Mr. Speaker, I thank the various members for their co-operation in trying to reach some conclusion to these amendments.
Motion No. 2 would impose a legal requirement on customs officers to do what in certain circumstances is done as a matter of good administrative practice. My concern with the motion is that it would create a procedural burden for routine actions, such as a request of a customs officer to look inside the trunk of a car which is crossing the border.
The procedures proposed in Bill C-22 to deal with cross-border movements of large amounts of currency and monetary instruments are intended to dovetail with similar procedures dealing with the movement of goods. Introducing a requirement to create a written record for routine actions by customs officers at the border would add bureaucracy and cause unnecessary delays for the travelling public.
I therefore would like to propose the suggestion that officers be required to record in writing their reasons for decisions under this bill not apply to routine actions but be limited instead to the exercise of the powers under subsection 18(1) which deal with the seizure of currency or monetary instruments. Therefore the amended motion would read as follows:
That Bill C-22 be amended by adding after line 47 on page 10 the following new clause:
“19.1 If an officer decides to exercise powers under subsection 18(1), the officer shall record in writing reasons for the decision”.