Finance Committee on Nov. 20th, 2018

Evidence of meeting #189 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.

On the agenda

Bill C-86

Committee Business

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Lori Straznicky Executive Director, Pay Equity Task Team, Strategic Policy, Analysis and Workplace Information, Labour Program, Department of Employment and Social Development

Peter Fragiskatos London North Centre, Lib.

Kim Rudd Northumberland—Peterborough South, Lib.

Richard Stuart Executive Director, Expenditure Analysis and Compensation Planning, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

Blaine Langdon Director, Charities, Personal Income Tax Division, Tax Policy Branch, Department of Finance

Pierre Mercille Director General, Sales Tax Division, Tax Policy Branch, Department of Finance

Mark Schaan Director General, Marketplace Framework Policy Branch, Strategy and Innovation Policy Sector, Department of Industry

Khusro Saeedi Economist, Consumer Affairs, Financial Institutions Division, Financial Sector Policy Branch, Department of Finance

Cathy McLeod Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, CPC

Eric Grant Director, Community Lands Development, Lands and Environmental Management, Lands and Economic Development, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

Christopher Duschenes Director General, Economic Policy Development, Lands and Environmental Management, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

Blake Richards Banff—Airdrie, CPC

Barbara Moran Director General, Strategic Policy, Analysis and Workplace, Labour Program, Department of Employment and Social Development

Sébastien St-Arnaud Senior Policy Strategist, Strategic Policy and Legislative Reform, Labour Program, Department of Employment and Social Development

Charles Philippe Rochon Senior Policy Analyst, Labour Standards and Wage Earner Protection Program, Workplace Directorate, Department of Employment and Social Development

Deirdre Kent Director General, International Assistance Policy, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Louisa Pang Director, International Finance and Development Division, Department of Finance

Joyce Patel Acting Director, Lands Directorate, Lands and Environmental Management Branch, Lands and Economic Development, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

Clerk of the Committee Mr. David Gagnon

6:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

So recorded.

Shall the title carry?

6:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

6:05 p.m.

An hon. member

On division.

November 20th, 2018 / 6:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

Shall I report the bill as amended to the House?

6:10 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

I'd like a recorded vote on the reporting back, Mr. Chair, because this was the most appalling process.

It's no reflection on you, Mr. Chair. You're governed by what the committee members tell you to do.

Unfortunately, I find that we were not given the ability to properly analyze, amend and fix the flaws in the bill. Reporting back to the House preferably would include that these types of omnibus bills that are rammed through are not the appropriate way to go.

6:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

Okay, we'll have a recorded vote.

(Motion agreed to: yeas 5; nays 4)

Shall the committee order a reprint of the bill as amended for the use of the House at report stage?

6:10 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

6:10 p.m.

An hon. member

On division.

6:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

That completes the bill and the business of the committee for today.

There will be no meeting on Thursday. I think people have a fair bit of work to do on pre-budget consultations on their own. The Library of Parliament has informed us that they believe we'll have the draft report this Friday of the pre-budget consultations.

Can we get agreement that the recommendations should be to the clerk by noon on the 29th, so that they have the weekend? That gives us six days. I know people are already working on the recommendations anyway. If they could get their recommendations to the clerk by noon on the 29th, which is a week from this Thursday.... Can we agree on that?

Go ahead, Peter.

6:10 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

Chair, I'd prefer another weekend for the pre-budget recommendations.

I mean, the intensity of what the government with all its resources is asking opposition members with scant resources to do is pretty incredible. I believe we have a relatively collegial committee, but we can't go from all out on your budget implementation act to all out on the recommendations.

Even to have, rather than Thursday, the following Monday, would allow us to get more work done and to provide the right type of support to get the recommendations in.

6:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

I think the problem with the Monday is that for us to have our pre-budget consultation recommendations seriously considered, we have to table them before we adjourn. If we had the recommendations come in on the Monday, they have to be translated and have to be integrated into the report by the Library, and I think it gives them an impossible task.

Recommendations are different from legislation. When we get into committee, it's not as technical, if I could put it that way.

6:10 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

I understand it's not as technical.

We got a lot of recommendations back in the hearings across the country, and to properly include them all requires a lot of work. One way to do it might be to say—

6:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

What about 5 p.m. on Thursday?

6:10 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

Would it be possible to say 5 p.m. on Thursday untranslated, but Monday morning, noon, if it is translated?

6:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

Can we go to midnight on the Thursday?

6:15 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

Is that B.C. time or eastern time?

6:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

It's Ottawa time.

6:15 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

Make it midnight B.C. time because that's when I get off the plane, and that will be fine.

6:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

All right that's fine. It's midnight Thursday. It's agreed the recommendations will be in on B.C. time. The Library would be able to have them on Friday.

With that I want to thank everyone for their endurance today, especially the officials here.

The meeting is adjourned.