Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today, but I must say that I am also rather disappointed and even outraged to see that we are being gagged once again to put an end prematurely to the debate on Bill C-43.
Why establish a customs and revenue agency? The Minister of National Revenue told us that changes in his department were needed to achieve certain objectives, namely to ensure quality services at a lower cost, fair administration, modern and effective management and, of course, parliamentary accountability.
It is true that the minister must redefine methods and procedures within his department in order to achieve his objectives. However, changing the container does not necessarily means changing the contents. The minister naively believes that establishing this agency will make all the problems within his department disappear as if by magic.
Speaking of serious problems within the Department of National Revenue, instead of putting all his energy into solving these problems, the minister is creating a monster that nobody wants.
Obviously there is a lot of work that needs to be done in the Department of National Revenue, because there are many problems.
Among other things, the auditor general, in chapter 15 of his September 1998 report entitled “Promoting Integrity in Revenue Canada”, talked about several incidents of misconduct within that department. We know that the nature of Revenue Canada's activities calls for a high level of integrity. The integrity of the organization is, therefore, an asset in that it impacts on the behaviour of those with whom Revenue Canada has business dealings.
According to the auditor general, the establishment of the Canada customs and revenue agency will not solve the problems. In addition, the auditor general tabled his December 1998 report on Tuesday, and this included chapter 24 “Revenue Canada—International Tax Directorate: Human Resource Management”.
We know that the International Tax Directorate is the focal point for all questions relating to international tax rules. We also know that international operations are liable to weaken the tax base. We know that international tax is a rapidly developing area with strong possibilities as far as tax receipts are concerned, but that there are serious problems in the human resources area.
Key positions have been staffed by secondment, reassignment or acting positions. Only 52% of current headquarters staff are permanent in their positions. The auditor general feels that frequent staff movements are a cause for concern in that they prevent the directorate from maintaining the levels of experience and qualifications required for the work to be done.
He also states as follows:
The establishment of the new agency will not in itself resolve the problems outlined in this chapter.
In the first case, in the interests of fair administration, the minister should take all steps possible to ensure the integrity of all employees in his department before thinking about establishing such an agency.
In the second case, that of international taxes, it is much more obvious that the establishment of the agency will resolve none of what is going on because it is to the advantage of large companies operating internationally. They make in the neighbourhood of $250 billion, which is an enormous tax base.
International tax experts in big business are, for the most part, specialists from Revenue Canada or experts who have been sent there on special training assignments. At some point, we come up against a lack of competence at Revenue Canada, but considerable expertise in big business. Big business takes advantage of the system, with the result that the international tax base dwindles, to the detriment of taxpayers who must shoulder an increasingly heavy tax burden.
What the government actually wants is to abdicate its political authority because it is incapable of assuming its responsibilities and making the necessary changes in its department and because it wants to hang on to the existing international tax system in order to benefit big business with its international transactions.
What the government wants is to create a bank of handouts for its friends and supporters of the party, both with respect to administrators and with respect to big business and its international transactions.
Nobody wants this agency, not the provinces, not Quebec, not the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and not Revenue Canada employees. The Bloc Quebecois is opposed to the establishment of the Canada customs and revenue agency.