They can go to our website.
Evidence of meeting #73 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was fintrac.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #73 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was fintrac.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:35 a.m.
Manager, Terrorist Financing Intelligence Group, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
They can go to our website.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
Thank you.
Colleagues, I understand that there are some members who wish to attend the statement in the House regarding a possible extension of the mission in Iraq and possibly in Syria. I'm looking for the will of the committee. That is at 10 a.m. I don't know if the entire committee or part of the committee wishes to attend. I'm looking for guidance on this.
Mr. Cullen.
9:35 a.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Yes, similarly, I just checked in with a few folks as to the opinion of the committee. We have important witnesses in front of us, yet we have an important set of speeches happening in the House just after 10 o'clock. I feel a bit torn myself in terms of hearing this but there's also an obligation to be in the House for something that's obviously important to the country.
I don't know if there's any way to split this one. The speeches will likely start probably just after routine proceedings at about 10:05. If the committee wants to go until a quarter to or 10 minutes to, Chair, and then make our way over, would that make some sense? We've done it in the past when we've kept some committee members here. I'm not sure there's a.... I'm feeling more inclined to go to the House, but again, we have witnesses who are crucial to this study.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
Andrew Saxton Conservative North Vancouver, BC
Thanks, Chair.
I agree. I think it's an important matter in the House and anybody who wants to go to the House should be able to. Perhaps we could ask if there's anybody here who's willing to stay and ask questions. If we can get enough people to stay, then we could perhaps continue. Otherwise, we would just all go, I think. I'll leave it to the chair to decide.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
9:35 a.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
The option is that those who want to go, go, and those who want to stay and question the witnesses, stay and do so. We need three members to stay in order to question witnesses.
9:35 a.m.
An hon. member
We have at least one.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
Okay. I will stay, obviously, so that's two. Does anyone else want to stay?
Okay, Mr. Van Kesteren, the three of us will stay at least to get in the—
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
Andrew Saxton Conservative North Vancouver, BC
Mr. Chair, could we then have agreement that no votes or motions will take place?
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
Okay. Do we have unanimous agreement that there will be no motions, no votes, whatsoever?
Mr. Cullen.
9:35 a.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Chair, because all three leaders will speak and I think Ms. May will as well, I'm just thinking about the time. I'm not even sure if the speeches are allocated. I think the Prime Minister and the official opposition leader can speak as long as they want. My question for the committee is, are we meant to come back?
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
No. Once members leave here, we'll finish at the regular time.
Mr. Saxton.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
Andrew Saxton Conservative North Vancouver, BC
On further thought, I'm thinking that we should probably all go to the House, but I leave it to my colleagues. Obviously if they want to stay, they can stay, but....
9:40 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
Well, the committee has to indicate to the chair what it wants to do. Obviously if a majority wants to end the committee, that's what we will do.
Mr. Van Kesteren.
9:40 a.m.
Conservative
Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
Yes, possibly the parliamentary secretary is right. We can always get the officials back. It's not like we've brought them in from Vancouver as we have in the past. There doesn't seem to be much consensus, so I would go with what our parliamentary secretary is saying. Let's just wrap it up. That's my suggestion.
9:40 a.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
9:40 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
Thank you.
We'll go to Monsieur Dionne Labelle, s'il vous plaît.
March 24th, 2015 / 9:40 a.m.
NDP
Pierre Dionne Labelle NDP Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good morning, gentlemen.
My question is for the FINTRAC representative.
You talked about the new measure which imposes on financial, banking and other institutions the obligation to declare transfers abroad of $10,000 or more. You also mentioned that some 20 million reports of that type of transfer are made every year. Did I understand that figure correctly?
9:40 a.m.
Director, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
We receive 20 million reports in total. This not only includes international funds transfers, but all sorts of other reports.
9:40 a.m.
NDP
Pierre Dionne Labelle NDP Rivière-du-Nord, QC
You of course have an analysis grid to classify these electronic transfers. Of that number, what is the amount transferred to financial organizations in Iraq, Syria or Libya, where assets have been frozen and Canadian banks cannot make transfers? Can you give us the amount of funds that were transferred to one of these three countries?
9:40 a.m.
Director, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
I cannot confirm an amount. However, we could check that.
I can tell you, however, that over the past few years, the number of transfers to Syria has almost fallen to zero. The amounts destined to Syria were minimal, by the way. Since we have 225 million reports in our database, we do not examine all of the data. This information is based on a sampling. The data seem to suggest that the transfers are no longer going to Syria, but to certain Turkish and Iraqi villages or towns located in proximity to Syria. The fact remains however that the number of transfers has always been very small.
9:40 a.m.
NDP