Gail Shea

[Technical Tax Amendments Act, 2012, March 7th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that we need to move forward, which is something non-partisan groups have been demanding. Those are groups like the Real Property Association of Canada, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Tax Executives Institute, the Canadian Tax Foundation and many more.

The bill has been a long time coming to the House. It has been consulted on with Canadians on more than 10 separate occasions. We have heard many speeches from the opposition, all saying the same thing, that there is a need for the bill and the need to pass the bill. Why are they unnecessarily holding it up?

[Technical Tax Amendments Act, 2012, March 7th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, there would be no need for letters of intent if the bill were passed. We have made a commitment, as a result of the Auditor General's report, to ensure that technical tax amendments are brought forward on a regular basis in the future.

We are taking steps to that end. It is time for the opposition to pass the bill and get it to the committee process.

[Technical Tax Amendments Act, 2012, March 7th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that all sides support the bill, and all sides recognize that it is a technical bill.

Yes, the NDP does insist on filibustering. It has been a 100-day delay for some bizarre reason. Groups such as the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants were in Ottawa pleading with the House, especially with the NDP, to stop this ridiculous delay.

We need to show some respect for taxpayers and get moving on Bill C-48.

[Technical Tax Amendments Act, 2012, March 7th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, we have had literally days and days of debate. The NDP is simply playing politics with this issue. We have heard many, many speeches, and they all say the same thing. The NDP has complained that the bill was too long in coming. It is here. Why are they holding it up?

The opposition members had the bill a week prior to the House. They were offered briefings by the Department of Finance. The committee has already started its work, so it is time for the opposition to stop playing partisan games and pass this very important bill.

[Technical Tax Amendments Act, 2012, March 7th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, certainly the hon. member would agree that 11 years is long enough, so it is time that we get this bill passed.

We have listened to the professional accountants industry, which represents over 75,000 tax professionals, and I have a quote from them:

Some of the measures contained in today's bill were initially proposed as early as 1999.... With unlegislated tax measures, taxpayers and professional accountants must maintain their records and forms—sometimes for years—to be in a position to comply, even without knowing when and if these measures will be approved by Parliament and enacted. This uncertainty and unpredictability places an enormous compliance burden on taxpayers, businesses, professionals and their clients.

This is what the member, the NDP finance critic, had to say about this bill only this week in finance committee:

Obviously we support the goal of closing tax loopholes and making the system in Canada clearer and easier to understand for Canadians.... [I]t's important that these technical changes be adopted so that there's clarity and certainty in tax legislation.

Therefore, let us adopt them.

[Technical Tax Amendments Act, 2012, March 7th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, while I am on my feet, please allow me to convey my sympathy to the family of the late Stompin' Tom Connors. Tom and I both call the small community of Skinners Pond, P.E.I. our home. He will be missed dearly by his family, his friends and all Canadians.

Back to the topic at hand, from 2009 to 2011, in advance of this bill, our government engaged in repeated open and public consultations on the proposed technical changes that would be included in this legislation. Those consultations took place in December 2009, July 2010, August 2010, November 2010, December 2010, January 2011, March 2011, July 2011, August 2011 and October 2011.

This is one of the bills that has been most consulted on in this House. It has been before Parliament for five months now, as I said. That is 100 days during which the opposition could have examined this bill. It is a bill that has all-party support. It has been a decade in the making.

I encourage the opposition to get down to business and pass this bill.

[Technical Tax Amendments Act, 2012, March 7th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, this bill has been before Parliament for five months now. It was introduced in November of last year. This means that the House of Commons has had over 100 days to examine this bill already, and we are only at the preliminary stage in what is a very long parliamentary process. We have had literally days of debate and have heard hours and hours of speeches. The speeches are all saying the same thing. If New Democrats are concerned about the economy, then I encourage them to vote and pass this bill. They are simply playing politics with this issue.

[Income Tax, March 6th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the way Canadians are filing their taxes is changing, and we are changing to meet those needs. We do encourage Canadians to file on line, but we do recognize that not everyone can file online. That is why, if seniors want to call the 1-800 number, they can have a form mailed directly to their house.

Last year, roughly 1.3 million packages that were mailed out were never used. We do not think that is the best use of resources.

[Taxation, March 6th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, in a recent appearance at the finance committee, even the OECD acknowledged that the tax gap is almost impossible to calculate. That is why the OECD says that all countries should have robust auditing, and that is exactly what we are doing. Our record speaks for itself.

Since 2006, we have audited thousands of cases and have identified over $4.5 billion of unpaid tax. This compares to a mere $174 million in the last year of the Liberal government.

[Canada Revenue Agency, February 28th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the way that Canadians file their taxes is changing, and we are changing to meet those needs.

We do, however, understand and recognize that everyone does not have access to a computer or can use a computer, so that is why we have ensured that taxpayers can still file on paper. They can pick up their tax forms at any Service Canada or local post office. They can also call the 1-800 number and have the tax form mailed to them.

Last year 1.3 million packages that were mailed out were never used. That is not a good, efficient use of resources.