Evidence of meeting #42 for Finance in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was officials.
A video is available from Parliament.
Director General, Marketplace Framework Policy Branch, Department of Industry
Yes, Mr. Chair. I would be happy to clarify that question.
The change is from “50 years” after the life of the author to “70 years” after the life of the author.
Liberal
Julie Dzerowicz Liberal Davenport, ON
Thank you.
The arts community has been asking for this forever, so I think they'll be very happy to hear about that. It actually brings us in line globally to where I think other countries are.
My next question is on the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act, and I believe it's under division 6. I believe that there is a total payment of $2 billion that's allocated here. Can I just confirm that it is for backlogs in procedures and surgeries and that it is going to be sent down to the provinces and territories?
Director General, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch, Department of Finance
Yes. That is the purpose of the funding.
Liberal
Director General, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch, Department of Finance
It does not affect the Canada health transfer base. It is a one-time top-up.
Liberal
Julie Dzerowicz Liberal Davenport, ON
Thank you.
The funding allocated is based on what you have listed between paragraphs (a) and (m).
Director General, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch, Department of Finance
Yes. It's based on equal per capita allocation, the same that is used for the Canada health transfer.
Liberal
Julie Dzerowicz Liberal Davenport, ON
Wonderful. Thank you so much.
Getting back to division 4, “Payments in Relation to Transit and Housing”, are there restrictions on how the provinces and territories allocate the funds within their jurisdictions?
Director General, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch, Department of Finance
The provinces and territories have been asked to allocate the funding based on transit ridership within their jurisdictions.
Liberal
Julie Dzerowicz Liberal Davenport, ON
Okay. Is that the only restriction? Is that the only criteria for them?
Director General, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch, Department of Finance
They also have to also match the federal contribution and then allocate the total of that funding based on transit ridership. The funding is to be used towards transit operating shortfalls, capital or housing.
Liberal
Julie Dzerowicz Liberal Davenport, ON
Okay. Wonderful.
I'd like to head over to the Special Economic Measures Act. It's under the “Economic Sanctions” division. How will the proposed changes in this section help fight the illegal invasion of Russia into Ukraine?
Dr. Lynn McDonald Director General, International Economic Policy, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Good afternoon. I can provide a response to that.
In response to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Canada and its G7 and other allies have taken numerous steps, including imposing a range of new sanctions measures. In the context of these amendments, this has been a proposed change aimed at promoting accountability and ensuring that the sanctioned persons are no longer able to access their assets in Canada, as well as to return ill-gotten gains to those affected.
To that end, these proposed amendments will create the necessary authorities to identify, freeze, seize and dispose of assets belonging to sanctioned individuals and entities.
I'm happy to provide a bit more information if that would be helpful, but I'll pause here.
Liberal
Julie Dzerowicz Liberal Davenport, ON
Maybe continuing on that line of thought, how will the government identify the assets to be seized and forfeited?
Director General, International Economic Policy, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
The Russian Elites, Proxies, and Oligarchs Task Force has been set up with allies in the G7. Canada and its allies in the task force have all committed to taking measures along these lines, which are to work together to track the assets of key Russian elites and proxies and to deny them the ability to hide their assets and benefit from assets in all of these jurisdictions.
The plan is for our government to work with domestic law agencies, other domestic departments and agencies, and our foreign allies to target relevant assets. That would be a connection through the amendments to allow the government to go forward and seize assets that are linked to a sanctioned person or entity seen as contributing to the great breech of international peace and security and inappropriate circumstances and manage those assets. It would lead to the forfeiture of the assets through a court-administered process. After the asset is forfeited, the appropriate disposal and repurposing of the assets would be determined, including if it goes back to victims of the Russian invasion or contributes to the reconstruction of Ukraine.
These are a number of the steps that have been proposed through the amendments in division 31.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca
Thank you, MP Dzerowicz.
We're moving to the Bloc and MP Ste-Marie for two and a half minutes, please.
Bloc
Gabriel Ste-Marie Bloc Joliette, QC
Thank you.
My first question is for Mr. Countryman and relates to the subject addressed by my colleague Ms. Dzerowicz.
Division 4 is about payments in relation to transit and housing. I would like to know how this will work with Quebec.
Will Ottawa transfer to Quebec the amounts owed to it unconditionally, or will there be a negotiation process to frame all this?
Director General, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch, Department of Finance
There have been direct discussions with the Quebec Minister of Finance regarding the program and the measures taken by the Quebec government to meet the objectives for the funds. Indeed, there is an agreement between the two governments.
Bloc
Gabriel Ste-Marie Bloc Joliette, QC
Okay.
That is very clear.
Thank you very much.
I will now move on to division 23 of part 5, which deals with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Division 23 of the bill amends several elements of this act.
I would just like to make sure that, under the Canada–Québec Accord relating to Immigration and Temporary Admission of Aliens, which dates back to 1991, the provisions in this division would not apply to Quebec, since it is up to the province to decide on its targets.
I would like to have confirmation of that.
Director General, Strategic Policy and Planning, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Thank you, Chair, for the question.
That is correct. This is an area of selection, which is an area of jurisdiction of Quebec, pursuant to the accord.
Bloc
Gabriel Ste-Marie Bloc Joliette, QC
Thank you very much.
Mr. Chair, if I have any time left, I would like to give it to my NDP colleague.
Thank you very much.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca
You have ceded your time to your colleague.
MP Gazan, you have three and a half minutes.
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Thank you so much. That's very generous from my colleague from the Bloc.
Division 3 of part 5 of the BIA repeals a Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act. This is long overdue and is a response, in fact, to a court decision. That's very unfortunate that it had to go to court.
I don't think anybody in this room on the committee would disagree that everybody has a right to clean drinking water. It's a basic human right and one that is certainly upheld at the United Nations.
Are any of the officials able to comment on why the repeal of this colonial act took so long?
Curtis Bergeron Acting Director, Regional Operations, Indigenous Services, Department of Indigenous Services
I'm happy to respond to the question, Mr. Chair.
Although I can't respond directly to why it took so long, I can say that it supports relationships and reconciliation efforts. It's in direct response to concerns raised by first nations. I think it demonstrates Indigenous Services Canada's willingness to act and support communities.