Mr. Sorbara.
Evidence of meeting #157 for Finance in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A video is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #157 for Finance in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Albas, for putting forward another amendment.
On this one, the feedback I would provide is this amendment could be repetitive on the public accounts from a reporting perspective. I want to avoid duplication as much as possible. In line with the other amendments you've put forward, the current provision in the bill provides the flexibility to address this issue in the report, and the government wants to set the direction of the content of the report through policy rather than through law. Thus, we will not be supporting your amendment.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
All right. I see no further discussion on CPC-7.
Do you want a recorded vote?
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
I would like a recorded vote, please, sir.
(Amendment negatived: nays 5; yeas 4 [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Liberal
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Well, since I'm batting a thousand, I thought I would just finish on this, Mr. Chair. Well, some of us would say I'm batting a thousand in reverse.
The Minister of National Revenue must, no later than July 1, 2018, and each calendar year after that, publish on the website of the Canada Revenue Agency a report setting out the economic impact of the Act on individuals in listed provinces, broken down by income quartile.
Again, this is an opportunity for taxpayers to go on the CRA website and ascertain whether or not.... I guess you could say that they're going to ascertain whether, as a primary factor, the stringency of the backstop on their pocketbooks by province or by territory. I think that this would be a nice measure. I hope the government sees the light and can support this very common-sense amendment.
Liberal
Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON
Mr. Albas, thank you very much.
The first thing I'd mention is that I think this is better dealt with by the Minister of Finance rather than the Minister of National Revenue, and second, the rationale is for an annual performance report on past activities under the act, not to provide a prospective assessment of the impact. I could list off a number of other reasons that I will not be supporting this amendment that you put forward.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
So it's the policy. That's what you support.
Liberal
Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON
Mr. Albas, I support putting a price on carbon and a national pan-Canadian framework agreed to by the Government of Canada and the provinces. Eighty-five per cent of Canadians are now covered under some form of pricing of carbon, and many of those economies that are covered are performing exceptionally well and taking advantage of clean tech opportunities.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
We're into a debate on the principle of the section of the bill. I want to stick to this amendment, if we could.
Is there any further discussion on this amendment?
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Yes, please.
(Amendment negatived: nays 5; yeas 3 [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
That completes all the amendments on clause 186.
Shall clause 186 as amended carry?
(Clause 186 as amended agreed to)
(Clause 187 agreed to on division)
(On clause 188)
NDP
Pierre-Luc Dusseault NDP Sherbrooke, QC
NDP-14 and NDP-15 are consequential amendments to NDP-12 and NDP-13 if they had been adopted.
Liberal
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
I think this is fairly common, Mr. Chair, and I think I've exhausted the patience of most committee members, so I would just ask them to look at the amendment and support it. I simply would ask for that and a recorded vote.
(Amendment negatived: nays 6; yeas 2 [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
There are no amendments on clauses 189 to 198.
(Clauses 189 to 198 inclusive agreed to on division)
