Finance Committee on Nov. 1st, 2018

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

We're not inhibiting your ability to scrutinize this. What we have done, by motion, is to move certain sections of this bill to other committees, asking them to look at various sections.

A lot of this has been turned over to the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development. They are to report back to us on recommendations or lack thereof. At that point in time, we will deal with what they report back to us.

There's ample time for us to further study the bill and raise those questions at that time.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

With whom?

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

If we require some of these witnesses back when they report to us, then we can call back all the officials on all these sections.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Who is “we”?

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

This committee.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Right, the majority of which is Liberal and will vote against having those witnesses back.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

No, I don't think you—

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

We have the witnesses here right now. Why can't I ask the questions?

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

It's because we're not going to get into two committees doing the same thing.

The reason the committee decided, in its wisdom, to farm out some of these sections was to do a better job and put it to the appropriate committee. I understand what you're saying on tax measures. If it's necessary to bring witnesses back, we'll do that at that time when they have done their work and we've seen the evidence that these very same individuals have put before that committee.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

My point still stands. As you admit, this is a taxation issue. A taxation issue typically would fall before the finance committee. We have the officials here right now. Why would we call them back to do another round of testimony when they could simply answer the question here now? In fact, they would have answered the question here and now if you had allowed the question to be posed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

It's because we've already farmed this out to other committees based on the motion of the committee.

I'm going to leave it at that—

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

No, it's—

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

If you want to challenge the chair and my ruling, that's fine.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Sir, I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Okay.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

My point was not finished.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Let's hear it.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

This is the finance committee. Finance studies taxation. This is a taxation measure. I am asking questions about taxation. That is my job. I am the finance critic for Her Majesty's loyal opposition. It is my job to scrutinize tax policy. It is the job of this committee to do exactly the same.

This is a matter of taxation. We have officials from finance who are responsible for this taxation matter before us. I'm asking questions. They are questions that might be uncomfortable for the government, but they need answering before Parliament gives approval for this bill. There is no reason why you could not allow two or three minutes for me to get answers to those questions. It would not seriously inhibit the work of this committee in any way, shape or form. In fact, it would be much more efficient to do that than to call the officials back on a separate occasion, which you claim is a possibility if we don't get the answers today.

My questions are not about the recommendations the environment committee produces. You're right that the environment committee's recommendations may come back before us. I'm not interested in their recommendations with respect to this particular matter. I'm interested in answers about the effect of this legislation and others on the taxpayer. You are preventing me from asking those questions. That is preventing me from doing my job as a member of Parliament.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

I don't want to get into an argument, Mr. Poilievre.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

I'm not asking you to. I'm making my point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

I've heard your point of order. I'm ruling against it. This is not what these witnesses came here prepared to talk about today.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

It is, in fact. The gentleman said he had his—

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

I'm not going to argue with you. I am ruling you out of order, and that's it.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

I have another point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Mr. McLeod.