Evidence of meeting #63 for Public Accounts in the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cra.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Commissioner of Revenue and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Revenue Agency
With this kind of thing, if somebody gave us a lead and said this is what has happened—
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Do you consider the information you've heard in an ethics committee a lead? Would that not be enough for you?
Commissioner of Revenue and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Revenue Agency
I think the question you're asking is whether it would trigger an audit, as opposed to whether it would trigger us to take a look.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
What would it take to trigger an audit? Would it trigger you to take a look?
Commissioner of Revenue and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Revenue Agency
You're taking a step to go.... Once we take a look, does that take us all the way down? I'm just not going to comment on that.
On the basic point you're raising, if we hear some things that we think have the potential to be offside, would we take—
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Would what you've heard have the potential, in your own words?
Commissioner of Revenue and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Revenue Agency
I'm sorry; what...?
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
What you've heard here today in the ethics committee and reported in the newspaper is very public. Would that have the potential, in your own words?
Commissioner of Revenue and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Revenue Agency
Do you mean the potential for us to take a look?
Commissioner of Revenue and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Revenue Agency
It could. I think that's what we've said about leads. When somebody gives us a lead—
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Williamson
Mr. McCauley, I've stopped the clock.
Gentlemen, I don't mind one member providing push-back, but I don't need the gallery.
Mr. McCauley, you can pose your questions.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
One of my constituents is part of a charitable organization that's been in the news a lot. It's before the Ontario supreme court, which publicly rebuked the CRA. It's the Muslim Association of Canada. I've looked at their file and looked at the Islamophobia, perhaps, involved in the CRA's harassment of that charity and other faith-based charities.
You'll go after those charities, but on this matter, you can't even comment on whether it has the potential for you to even look at it.
Commissioner of Revenue and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Revenue Agency
I'm not going to comment on either of those specific circumstances. There are some things that are in the court that are on the public record.
My point to you is that when we hear about things, either through our own work or elsewhere, that cause us to think there might be something inappropriate, we investigate. Where that leads us and how far it goes—
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
I hope that you have heard enough that you would actually do your role and investigate.
Ms. Khare, you talked about a first offence in violating the rules, which may involve training, and perhaps a second offence.
I am curious. Do your rules and regulations allow you to arbitrarily offer further training for offences?
The reason I ask is that it's a large charity with a lot of money, and it's professionally audited. You would not provide that training to a regular taxpaying Canadian. I know. I overcontributed on a TFSA once and got dinged. They didn't offer me an out. I don't have the resources like this.
Who would decide that? Answer very briefly, please.
Director General, Charities Directorate, Legislative Policy and Regulatory Affairs Branch, Canada Revenue Agency
With the charitable sector—
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
I'm sorry. I'm going to be rude and interrupt.
Could you get back to us in writing on who would make that decision?
Mr. Hamilton, I have a couple of quick questions for you.
We've heard about the Chinese police stations operating in Canada. Le Service à la Famille Chinoise du Grand Montréal and le Centre Sino-Québec de la Rive-Sud are both not-for-profits. They have been identified as Chinese police stations that are often harassing Canadians. Would the CRA be investigating those not-for-profits?
Commissioner of Revenue and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Revenue Agency
I have no comment on that.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Why not? You're the head of the CRA.
These are not-for-profits that are harassing Canadians—Beijing Communist-operated police stations—and operating under the guise of a not-for-profit, and the head of CRA won't comment. Will you be investigating these?
Commissioner of Revenue and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Revenue Agency
I am not going to comment on that. On that specific situation about those specific entities, I can't comment.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Williamson
Thank you very much.
We've heard from the witness, Mr. McCauley. I appreciate the question.
We will turn now to our last member. Ms. Bradford, you have the floor for five minutes.