Procedure and House Affairs committee  I think your point was made, Mr. Menzies.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Mr. Chairman, a lot of Mr. Menzies' report was actually bragging about the dubious benefits of corporate tax cuts at a time when we have a $50-billion deficit. We're really here to talk about a breach of privilege and about what we believe is a systemic denial of fundamental in

Procedure and House Affairs committee  “Projections of corporate profits before taxes and effective corporate income tax rates are a Cabinet confidence”: you're asking the people of Canada to borrow $6 billion from somewhere to hand over to the corporate sector at this time, and you won't tell us the financial impacts

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I would hope so.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I would hope so.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  But the expert testimony we received yesterday to this committee--from the people you cited, from the former clerk of the Privy Council--is that once the initiative is finished with cabinet and presented to the people of Canada, the financial information leading up to the decisio

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thank you. Is it your testimony then, Minister, that there was no other financial--

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Oh, come on. This is the first time I've ever seen that.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Through the chair, I would like to know if there is any financial information whatsoever associated with the costing of the crime bills that is being withheld from the committee by virtue of your calling it a cabinet confidence.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  You're not answering the question, Minister.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Mr. Chairman, the minister is not answering the question I've put to him.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Could I ask, through you again, Mr. Chairman, is there any other financial advice or information you were given by cabinet memorandum associated with the whole cost of any of your crime agenda that you're withholding from the committee because you consider it to be a cabinet conf

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Were you given any advice on these bills from Treasury Board, the Department of Finance, or the PCO?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  You're not the Speaker of the House. You're putting on airs here.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Okay. The cabinet memorandum had advice from the Department of Finance, Treasury Board, and the PCO. Was there any information given to you about the cost impact to the provinces in your consideration of any of these crime agenda bills?