Finance Committee on Nov. 28th, 2016

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[An hon. member]

On division.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

That completes Bill C-29.

Mr. MacKinnon, you have a motion.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

I do. Would you like me to read it?

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Yes, I believe the officials have already left, but for those who are still here, the committee thanks them for their efforts today in coming before the committee to give us their opinion on the matters that were raised with them.

Mr. MacKinnon.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Would you like me to read the motion, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Well, you'd better tell us what motion it is.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

It's the one dealing with Bill S-4.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

The clerk has copies. Could you lay them out? It is legislation, so we have to deal with it.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

It's a strictly procedural motion which I think is self-explanatory, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

We'll pass it out and then go with it.

The motion is with respect to Bill S-4.

Do you want to explain it a little, or do you want to just move it?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

I'll just move it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

That's good.

Is there any discussion on the motion by Mr. MacKinnon regarding Bill S-4, an act to implement a convention and an arrangement for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and to amend an act in respect of a similar agreement?

Go ahead, Mr. Caron.

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Chair, can the motion be amended at least with regard to the list of witnesses? The motion indicates that the list of witnesses must be submitted no later than tomorrow at noon. That's in less than 24 hours, which isn't much time.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

How much time do you want?

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

There will be a one-hour meeting on Monday, December 5, and another meeting on Tuesday, December 6.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

If necessary.

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

We'll probably propose one or two witnesses. However, I would like to have at least until Thursday to do so, if possible.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

I was going to propose a deadline of tomorrow at 5 p.m.

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

And if we said Wednesday at noon?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Okay.

Ms. Cadieux, does that give you enough time?

[The Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Suzie Cadieux]

It depends on the witnesses. The more time we have to invite them the better. If certain committee members have witnesses who are available tomorrow, the members should send us the witnesses' names and we'll contact them immediately. If you agree with the Wednesday deadline, we'll call the witnesses starting at noon.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Does Wednesday at noon cause problems for you?

[The Clerk]

Not necessarily for me. Witnesses are always telling us they don't have much time to prepare. It's the nature of the beast. The committee must determine the deadlines it considers reasonable. Most other committees have at least one week to contact witnesses. For our committee, that's rarely the case.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Mr. Albas.