Peter Milliken

[Government Response To Petitions, November 28th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 16 petitions.

[Questions On The Order Paper, November 25th, 1994]

I ask that the remaining questions be allowed to stand.

[Questions On The Order Paper, November 25th, 1994]

I am informed by the Departments of Human Resources Development and Revenue Canada as follows: (a), (b) and (c). Under Canada pension plan and old age security legislation, beneficiaries are entitled to continue receiving benefits while in prison.

However, to answer these parts would require the exchange of information on inmates between Human Resources Development Canada and Correctional Service Canada. The existing Old Age Security Act and Canada pension plan/income supplement legislation do not permit such an exchange.

On October 7, 1994, the Minister of Human Resources Development tabled a bill, C-54, which proposes to amend these two acts to allow for better information sharing between government departments. The Solicitor General has also tabled a bill, C-45, allowing for similar amendments to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. These, if enacted, will allow for the exchange of information necessary to respond to these parts.

(d) Section 32 of the Unemployment Insurance Act specifically denies payment for the period during which a claimant is an inmate of any prison or similar institution.

There are control programs in effect to enforce this section of the act.

Human Resources Development Canada is not aware of any inmates receiving payment of UI benefits during a period of incarceration.

During this calendar year, January to August, there have been 1,688 disentitlements imposed denying benefits for the reason that the claimant is an inmate of a prison or similar institution.

The courts, however, are providing a more varied approach when imposing sentence on certain offenders. Payment may be made to persons serving a sentence who are not confined to an institution and who meet all the conditions of entitlement. Examples of this would be incarceration during weekends or evenings only, or electronic surveillance.

As to the question what crimes were they incarcerated for, this is of no relevance to the determination of entitlement to UI benefit. Accordingly, information on the reasons for incarceration are not collected.

(e) Correctional Service Canada provides to Revenue Canada the following information: name; date of birth; date of incarceration; date of release and nature of parole arrangements if any. This information is used to ensure that only those individuals who are entitled under the law to GST credit benefits receive them. Inmates who are confined to prison at the end of the taxation year, and had been so confined for at least six months in the year, are not eligible to apply for the GST credit benefits.

The latest information concerning the number of individuals who received the GST credit would be based on the 1993 taxation year. However, the number of federal inmates who received the GST credit is not data that is accumulated for purposes of administration of the Income Tax Act. This information is not readily available and would require a considerable expenditure and reallocation of resources to assemble. The reason for the incarceration is not provided to Revenue Canada as it is not a determining factor in providing GST rebates. To determine the nature of the incarceration of any GST credit recipient, income tax information would have to be communicated to Correctional Service Canada and that is precluded by the confidentiality provisions of the Income Tax Act.

[Questions On The Order Paper, November 25th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 81 and 84.

Question No. 81-

[Committees Of The House, November 25th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, with leave of the House, I move, seconded by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, that the 52nd report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs presented to the House today be concurred in.

(Motion agreed to.)

[Committees Of The House, November 25th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the 51st report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding its April 19, 1994 order of reference in relation to the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act.

This report is the first being tabled in accordance with Standing Order 68. Your Honour will recall that the committee was directed to draft and bring in a bill on this subject. Therefore the report includes a draft bill entitled an act to provide for the establishment of electoral boundaries commissions and the readjustment of electoral boundaries.

I know all hon. members will be interested in the contents of the report. The draft bill makes fascinating reading. I thought with the weekend coming up members might want to take it home for the weekend. Accordingly I am pleased to table it today.

I am also pleased to present the 52nd report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the associate membership of the Standing Committee on Government Operations.

If the House gives its consent, I intend to move concurrence in the report later this day.

[Government Response To Petitions, November 25th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 13 petitions.

[Order In Council Appointments, November 25th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table, in both official languages, a number of order in council appointments which were made by the government.

Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 110(1), these are deemed referred to the appropriate standing committees, a list of which is attached.

[Questions On The Order Paper, November 24th, 1994]

I would ask that all remaining questions be allowed to stand.

[Questions On The Order Paper, November 24th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, Question No. 80 will be answered today.

Question No. 80-