I'm just picking up from where Mr. Richards left off. I know we had a conversation before, and I like the fact that some of those ideas are now in here. There are a set number of meetings, up to four meetings—so thank you for that—to hear from witnesses in Ottawa.
I have the same concerns Mr. Richards does about international travel. Mr. Saini will be very familiar with my opposition to travel by the foreign affairs committee more generally. I have generally been unhappy about travel internationally due to the costs for the taxpayer.
I did mention, and I think it would be a good idea, to not just have a report of our findings, but to have a report with recommendations, specifically, a recommendation to the government on whether or not to proceed with open banking. I'm going to read a part from the budget where Minister Morneau laid out his thoughts on open banking, because I have some other concerns about duplication of work between what the Government of Canada is doing and what this standing committee of the House of Commons would be doing.
I also think that we should be using Standing Order 109 more often and requiring the government to table a comprehensive report answering our own recommendations within 120 days. It's done almost routinely by certain committees of the House—not all—and I think it's a lost opportunity because it's a public document. Associations and groups who are interested in open banking can see it, as can the chartered banks and people who have concerns about open banking and how the government would proceed with it. They could then take a look at it.
I just think it's good, transparent, open government to require the government to produce a report in answer to the committee's work. I would also like to see the advisory committee on open banking be a witness, and that that would be embedded in the motion, because these are the people who are delegated by the minister of Finance with the authority to go out and consult on this. As Mr. Richards points out, they're supposed to have completed online consultation in four days, by February 11. I think that's an important component in all of this, so I ask myself the question, why are we at this time engaging in something that seems to have already been undertaken by the Government of Canada?
The open banking provision in budget 2018, on page 355, after talking about open banking as an opportunity for Canadian consumers, says:
Recognizing these potential benefits, the Government proposes to undertake a review of the merits of open banking in order to assess whether open banking would deliver positive results for Canadians with the highest regard for consumer privacy, data security and financial stability.
Some of the language is very similar to the motion, but the committee would be undertaking something the government has already done. In fact, the minister has appointed several people to this advisory group. Now we would be duplicating its work. We'd be doing the same thing the government is doing.
I've a bit of a concern that their consultation would end on the 11th, and they would then produce an internal government report that I assume would be made public, but in reading the government website, it wasn't entirely clear to me whether that would be the case or whether it would be advice to the minister. If anybody has some clarity around that, I would appreciate hearing it.
We could potentially be duplicating the work of this advisory committee, which is why I think it would be important. Again, I'm fine with open banking as an idea to research and to look into. I just think that's a required component of this, and maybe a tighter timeline around exactly when we would report back with what I would to prefer be more than just findings, but recommendations, because right now it's Friday, June 7. That would probably be the time around we'd be considering the budget implementation act, part I. I don't want to stall on an open banking report. I'd like it to come back and have the time to do a good job on it with good recommendations that the government would then be able to reply to.
One thing I noticed when I was looking online for more information about open banking.... Among the members who are assigned to this, or at least the members I could find in the public sphere, are Colleen Johnston, who is TD channels head; fintech venture builder, François Lafortune; Kirsten Thompson from the law firm Dentons Canada; and—I'm not going to say this name correctly, so forgive me, Mr. Chair—