Herb Dhaliwal

[Mirabel Region, March 10th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to hear that the Quebec government is working on economic issues that are important for Quebecers.

The government passed a duty deferral program back in 1996 to ensure that tax free zones and international free trade zones could be built. My department has been working for one year with the airport in Montreal to see how a free trade zone could be set up in that area. I met on January 17 to see what we could do to streamline the process to help build an international free trade zone area.

[National Revenue, March 4th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to report to the House that on December 3, 1998, the department started a dumping investigation in response to a complaint of unfair trade filed by Stelco Incorporated of Hamilton, Ontario.

The investigation reveals significant dumping of the subject goods from France, Romania, the Russian Federation and the Slovak Republic. As a result, temporary duties will be levied where warranted. The investigation is continuing and a final decision will be made by June 1 of this year.

[National Revenue, March 4th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member. I have to report to the House on a matter very important to all members of parliament.

I have made some changes to the travellers declaration form. In the past when coming into Canada each individual was required to fill in the declaration, including young children. Now I have made a change so that one form will suffice for a whole family thereby reducing the cost to Canadians by half a million dollars and the paperwork by 37%.

[National Revenue, February 16th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question.

There has been a disruption in the T-4 slips. As a result, this morning we announced alternatives where employers could use the website to take the form that is on there and send that in. In addition, they can also send in 1998 on a normal piece of paper.

We have given two alternatives to our employers. Certainly, if we need to take further action, we will take that under serious consideration.

[Taxation, February 12th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, as I informed the hon. member yesterday, if he provides evidence of any charitable group that is not abiding by the law, we will look at it. If the member puts that forward, I will do it.

Judging by the questions today by the Reform Party members, it is no wonder they are desperately looking for an alternative because they need one.

[National Revenue, February 11th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to take any information the member has on any charity groups that are not abiding by charity law.

One thing is quite clear to the House. The Reform Party has no agenda on the environment. It has no interest in the environment, and environmental groups across Canada, including British Columbia, will take note that Reform does not care about the environment. No wonder it is dropping in the polls every single month.

[National Revenue, February 10th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member may know, a study was recently done, the Broadbent study, which looked at the whole area of the voluntary sector. We as a government are very interested in looking at that.

Our department is following the jurisprudence at the time to determine that those charities which are registered fully follow the law and the courts in support of the decisions we have made in terms of registration of charities.

This is an area we are very interested in looking at. Certainly we have to modernize and update our legislation. We welcome the report that has come forward and look forward to looking at it.

[Revenue Canada, February 9th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, as we all understand, fairness is very important. That is why last March I initiated a fairness review to ensure there is fairness for all Canadians.

This morning I launched a seven point action plan to ensure to all Canadians that there is fairness in our tax system and that we will provide better service and fairness.

[Questions On The Order Paper, February 3rd, 1999]

There were no income tax returns transferred between Department of National Revenue tax centres during the years noted above. The realignment of transfer of processing workloads from one Revenue Canada tax centre to another only started in 1998. In early 1998 data processing workloads of some corporate income tax returns were transferred from one centre to another. Starting in early 1999 data processing workloads of individual income tax returns will be transferred from one centre to another, including the centres listed above.

[Revenue Canada, February 1st, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, this is very typical of the Reform Party. It wants to divide Canadians this way. It wants to divide Canadians by region.

I have been informed that one job is moving to the Shawinigan riding. I know the Prime Minister may not be happy but that is the reality.