Evidence of meeting #69 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 homes.
A recording is available from Parliament.
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
Chandra Arya Liberal Nepean, ON
Okay, so my information is wrong that you wrote an article on that.
Quickly, from what I heard previously from you—I'm just paraphrasing it—you are okay if this sort of tax is levied on people owning multiple properties in a typical urban area. Am I correct?
1:05 p.m.
Member of Congress, NY-26, House of Representatives of the United States of America
I think you're correct in that I understand why Canada would impose a tax on large swaths of land because of the larger problem that it creates. What I believe about that is really not relevant. That's for you to decide. I suppose what I would ask each of you to consider is whether or not this tax, the vacant and underutilized tax, was intended to affect communities. You refer to them as rural communities that are outside of the urban areas. I refer to them as cottage communities.
Was that the intent, and if it wasn't, is there some way that could be contemplated as it relates to revising that to exclude certain properties, like seasonal properties, that this was seemingly not intended to include?
1:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Kyle Seeback
Thank you. I'm going to have to interrupt there.
Thank you so much, Representative Higgins, for coming to the committee today.
With the committee's consent, I will adjourn the meeting. Thank you.