Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to be in the House today to speak on the bill before us.
Many Canadians have expressed the basic fear of the concentration of too much power in one place. In developing the Canada customs and revenue agency, we have been sensitive to this concern as well. Tax, customs and trade administration affect the lives and livelihood of all Canadians. They want to be sure they are dealt with fairly and that their rights are protected. It is our intention to create a super agency, one with unlimited power and unlimited scope. In fact, in the design of the new agency we have maintained the essential checks and balances that govern the activities and ensure the accountability of Revenue Canada.
For example, the enforcement powers of the new agency will be the same as those currently provided to Revenue Canada through legislation like the Income Tax Act or the Customs Act. If there is a problem or if there is a complaint, the minister will be fully accountable to parliament and the public for the administration and enforcement of this specific legislation.
As well, the minister will have the authority, as the case is now, to answer questions in the House and to ensure that the agency is acting properly in its dealings with the Canadian public.
The confidentiality of taxpayers' personal information will be protected under this new agency, just as it is currently protected with Revenue Canada. The authorities governing confidentiality are clearly set out in the legislation and they will not be changed or compromised by this bill.
Revenue Canada has decades of experience in handling highly confidential information for millions of individuals and organizations. There is absolutely no reason to believe that this commitment to confidentiality would change under the departmental agency status.
Furthermore, the legislation before this House will specifically restrict the board of management of the new agency from directing the commissioner or any agency employee to exercise authorities under programs legislation of provincial statute. This will effectively ensure that the board will not have access to confidential tax, customs or trade information for individual Canadians or businesses. From an overall operational standpoint, the agency will have to develop a corporate business plan every year. This plan will have to be submitted to the minister who will in turn recommend its approval by the Treasury Board. A summary of this plan will also be tabled in parliament. So any new or unusual plans by the agency that would unreasonably extend its powers would be nipped in the bud.
The commissioner of the agency will have to offer to meet with provincial and territorial representatives annually to report on how programs have been delivered on their behalf. This will provide yet another check on the power of the new agency. The raison d'être of the Canadian customs and revenue agency is not to create a larger entity. Revenue Canada already employs between 40,000 and 46,000 permanent and temporary employees. Instead, the rationale is to expand the efficiency of the programs and services, to reduce overlap and duplication and to provide greater saving to Canadians. Doing something better is not necessarily an expansion of power but an extension of service, service to Canadians, service to businesses and services to the provinces and territories.
The intention of Bill C-43 is not to create a super agency. Rather, it is to establish a framework with all the checks and balances for a super agency.