Evidence of meeting #112 for International Trade in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was united.
A video is available from Parliament.
5:15 p.m.
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
The motion was submitted on Thursday, June 6, 2024, by my colleague Simon‑Pierre Savard‑Tremblay, the member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, whom I salute. Do you need me to read it, Madam Chair and colleagues?
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
I believe all of the members have the motion in front of them. Is there any discussion on the motion?
5:20 p.m.
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
The motion involves duty-free shops.
5:20 p.m.
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Someone needs to speak French.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Hold on a second, Mr. Cannings. You should have it now.
Could someone speak French?
5:20 p.m.
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Yes, Madam Chair, I'm pleased to speak French. I'm very proud to speak French here in Ottawa.
5:20 p.m.
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Madam Chair, I just want to confirm that my colleagues have received the motion. Do you need me to read it? It will be my pleasure to do so.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
You're still not getting translation. Check your connection, Mr. Cannings, because the others here are getting it.
5:20 p.m.
NDP
Richard Cannings NDP South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
It's on English. It was working fine until just then, but now it's not.
5:20 p.m.
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Madam Chair, that means Mr. Cannings wasn't listening when I was speaking earlier. That's interesting.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
I'll read out the motion in English, Mr. Cannings. It was the motion that Monsieur Savard-Tremblay gave us on Tuesday.
It is:
That, whereas the duty-free shop regulations under the Customs Act clearly state that goods in duty-free stores are for immediate export only, and must be declared under the act if returned to Canada; and whereas duty-free stores are subject to strict location, inventory, declaration and storage requirements to ensure that all products sold there are exported for consumption outside Canada; the committee recommend that the government recognize duty-free as an export industry, that a clear indication of the nature of this industry be conveyed to all federal agencies concerned and that it report back to the House before the end of the current session of Parliament.
It's a bit of a problem when it talks about the “current session of Parliament”. If the current session of Parliament means when it ends next week, it would be very difficult to do much on this motion prior to the end of the session.
Is there any discussion?
I think if we're going to do something with it, you need to change the “end of the current session” because we're not going to have time to get to it, but the mover of the motion has to amend it.
Mr. Blanchette-Joncas, I realize you're doing it for Mr. Savard-Tremblay, but I think it would be “report back to the House” and end there. Eliminate “before the end of the current session of Parliament” because nothing would be done.
5:20 p.m.
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Madam Chair, I'm convinced that we can manage to get something done.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
If we ended it with “report back to the House” and take out “before the end of the current session of Parliament”, it would then leave it open-ended. If the committee chose to adopt it, they could work on this when they return in September.
Mr. Sidhu.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
Maninder Sidhu Liberal Brampton East, ON
Maybe we could add a line that there would be a government response. I mean, what does this really mean? We want to know what the government thinks, right?
There should be a government response. I don't know if the member is amenable to that.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
There have to be some meetings first. Otherwise, it's just a basic motion, period. We adopt the motion and ask for a government response.
It's much more like just adopting the motion, raising the issue to the government and asking the government to respond back to the House.
Is everybody okay with that? Are we all in favour?
(Motion as amended agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
That should be good.
Not seeing anything else, the meeting is adjourned.