to clause 240.

9 p.m.

NDP

Guy Caron NDP Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC

And include 241, if you want.

(Clauses 240 and 241 agreed to)

9 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

That's unanimous as I see it. All right, thank you to our officials for being here. I apologize for the delay and waiting. Thank you so much.

We'll now move to division 17, Sickness Benefits.

Go ahead, Monsieur Caron.

9 p.m.

NDP

Guy Caron NDP Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC

I have the following suggestion.

We can have a recorded vote again and apply it to clauses 243 to 248.

9 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Okay.

(Clause 242 agreed to: yeas 9; nays 0)

(Clauses 243 to 248 inclusive agreed to: yeas 9; nays 0)

9 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Thank you, colleagues.

We'll now go to clause 249. Do we want to group 249 to 251?

9 p.m.

NDP

Guy Caron NDP Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC

Yes.

9 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Okay.

(Clauses 249 to 251 inclusive agreed to: yeas 9; nays 0)

We're done with that division. Thank you. Merci.

We will go to division 18, Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act, clauses 252 and 253. Can we group these two clauses together?

(Clauses 252 and 253 agreed to)

9:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Thank you so much.

We are on division 19, Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing, clauses 254 to 298.

Colleagues, I do not have any amendments for this division, so I'm looking for suggestions on how to group these clauses.

Monsieur Caron.

9:05 p.m.

NDP

Guy Caron NDP Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC

We wish to speak to clause 258.

9:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Okay. Can I group clauses 254 to 257?

9:05 p.m.

NDP

Guy Caron NDP Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC

Yes.

(Clauses 254 to 257 inclusive agreed to)

(On clause 258)

9:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Mr. Rankin.

9:05 p.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

In our view, this clause dramatically expands the monitoring of financial transactions from many Canadians and their family members and close associates. Included in the list, as you'll know, are judges, legislators, heads of government agencies, so this is a significant expansion of the monitoring of Canadians' personal financial information. We object to it being buried in a 359-page omnibus bill.

Twice the Privacy Commissioner of Canada has raised concerns about the potential violation of personal privacy under the FINTRAC system. The government has not addressed these serious questions. Frankly, it's alarming that they're trying to push this through under cover of a bill that changes more than 60 pieces of legislation.

We cannot and will not support such an initiative.

9:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Thank you, Mr. Rankin.

Is there any more discussion on clause 258?

Do you want a recorded vote?

9:05 p.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

Yes, please.

(Clause 258 agreed to: yeas 6; nays 3)