Finance Committee on May 30th, 2017

[Roger Ermuth]

Again, forgive me if I misstated. Right now, under the current User Fees Act, more than 80% of the fees are not subject to the provisions of the User Fees Act, as a result of that Department of Justice interpretation. That doesn't mean the departments are not following certain aspects, including the reporting associated with the legislation. We have $3.5 billion worth of costs reported through departmental performance reports.

The point is that, to the best of our knowledge, those that are subject to the legislation are following it, but the bulk of them are not actually subject to the provisions under the current User Fees Act.

[Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

This is a strange situation, isn't it?

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Many strange things happen in government.

Is there any further discussion? We have unanimous consent to vote on clauses 451 to 457 as a block. Are there any further questions on any of those sections?

(Clauses 451 to 457 inclusive agreed to: yeas 5; nays 4)

Thank you, Mr. Ermuth and Ms. Meilleur. You can get back to us with that information, if you would. Thank you.

In Bill C-44, shall schedule 1 carry?

(Schedule 1 agreed to on division)

Shall schedule 2 carry?

(Schedule 2 agreed to on division)

Shall the short title carry?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[An hon. member]

On division.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Shall the title carry?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[An hon. member]

On division.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Shall the bill carry?

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

I request a recorded vote.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Okay, we'll have a recorded vote on this one.

(Bill C-44 agreed to: yeas 5; nays 4)

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Chair, before we move on to the last questions you're going to ask us, yesterday at testimony when we were considering the amendment LIB-6, which was regarding what would be the ability of individual members or senators to seek from the parliamentary budget officer a study on whatever matter relating to the federal government, I had asked the witnesses if that provision would provide individual members of the House or of the Senate...to ask any questions they wish for the PBO to consider.

Maybe my question wasn't clear, or the witnesses didn't understand the question, but the response was no. Subsequent to that, at the end of the testimony, I had a conversation with the witnesses, and they indeed clarified that, with the amendment, individual members and senators would have the opportunity to propose to the PBO a course of study.

I would appreciate, if it's possible, that the clerk seek a short written confirmation of that from the witness so that we could read that into the record. I think it's important for all members to feel reassured that, as members, they have that ability, and that was the purpose of the amendment that was being proposed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

So what you're basically asking is that—

[Raj Grewal, Liberal, Brampton East, ON]

[Inaudible]

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

—we get a written response to that question. Are people in agreement with that?

[Raj Grewal, Liberal, Brampton East, ON]

Fine.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

It would clarify what members and senators can do in terms of what requests can be made to the PBO.

Mr. Albas.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Just before we finish the process—and this may not win me many friends today—I've been through different processes for BIAs, sometimes as a substitute member in both the previous government and obviously here in this Parliament. I have to say that I'm very surprised that many government members did not make very much comment, if at all, on their own BIA, particularly when you had a number of amendments come up. I'm just raising that because if you really do feel that the legislation is strong and whatnot....

I have to say, Mr. Ouellette was asking many questions for clarification. I think that's definitely a good thing. I don't know, but maybe I'd ask Mr. Long as the de facto leader of this group to maybe work with them because ultimately we can't just simply have it where one or two viewpoints are represented. Canadians expect, if a bill is coming forward, that the Liberals are not just simply going to let the government have their way with things, that there should be a spirited defence on the policies that youth feel are important, because if you're voting for something, then you should be able to defend it too.

Maybe I'm out of place for saying that, but I do think it should be on the record that I have not seen that.

[Raj Grewal, Liberal, Brampton East, ON]

[Inaudible] the last 10 years in government when one man ran the entire show.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

I rule that out of order.

Order, order.

We're down to two clauses left.

Mr. Dusseault.

[Pierre-Luc Dusseault, NDP, Sherbrooke, QC]

I note I may not make friends here by saying that I want to thank all the parties that have proposed amendments, extensive amendments, constructive proposals, to the bill: the Green Party, the Bloc Québécois, the NDP, and the Liberals. I want to thank them for these very good proposals to—

[Ron Liepert, Conservative, Calgary Signal Hill, AB]

Unsuccessful.

[Pierre-Luc Dusseault, NDP, Sherbrooke, QC]

—try to amend and improve the bill.

[Ron Liepert, Conservative, Calgary Signal Hill, AB]

At what point was it?

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Okay.

We have Mr. Ouellette, and we haven't voted on reporting the bill as amended to the House as yet. We have two more votes to do.

Mr. Ouellette.