Finance committee  In terms of the administration of SR and ED, one of the things that has been raised over time, certainly, is the complexity associated with the SR and ED program and the uncertainty of whether or not an SR and ED application will be favourably reviewed by the CRA. Budget 2012 a

Finance committee  I certainly don't want to speak for RIM. Some of the available programs may be of interest to RIM for sure, but I would leave that to RIM to comment. One thing I would like to note is it's important to recognize that R and D tax incentives in Canada complement a very robust and

Finance committee  Could you be more specific?

Finance committee  A quick response would certainly be that a more competitive business tax environment will facilitate the kind of investment that leads to job creation. This is certainly the link that is hoped for out of that, that it will lead to economic growth and the creation of new jobs.

Finance committee  One of the key criteria that the Jenkins panel highlighted was the need to make the SR and ED program less complex and to make it more user friendly. Of the elements that are eligible in the R and D base, capital is certainly the most complex element. There are rules that govern

Finance committee  Capital overall is less than 5%.

Finance committee  I'd prefer to stick with the fiscal estimates from the Department of Finance.

Finance committee  I would prefer to remain with the fiscal estimates from the Department of Finance.

Finance committee  Our estimation is included in the budget framework, and it's less than—

Finance committee  —the $660 million from the CME.

Finance committee  Overall, I'd just go back to that number. There are about 25,000 R and D claimants overall. We wouldn't break it down at a micro level in terms of the application of each measure. That may change over time as well. A company may incur capital in one year, but not in another, for

Finance committee  In terms of looking at the use of the proxy amount, it was felt that reducing that by 10 points, from 65 to 55, was reasonable in these circumstances. Again, there is the fact that companies retain the ability to track their actual overhead expenses and use that if it's more adva

Finance committee  Certainly, we would look at the measure overall in terms of the impact of capital. Some may be more capital intensive than others. Again, those same industries, for example, may benefit more profoundly from the removal of the capital tax or from some of the capital cost allowance

Finance committee  Certainly, at the general level, as I say, there's a resetting of the balance, as it were, between tax support and program support. Obviously, I can't say how that would play out on a company-by-company basis. Overall there would be a modest reduction in the tax support available

Finance committee  Sure. I think the basic idea in phasing out the additional deduction is to put credit unions and caisses populaires on a level playing field, a level tax playing field, with other corporations.