Finance Committee on May 2nd, 2023

Evidence of meeting #87 for Finance in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was ministers.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Subject matter of Bill C-47, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023

Committee Business

Also speaking

Graeme Hamilton Director General, Traveller, Commercial and Trade Policy, Canada Border Services Agency

Nicole Thomas Executive Director, Costing, Charging and Transfer Payments, Treasury Board Secretariat

Lindy VanAmburg Director General, Policy and Programs, Dental Care Task Force, Department of Health

Neil Leblanc Director, Canada Pension Plan Policy and Legislation, Income Security and Social Development Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development

Colin Stacey Director General, Air Policy, Department of Transport

Joël Girouard Senior Privy Council Officer, Machinery of Government, Privy Council Office

Benoit Cadieux Director, Policy Analysis and Initiatives, Skills and Employment Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development

Tamara Rudge Director General, Surface Transportation Policy, Department of Transport

Steven Coté Executive Director, Employment Insurance, Skills and Employment Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development

Robert Lalonde Director, Individual Payments and On-Demand Services, Benefits and Integrated Services Branch, Service Canada, Department of Employment and Social Development

Blair Brimmell Head of Section, Climate and Security, Security and Defence Relations, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Marcel Turcot Director General, Policy, Strategy and Performance, National Research Council of Canada

Paola Mellow Executive Director, Low Carbon Fuels Division, Department of the Environment

David Chan Acting Director, Asylum Policy, Performance and Governance Division, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

Marie-Josée Langlois Director General, Strategic Policy Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Nicole Girard Director General, Citizenship Policy, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

Michelle Mascoll Director General, Resettlement Policy Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

Vincent Millette Director, National Air Services Policy, Department of Transport

Rachel Pereira Director, Democratic Institutions, Privy Council Office

Samir Chhabra Director General, Marketplace Framework Policy Branch, Department of Industry

Alexandre Sacha) Vassiliev (Committee Clerk

Clerk of the Committee Mr. Alexandre Roger

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

Allow the minister to complete her answer to your question.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

She's eating up a lot of time with that.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

She actually has not taken up that much time compared with the question. We'll allow the minister to continue.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

I'll wait a little bit.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

Thank you.

If the Conservatives really are interested, as they should be, in the substance of what's happening in the Canadian economy, I'm happy to answer.

On fiscal responsibility, Canada has the lowest deficit in the G7. We have a deficit that is steadily coming down—

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

That wasn't the question, Minister.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

—and we have....

You did speak about the deficit, actually.

We have a fiscal position—

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

Yes, but the question was—

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

Again, I'm going to have to interrupt.

MP Hallan, address anything through the chair, please.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

Chair, I'll move on from that question because the minister's not going to answer it.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

I'd actually like to finish my answer.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

Just allow for the finishing.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

The floor is mine.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

Minister, could you wrap up the answer and then we'll get to your next question, MP Hallan. We did stop the time.

Minister.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

Thank you, Chair.

Canada has a fiscal position that has been judged by the people who count, our ratings agencies, to be strong and sustainable. S&P, after I tabled the budget, reiterated our AAA rating with a stable outlook.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

You're not going to get to the answer, so I'll have to move on with because my time is limited.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

MP Hallan, go ahead.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

I have a simple question for you, just on the date. When will the budget be balanced? I just want the date.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

As I said, the Conservatives seem uninterested in substantive answers.

There was a question asked about inflation.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

Canadians would like to know.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

I think it is important to point out to Canadians that inflation is steadily coming down from its peak of 8.1% in June to 4.4%.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

The question was not about inflation.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

The previous question was and I didn't have a chance to talk about inflation, which I think is on Canadians' minds.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

Okay, so—

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

MP Hallan, allow the minister, please, to conclude.