Evidence of meeting #209 for Finance in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was mining.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Chris Roberts  National Director, Social and Economic Policy Department, Canadian Labour Congress
Darryl Marlowe  Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation
Amanjit Lidder  Senior Vice-President, Taxation Services, MNP LLP
Vivian Krause  Researcher and Writer, As an Individual
Jennifer Kim Drever  Regional Tax Leader, MNP LLP
Francis Bradley  Chief Operating Officer, Canadian Electricity Association
Carole Saab  Executive Director, Policy and Public Affairs, Federation of Canadian Municipalities
Brendan Marshall  Vice-President, Economic and Northern Affairs, Mining Association of Canada
Kim Moody  Director, Canadian Tax Advisory, Moodys Gartner Tax Law
Lisa McDonald  Executive Director, Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada
Lesley Williams  Director, Policy, Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada

11:45 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

Yes, finish your first response.

11:45 a.m.

Researcher and Writer, As an Individual

Vivian Krause

I was just saying that I want to be clear that it wasn't with regard to the monkey business at the CHIMP foundation that I saw ties to the Prime Minister's Office.

The concerns I have with the Prime Minister's decisions are the way he handled the political activity audits of charities. That's because his principal secretary was the president at one and—

May 7th, 2019 / 11:45 a.m.

Liberal

Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON

Point of order, Chair.

11:45 a.m.

Researcher and Writer, As an Individual

Vivian Krause

—also because all of these charities that were subject to audits—

11:45 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

I'll have to interrupt—

11:45 a.m.

Researcher and Writer, As an Individual

Vivian Krause

—played a significant role in the 2015 federal election.

11:45 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

I'll have to interrupt you. I have a point of order from Mr. Sorbara.

11:45 a.m.

Liberal

Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON

The questions and the innuendo on this have nothing to do with the BIA legislation, Chair.

11:45 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

Thank you.

Ask your question.

11:45 a.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

What role did they play in the election campaign?

11:45 a.m.

Researcher and Writer, As an Individual

Vivian Krause

This is an important issue, because we now know from official documents of the Rockefeller-funded organization called OPEN that it claims credit, in writing, under the name of the executive director of the association, for having, and I quote, “contributed greatly to ousting the Conservative Party of Canada”.

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

I'm going to have to have you stick to the budget implementation act. We're not going down a political road here in terms of this discussion. There is a lot of information in the budget implementation act, so you're going to have to keep your discussion related to the BIA.

11:50 a.m.

Researcher and Writer, As an Individual

Vivian Krause

I was just trying to answer the question, Mr. Chairman. I apologize.

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

I hope your comments don't come off my time, Chair.

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

No, I guess they won't. Go ahead and ask your questions.

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

We'll add that time back on.

You mentioned that Mr. Butts received a $400,000 payment from one of the organizations. Which organization was that?

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON

Chair, point of order.

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

That is not on the budget implementation act, Mr. Poilievre, and you know that. We're—

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

Point of order, Mr. Chair.

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

We'll allow you a point of order.

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

Point of order, Mr. Chair.

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

Just hold on. I was ruling on your question. It's not on the budget implementation act. We're not going down a political attack road in this discussion.

What is your point of order?

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

The point of order is that everything that Ms. Krause has testified to relates to tax credits for charities, to CRA, which is an agency that reports to this committee; this is the CRA committee. Also, what she's talking about is political interference in matters of economic competitiveness, which are also related to the budget. We know there is an overlap between politics and economics, particularly with this government.

I have a certain amount of time here to ask questions. Viewers who see the camera will be able to watch this later on and determine if I am being relevant or not, and they can vote accordingly.

You don't get to decide what people get to say, so I am going to continue with my questioning.

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Wayne Easter

I do get to decide whether you're on the topic or not, Mr. Poilievre, and that's the point, and that's why I'm chair. If you stick to the topic we'll allow your questions, or we'll move on to the next questioner. It's that simple.

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON

You won't be moving on. I can assure you of that, Mr. Chair.