Thank you, Ms. Koutrakis, for your remarks, which were certainly full of information.
Obviously, the bill calls on the government, in its negotiations with Quebec, to make an effort to protect jobs. As I said in my presentation to the committee, a member of Parliament who introduces a private member's bill can't guarantee that jobs will be maintained. That's why I'm asking the federal government to make a commitment in this area. I'm asking the federal government to consider the preservation of jobs in Shawinigan and Jonquière and to ensure that federal public servants can continue to work in their regions, even if it means working in departments other than the CRA. The government is too centralized in Ottawa and is understaffed.
From my perspective, it's possible to fulfill the request that enjoys a broad consensus in Quebec. The request is to simplify the process by introducing a single tax return, while maintaining the jobs of public servants, who can be assigned to other duties.
You also brought up costs. We've looked at the studies, which show that there would be cost savings, because duplication would be reduced. Has harmonizing the collection of the GST and QST increased costs? No, on the contrary, I believe that it has lowered costs.
In terms of the programs managed by the CRA, there must be an agreement between Quebec City and Ottawa. As soon as Revenue Québec transfers the information that it receives to the CRA, in my opinion, the CRA will be fully able to carry out these programs.
In my opinion, this is a legitimate request which enjoys a broad consensus among the people of Quebec. We can do this properly through good negotiations between Quebec City and Ottawa. This will save money, reduce duplication and support jobs.