Evidence of meeting #31 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was complaints.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Diane Marleau
Yes. You have that.
Next Thursday, the members might be interested to know, we are going to have National Defence here, along with Public Works. You can imagine that it should be a good meeting.
Go ahead, Madame Bourgeois.
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
Madam Chair, I thought that we were going to hear from other witnesses with regard to Passport Canada.
Liberal
Bloc
Bloc
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Diane Marleau
Read the report and tell us whether you think the matter deserves further study.
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
I have read it and, indeed, I find we are still missing some information.
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
I don't like the extra $25. That money could go to Passport Canada.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Diane Marleau
Yes, but it is a policy of the government to charge an additional $25 to help consulates throughout the world. We could invite a representative from the Department of Foreign Affairs to give us an explanation. But as you saw, when Passport Canada officials were before the committee, they did not even mention the $25. In fact, they did not even want to talk about it. They said that the price of a passport was $62 and that, as far as they were concerned...
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Diane Marleau
You are right, and Ms. Fraser mentioned this in her last report. It is the equivalent of a tax Canadians must pay when getting a passport, but Passport Canada has nothing to do with it. It simply collects the money.
But it is up to you if you want to call someone...
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
It really bothers me and I would like us to take some time to give the issue the attention it deserves.
What the draft report reveals is first that Passport Canada does not have any money. It is undergoing a reorganization which will take some time to be completed. But in the meantime, the staff in certain MPs' offices have to make up for the situation, and they are not compensated for doing so. Where will we get the money to pay for that? We are talking about an additional $25. Many Canadians do not need consular services. So who is getting the $25?
Liberal
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
Could the Department of Foreign Affairs not give the $25, which is collected every time a Canadian gets a passport, to the offices of the members of Parliament who are swamped, as a way for compensating for the extra work?
Liberal
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
It is cheap labour for Passport Canada.
I don't think that we have received answers to all of our questions.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Diane Marleau
Yes, we know that.
You are right. At one point, I even thought about sending a bill to the Department of Foreign Affairs, so what can you do?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Diane Marleau
If you have any other suggestions or recommendations, we can discuss them next Tuesday. Also, if you wish to invite witnesses to the committee, please let us know. We could call them for next Tuesday's meeting.
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
We will do some research to see how we can compensate the people involved.
Liberal
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
Mr. Kramp has not said much, but when he will have to process 10,000 passports, he will surely speak up.
Conservative
Harold Albrecht Conservative Kitchener—Conestoga, ON
I don't think $25 should be considered a tax. It's insurance. If you travel and need consular services when you're over there, you'll want to have it.