Evidence of meeting #15 for Finance in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was bia.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karina Gould
Thank you, Mr. Garon.
On the same point of order, we have Mr. Turnbull.
Liberal
Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON
This motion is substantively different, because it really calls upon a subcommittee agenda and procedure meeting on this Wednesday, which is the heart of the motion. Although it references the BIA study, it's really asking—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karina Gould
Thank you, Mr. Turnbull. Yes, I understood your….
On the same point of order, we have Mr. Garon. Do you have a different argument?
Bloc
Jean-Denis Garon Bloc Mirabel, QC
Actually, it's a question of linguistic privilege, Madam Chair. I don't understand English—
Bloc
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karina Gould
Thank you, Mr. Garon.
I will allow it as it is substantially different enough from the first one.
Mr. Kelly, please go ahead.
Conservative
Pat Kelly Conservative Calgary Crowfoot, AB
I don't know if this would be called the same point of order if we're on the order of the question of relevance.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karina Gould
Well, I don't know. Do you have the same point of order, or is it a different point of order? That's up to you to decide.
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karina Gould
Well, I've already determined that I'm accepting it, so thank you, Mr. Kelly.
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karina Gould
You can't do that on a point of order, Mr. Kelly.
Thank you, Mr. Turnbull. You can carry on.
Liberal
Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON
We understand that committee members don't seem to want to study the BIA, which is unfortunate given the fact that they want to hear from an important officer of Parliament talking about budget-related matters and fiscal anchors—
Liberal
Bloc
Jean-Denis Garon Bloc Mirabel, QC
Madam Chair, we're debating a motion that I don't have the text of in French.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karina Gould
Okay, we will suspend the meeting for a moment so that we can ensure that the motion is submitted. Thank you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karina Gould
The motion has been circulated to members, so we will resume.
Mr. Turnbull, are you ready to resume?
Liberal
Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON
Thanks, Chair.
It's my understanding that the opposition members don't seem to want to study the BIA. They certainly don't want to have any debate on studying it. This has come up over and over again in our committee, where I've done my very best to....
This committee has operated in good faith, with opposition members having their motions and studies put forward and with the government side agreeing to those within reason. I think this is a very reasonable attempt, a very good-faith attempt, at studying government legislation, which is the duty of this committee. It is embedded in the sort of mandate of this committee that the committee members study the BIA and that we prioritize government legislation.
This committee has done in many years past, time and time again, a prestudy on the budget implementation act. There have been rare occasions, very rare, when that may not have happened. It is the work and deliberation of this committee to essentially consider the BIA in all its glory. There are many pages there to consider. The will of Parliament has been very clear. It's been expressed by numerous votes in the House.
I've put this forward in numerous ways to try to be productive. The focus is really this: Can we can have a subcommittee meeting to talk about how we can set the agenda for this committee in order to have a schedule leading into the spring? Members opposite have suggested in some of their remarks that this would be what they wanted. This is an attempt to work alongside my colleagues opposite to find a path forward to do some prestudy on the BIA. It's obvious that they don't want to do that. I find that shocking and surprising—stupefying, even. That's not a word I use often. I would say that it has me in a place where I'm wondering why members opposite don't want to actually work to.... Although they were not willing to go to the polls for an election, they don't seem to want to actually do the work that members of Parliament are expected to do on this committee, which is to debate vigorously and work on the budget implementation act. I'm finding that pretty hard to understand.
Maybe members opposite will be able to convince me as to why we shouldn't study the BIA. I don't think they've made many remarks to that effect on the record. They seem to have suggested that they want to study the BIA, but they want to put it off and ensure that we can't do that work. It's kind of shocking when you think about how many investments there are in the budget that relate to their communities, whether it's housing, infrastructure, mines in Quebec or correcting small errors and unintentional consequences of a tax cut for 22 million Canadians or for those who live with a disability.
These are measures in the BIA that are going to impact businesses, communities and individuals who are potentially vulnerable at this time in Canada. They don't seem to want to get down to work on that, which I find a bit shocking and surprising. I would ask them if they could put the partisanship aside and actually work with us effectively to deliberate on the BIA. Again, I think that's the whole point of the finance committee. The finance committee is supposed to do this work and not put it off.
I don't discount that members opposite have other topics they want to study. I get that. Again, we've studied some of those topics in good faith.
There seems to only be an interest in having studies or witnesses who they feel represent a very negative version of reality that they're trying to boost a narrative for, and not really in working effectively in good faith with government MPs on this committee to actually do the work that we're tasked to do. It is the mandate of this committee, as I understand it. I probably should just get out the mandate of the finance committee.
Do we have a copy of that, Madam Chair, that the clerk could read out? What is the mandate of the finance committee? I'm pretty sure it includes working on the budget and deliberating on the budget.
Can we ask for clarification from the clerk, if possible?
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Karina Gould
As part of the mandate of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance established under Standing Order 108 of the Standing Orders of the House of Commons, the Committee is empowered to examine and enquire into all matters referred to it by the House of Commons, to report from time to time and, except when the House otherwise orders, to send for persons, papers and records. Like certain other standing committees, the Standing Committee on Finance is also empowered to study and report on all matters relating to the mandate, management and operation of the department or departments of government that may be assigned to it from time to time by the House. For the Standing Committee on Finance, these departments include the Department of Finance Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency. In addition, commencing on the first sitting day in September of each year, the Standing Committee on Finance is authorized to consider budgetary policy, as outlined in Standing Order 83.1. It may also report on proposals regarding the budgetary policy of the government. The Committee normally presents its pre-budget report no later than the third sitting day before the last normal sitting day in December, as determined by the calendar set out in Standing Order 28(2).
Bloc
Jean-Denis Garon Bloc Mirabel, QC
I have a point of order, Madam Chair.
I didn't have the text of the motion in French. Now that I have the French version and am reading the text of the motion, it's clear that this motion has already been debated and that the debate on this motion was adjourned earlier today. Therefore, it is out of order.
Bloc
Jean-Denis Garon Bloc Mirabel, QC
I challenge your ruling, Madam Chair.
I call the vote on the chair's ruling.