Public Accounts Committee on June 6th, 2006

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Okay, that is the motion on the floor. We have discussion.

Mr. Williams, I believe you have something to say.

[John Williams, Conservative, Edmonton—St. Albert, AB]

I think the motion is appropriate. It's not a new issue; therefore, we can deal with it right away.

I think you need to build in there, Mr. Christopherson, the indicators by which they will deem success or otherwise.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

I accept that as a friendly amendment.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Okay.

[A voice]

Could you read the motion with the friendly amendment?

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Well, I'll read the motion, and John is going to jump in where that fits: that the Canada Revenue Agency report to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts by--

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Whoa. Slowly.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

This is the old part. This is the easy part.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

But go slowly for the translator.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Okay, for the translator I'll go slowly.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Thank you very much.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

You're very welcome.

It will read that the Canada Revenue Agency report to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts by September 30, 2006 on the status of the agency's 2010 vision plan. The committee specifically requests the agency to provide us with a detailed action plan--

[John Williams, Conservative, Edmonton—St. Albert, AB]

Including performance indicators.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

There we are.

Clerk, do you have that?

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Is everyone agreed with that?

I sense agreement. Go ahead.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Okay, Clerk, I have the rest of it, if you have that part: and a timetable for completing its 2010 vision, and to provide the committee with regular progress reports.

[John Williams, Conservative, Edmonton—St. Albert, AB]

It should read “the committee and the Auditor General”.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Okay, and to provide the committee and the Auditor General with regular progress reports.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Madam Fraser.

[Sheila Fraser]

There was some question about the length of time we took to re-audit this issue. I will make a commitment to the committee that when we see the timelines that are developed by the Canada Revenue Agency, we will inform you of when we plan to go back and do a follow-up audit--because it will be based on their timelines.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

It just gets better and better. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

We've heard the motion as amended and we've had some discussion. Is there any further discussion?

(Motion agreed to)

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Mr. Christopherson, thank you very much.

Madame Ratansi, you have five minutes.

[Yasmin Ratansi, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

I have two quick questions.

On page 243, the Auditor General observes that the CRA made a commitment to keep the tax debt below a certain level and to collect a specific amount of cash, but despite those efforts the tax debt has grown 88%. So there's a spread. What is the average value of the debt? How many debtors are there in the system, and what's the average value per person?