House of Commons Hansard #50 of the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was producers.

Topics

Museums ActRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Museums ActRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

(Motion agreed to, bill read the second time, considered in committee of the whole, reported without amendment, concurred in, read the third time and passed.)

Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre Saskatchewan

Conservative

Tom Lukiwski ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform

Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 165, 174, 178 and 179.

Question No. 165Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

NDP

Chris Charlton NDP Hamilton Mountain, ON

With respect to non-posted Canada pension plan contributions, and the project undertaken in or around 2000, where contributions dating back to 1966 were matched to contributor accounts: (a) what was the total number of contributors who had contributions matched to their accounts; (b) what was the total number of underpayments and the dollar value of those underpayments; (c) what was the total number of frozen underpayments and the dollar value that may be owed but which has not been paid as the contributors are now deceased; (d) what is the number of contributors who are now deceased, where the estate would now qualify for a death benefit as a result of this project as they now have the required contributions; (e) how was the Canadian public informed that they now qualify for a benefit that they did not previously receive as a result of not meeting the contributor requirements; and (f) what is the number of valid contributions that have not yet been posted to a contributor's accounts and what is the dollar value of those contributions?

Question No. 165Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Medicine Hat Alberta

Conservative

Monte Solberg ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Social Development

Mr. Speaker, in response to (a), in 1996-97, the Canada pension plan, CPP, was able to match 702,000 T4 information tax slips to 590,000 contributor client accounts. At that time, CPP was responsible for roughly 23 million client record of earnings, ROE, accounts to which earnings and CPP contributions were credited.

In response to (b), of the 590,000 contributor client accounts, Service Canada identified 93,000 payments owed to clients who were receiving benefits from the CPP or who had been in receipt of benefits from CPP, but for various reasons were no longer eligible for payments. These “underpayments” totalled $38 million which could be sent to CPP beneficiaries in lump sum payments to enhance their current financial situation. As well, these clients would benefit from an increase in their monthly benefit amount for all future payments from CPP.

In response to (c), this left roughly 43,000 payments to be made to clients who were no longer receiving benefits for various reasons such as the death of a client or the cancellation and suspension of benefits. These payments are referred to as “frozen underpayments” and the total dollar value associated to them was approximately $11 million. The frozen underpayments were handled in three phases. Phase one saw the release of 3,741 frozen underpayments to clients who were still alive. Phase two saw the release of an additional 16,148 frozen underpayments to a deceased client’s surviving spouse or child/children. The value of frozen underpayments for phase one and phase two totalled approximately $5 million. Phase three consisted of the remaining 23,000 frozen underpayments totalling approximately $6 million which belonged to clients who were deceased and had no recorded surviving spouse or child/children. CPP was unable to release any of these frozen underpayments.

In response to (d), since this project, CPP has worked hard over the years to identify clients, or their next of kin who were eligible for these frozen underpayments. We were able to release 16,148 frozen underpayments to adeceased client’s surviving spouse or child/children. There are 23,000 frozen underpayments remaining that cannot be paid as the client is deceased and has no surviving spouse or child/children. If a client was alive at the time of the project, but is now deceased in 2008, then this client’s account would have been adjusted at the onset of the project and thus they would have received a statement of contributions informing them of their eligibility to benefits. In an effort to advise clients of their possible eligibility to all CPP benefits, the Canada pension plan has sent a total of 22.4 million CPP statements of contributions to clients of all ages in 2000-01, encouraging them to view their personal information and contact CPP if corrections are required. This method of contacting clients continues today.

In response to (e), as the majority of the clients affected at the time were not yet in receipt of benefits--still contributing to the plan--their accounts were updated and, in 2000, they were sent a statement of contributions advising them of their benefit eligibility. For the people who were in receipt of benefits at the time, they received an increase in their benefit and an underpayment of benefits with a letter of explanation. As for the payments to people who were no longer receiving benefits, letters were sent to them and payments were released. In the case of a deceased beneficiary, letters were sent to their surviving spouses or child/children advising them of moneys owed to the deceased beneficiary.

The Government of Canada wants everyone to receive the benefits for which they are entitled. Each year, the government proactively informs millions of Canadians about their entitlement to CPP, old age security and guaranteed income supplement benefits through annual mailings of T4A(P) information slips and statements of contributions, to name a few. These mailings provide contact information to clients should they have any questions about their benefits or the information on their statements.

In response to (f), as of December 2007, there were four million T4 slips with a total CPP contribution dollar value of $104 million which we continue to release to client accounts through various projects and individual client queries. Given that this represents less than 0.05% of the total contributions to the Canada pension plan since 1966, the accuracy of all client CPP record of earnings accounts is ascertained at 99.95%.

Question No. 174Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

Shawn Murphy Liberal Charlottetown, PE

With regard to services to airports provided by the Canadian Border Services Agency in 2006 and 2007: (a) what was the average amount charged to airports for non-core hour service fees; (b) what was the amount charged to the Charlottetown Airport Authority; (c) what was the amount charged to the Greater Moncton International Airport Authority; (d) what was the amount charged to the Halifax International Airport Authority; and (e) what was the amount charged to the Val-d’Or Regional Airport?

Question No. 174Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Okanagan—Coquihalla B.C.

Conservative

Stockwell Day ConservativeMinister of Public Safety

Mr. Speaker, in response to (a), a total of 93 cost recovery agreements were prepared for CBSA for non-core hour services at airports in fiscal year 2006-07, for a total of $2,665,772. The average cost to provide CBSA services for these agreements was $28,664. As of January 29, 2008, there are 82 agreements totaling $2,085,261 for fiscal 2007-08, with an average cost of $25,430 per agreement.

In response to (b), with reference to the amounts charged to the Charlottetown Airport Authority, the CBSA has an obligation under the Access to Information Act, ATI, to consult with third parties prior to the release of information that may put at risk their financial, commercial, or technical information, or that may cause them a prejudice. We would thus need to contact the client who is a party to a cost recovery agreement to seek their approval to release the information.

In response to (c), no amounts were directly charged to the Greater Moncton International Airport Authority for fiscal 2006-07 and 2007-08. However, a total of eight agreements were signed with different air carriers--air carriers who use Moncton airport during non-core hours--for a total of $294,685 in 2006-07. As of January 29, 2008, there are six agreements in place for a total of $356,310 for fiscal 2007-08.

In response to (d), no amounts were directly charged to the Halifax International Airport Authority for fiscal 2006-07 and 2007-08. However, a total of 16 agreements were signed with different air carriers--air carriers who use Halifax airport during non-core hours--for a total of $587,620 in 2006-07. As of April 1, 2007 the Halifax airport became 24/7 thus no amounts were charged in fiscal 2007-08.

In response to (e), no amounts were directly charged to the Val D’Or Regional Airport for fiscal 2006-07 and 2007-08. However, a total of two agreements were signed with air carriers--air carriers who use Val D’Or airport during non-core hours--for a total of $8,043 in 2006-07. No agreements are in place for the 2007-08 fiscal year.

Question No. 178Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON

With respect to Canada's tax system, what is the estimated annual cost to create an “Angel Investor Tax Credit” along the lines recommended by the Conference Board of Canada’s Leaders Roundtable on Commercialization?

Question No. 178Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Whitby—Oshawa Ontario

Conservative

Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, angel investors are high net worth individuals, usually with an entrepreneurial background, who make very early stage equity investments in small private companies.

The Conference Board of Canada’s Leaders Roundtable on Commercialization endorsed a proposal by the National Angel Organization, NAO, for an innovation and productivity tax credit, IPTC, that would provide a combined federal-provincial 30% tax credit, up to a maximum $250,000 credit, on such investments.

Based on estimates by the Canadian Angel Investment Network, which suggest that angel investors invest approximately $3 billion in Canadian businesses annually, a federal-only credit of 30% would cost $900 million per year.

Introducing such a credit would largely subsidize existing investments that would have occurred in the absence of the credit, thereby reducing the cost effectiveness of the proposed measure. The Government of Canada currently provides a number of generous tax incentives that benefit angel investors and to improve access to capital for small business, such as: a 50% inclusion rate for capital gains; the capital gains rollover for small business investments, whereby the tax on capital gains on small business shares is deferred to the extent that proceeds are reinvested in other small businesses; the $750,000 lifetime capital gains exemption for small business shares; and deductibility of capital losses on small business shares against all income sources.

Question No. 179Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

Omar Alghabra Liberal Mississauga—Erindale, ON

With regard to all permits requested of and issued by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration in 2006 and 2007: (a) how many applications were received; (b) how many permits have been issued; (c) what was the distribution of the permits issued by federal electoral riding; and (d) what was the distribution of the applications denied by federal electoral riding?

Question No. 179Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Haldimand—Norfolk Ontario

Conservative

Diane Finley ConservativeMinister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, insofar as Citizenship and Immigration Canada, CIC, is concerned, in response to (a), this information is not available as there is no application form for these types of requests.

In response to (b), a total of 25,911 temporary resident permits were issued from January 1, 2006 to November 30, 2007. Of this number, 490 were issued in light of ministerial instruction. Please note that the 2007 calendar year data is not yet finalized.

In response to (c), a breakdown by riding is not tracked by CIC.

In response to (d), a breakdown by federal electoral riding is not tracked by CIC.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre Saskatchewan

Conservative

Tom Lukiwski ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform

Mr. Speaker, if Questions Nos. 166 and 192 could be made orders for returns, these returns would be tabled immediately.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

Is that agreed?

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Question No. 166Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

NDP

Chris Charlton NDP Hamilton Mountain, ON

With respect to Disability applications under the Canada Pension Plan for the years 2004 to 2006, inclusive: (a) what was the total number of applications received by the end of each respective year; (b) what were the total numbers of both granted and denied benefits on initial application; (c) what was the total number of denied clients who requested a level 81 reconsideration; (d) what were the total numbers of both granted and denied applications at the reconsideration level; (e) what was the total number of clients who appealed to level 82 (Review Tribunal); (f) what was the number of clients who were granted a benefit prior to a hearing (Review Tribunal); and (g) what were the total numbers of granted and denied applications at the level 82 (review Tribunal)?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 192Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS

With regard to the Small Craft Harbours program of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, what was the funding amount allocated, granted or contributed to each harbour in each federal electoral district within the province of Nova Scotia, in each of the years 2003 to 2007, inclusive?

(Return tabled)

Starred QuestionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre Saskatchewan

Conservative

Tom Lukiwski ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform

Mr. Speaker, if Starred Questions Nos. 176 and 177 could be made orders for returns, these returns would be tabled immediately.

Starred QuestionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

Is that agreed?

Starred QuestionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

*Question No. 176Starred QuestionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON

With respect to Canada's international development commitments, what is the estimated annual cost to increase Canada’s international aid expenditures by 10% instead of the 8% currently that is currently committed by the present government?

(Return tabled)

*Question No. 177Starred QuestionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON

With regard to government initiatives affecting seniors, what is the estimated annual cost: (a) to end the 10 year residency requirement for Old Age Security; and (b) to expand the full benefits of the Veteran’s Independence Program to widows who currently do not qualify for the program?

(Return tabled)