Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm not sure I completely understand the nature of the amendment. I'll just verbalize what I think it says, and if someone else could correct me, that would be helpful.
This is the clause that would remove the GST on counselling services. I understand that in many provinces in the country, there are counselling services that are legitimate counselling services but are not regulated. We want to make sure those services benefit from the reduction of the GST.
When I read this clause, it seems to me to be saying that if someone is supplying these services in a province that does not regulate the provision of counselling therapy, or if the services are rendered by a person whose qualifications are equivalent to those licensed in Quebec, they would be deemed as qualifying for the GST reduction.
If I understand that correctly, it seems to me that it is delegating to a province—in this case, Quebec—the ability to set the national standard. Now, however much I may admire Quebec's leadership in that area, if my understanding is correct, I don't think it's appropriate to determine the application or not of a federal tax reduction to what one particular province may or may not do.
Is my understanding of what this amendment would do correct?
Should I restate it in simpler terms, or do you understand what I'm saying?