Finance committee  If the government were to dissolve, but not because this bill was defeated, then it would not have been a decision of the government to defeat this particular measure, and as a result, the CRA would continue to administer it, as I say, until such time as it becomes apparent from the government of the day or from Parliament that this measure will not be proceeded with.

Finance committee  That's true.

Finance committee  Thank you for that. The home renovation tax credit, as the minister mentioned already, is a very important part of this budget, and it is an economic stimulus measure. In order to provide economic stimulus, it was essential that this credit entice people to draw their future investments forward and make their investments now rather than later.

Finance committee  It's featured quite prominently in the budget documents and in the advertising campaign, where I believe it's quite clear that it says it's for renovations done after the budget and before January 31, 2010.

Finance committee  The access, as I say, will be available for costs incurred up to January 31, 2010. To the extent that you had a contract for, let's say, $30,000 worth of work and one-third of it had been completed by the end of January 31, you would have eligibility for that $10,000 worth at that point.

Finance committee  That's right.

Finance committee  I'm not sure I understand the question. Why is the home renovation tax credit in the bill?

Finance committee  It's a change to the tax law, a change to the Income Tax Act.

Finance committee  That's correct. It's a tax credit, and you have to legislate tax credits in order for them to be in place eventually.

Finance committee  A ways and means motion is a statement of the government's intent to implement a measure. Generally speaking, the government tables a notice of ways and means motion with the budget. That motion is voted on and you get an agreement in principle from....

Finance committee  If it were to become abundantly clear to the Canada Revenue Agency that the HRTC was not going to be passed.... Currently, Parliament has agreed in principle to the ways and means motion that was tabled with the budget, and the CRA will continue administering it on that basis until such time as it becomes clear that Parliament will not pass it.

Finance committee  My name is Gérard Lalonde, and I'm the director of the tax legislation division at the Department of Finance.

Finance committee  That's correct.

Finance committee  We wouldn't expect the government to be watching your balance in a TFSA during the course of the year, to see whether you've exceeded the balance during the course of the year. We're currently having discussions with both the Canada Revenue Agency and the Canadian Bankers Association to ensure that we can put in place the required information requirements in a way that minimizes the degree of effort that needs to be put in by both of those organizations and also gives the best information to taxpayers.

Finance committee  Yes, absolutely. As indicated in the budget document, we've gone out of our way to ensure that the attribution rules that might otherwise attribute income from one spouse who has made contribution into another plan in excess of their own TFSA room have been turned off, ensuring that each household member who is of age to have a TFSA can contribute the maximum or can have other family members contribute for them.