Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My comments concern amendments CPC-6 to CPC-18, which would cancel the increases in excise taxes on alcohol and even cut the excise tax on certain items in half. We've debated this topic several times, both last fall, if I'm not mistaken, and in previous years.
Since the excise tax is levied in dollars per hectolitre, it isn't indexed to the rate of inflation, unlike HST and other taxes that are collected on a percentage basis. We've criticized this situation because inflation is running high. We managed to work with the government to limit the percentage tax increase to a figure below the rate of inflation, that is to 2%, and now we're wondering whether we should stop raising the excise tax or even lower it. Unfortunately, we didn't have a substantive debate during our study of Bill C-69 or bring in witnesses to discuss the matter, with the exception of the Quebec microdistilleries.
I'm going to speak briefly to the amendments that I'll soon be moving. The Bloc Québécois is in favour of having a substantive discussion on the excise tax, its rate and how it should be indexed. The subject should be studied since we didn't debate it enough to enable us to change the situation as radically as was suggested in the various proposed amendments.
However, the Bloc Québécois is in favour of providing some support to small artisanal producers like the microbreweries. Our party is proposing an escalating excise tax that would provide support to small producers, small local artisans, to assist help them compete with the major distilleries, which don't need as much help.
The purpose of the two Bloc Québécois amendments that I will move is to encourage small artisanal producers and to introduce an escalating tax system for microdistilleries that would be similar to the present system for microbreweries. The idea is to help and encourage small emerging players, the local artisans who operate all across the regions.
For now, apart from the amendments that I'll be moving, I will stand by the compromise we've reached to limit the excise tax rate to 2%, in other words, below the rate of inflation. I would also be open to the idea of the committee, in the course of future business, taking a serious look at the excise tax issue and inviting all the witnesses and experts we need to conduct a substantive debate and, if appropriate, bringing forward proposed amendments CPC-6 to CPC-18. For the moment, however, I will be voting against those amendments.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.