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.
8:50 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
We'll come to order.
We'll be dealing with the clause-by-clause on Bill C-86. I understand Mr. Kmiec has a motion he wants to deal with first, and Mr. Julian has a proposal that will require unanimous consent.
We'll go to Mr. Kmiec.
November 20th, 2018 / 8:50 a.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I tabled a series of motions last week, and I wish to move a motion today, as follows. I move:
That, considering the statement in the Ministers' mandate letters from the Prime Minister that Ministers be held accountable to parliamentary committees, the Committee request that the Minister of Finance appear before the Committee on a date no later than December 11, 2018, for a briefing on the government's 2018 Fall Economic Update; and that this meeting be televised.
The reason I'm moving it today is that I would really much prefer that the Minister of Finance appear before the committee. I know his fall economic statement is tomorrow. I think he's going to be providing an update on the state of the budget and whether it has balanced itself yet. I would like him to appear before the committee as per his mandate letter. In his mandate letter, directing him in the work that he does, it says, “This will include: close collaboration with your colleagues; meaningful engagement with Opposition Members of Parliament, Parliamentary Committees”. It goes on and on to list a series of other organizations and stakeholders that the Minister of Finance is supposed to interact with.
I believe the work of parliamentary committees is critical to the role of Parliament and to holding accountable ministers for the management of their departments, as well as the management of the economy in the case of the Minister of Finance. In his mandate letter as well, given to him by the Prime Minister, it says, “We have committed to an open, honest government that is accountable to Canadians”. I think that nothing could be more accountable than appearing before a committee of the House of Commons, duly constituted, and to have his fall economic statement and his ideas and proposals that he's going to put forward tomorrow deliberated upon for an hour before the committee—or more, if he wants to be here longer. I think it would be great to have him.
With that, Mr. Chair, I'm going to see if anybody else wants to continue debate on this.
8:50 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
The motion is in order, so it is moved and I take it you are in favour.
Go ahead, Mr. Poilievre. Is there anybody else? It's open for debate.
We have Mr. Poilievre, and Mr. Julian.
8:50 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
In 41 days we are expecting a balanced budget. That's the Liberal election promise. It was in the Liberal election platform. It is still on the Liberal Party website, and the Liberals are in government.
8:50 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Actually, the debate is on what members say it's on, Mr. Chair.
This could be a very long day for you.
8:50 a.m.
Conservative
8:50 a.m.
Liberal
8:50 a.m.
Conservative
8:50 a.m.
Liberal
8:50 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
It appears I do have the floor, so you're rather mistaken—
8:50 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
We're going to debate on the motion, Mr. Poilievre. That's what the motion is going to to be on—
8:50 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
That's precisely what I was doing. Listen, just because I'm saying things that you're not happy to hear as a Liberal chair does not mean you can slam the gavel and silence your critics.
8:50 a.m.
Liberal
8:50 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
That is not how democracy works, and that is not how it will function here.
I go back to my point. The government is supposed to balance the budget within the next 41 days. It has so far refused to tell us whether it will do that. This week the government will present its fall economic update, and that update is supposed to indicate when the budget is balanced. We asked in the House of Commons 11 times yesterday when the budget will be balanced, and the minister refused to answer, given multiple chances.
We think that therefore it is necessary for the minister to come before the committee in order to answer that question. I know that he does not enjoy coming before committee because we ask direct, difficult questions, but it is not the obligation of opposition MPs to make life easy for the government. Our job is to hold him accountable for the promises that he and the Prime Minister made. As a result, we would like the committee to keep with the normal practice, which is to invite ministers to come and answer questions before the committee after they introduce major financial measures, which a fall economic update typically constitutes.
Thank you very much.
8:55 a.m.
Liberal
8:55 a.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I support the motion as well. I think the minister has come before committee a number of times, and I don't doubt that it would be useful for the public and for the committee as well to have him come before us again. I think, on the fall economic statement, it's an important statement that's being made tomorrow. I'll have some questions, of course, about things like housing and pharmacare, but I have no doubt that the minister would probably enjoy coming before committee and defending what he announces tomorrow.
I support Mr. Kmiec's motion for him to do so.
8:55 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter
If there is no further discussion on the motion, I will call the vote.
8:55 a.m.
Liberal