Finance committee  I was.

Finance committee  You are seeing that in the United States right now, with many major retailers getting together to form a new payment system. In those cases, it is primarily the large retailers that are doing that, which do not represent the small, independent retailers. That is the challenge we

Finance committee  That is a very good question. From our understanding, in discussions with the RCMP, the contraband or illegal trade of tobacco has been infiltrated by organized crime. They have also infiltrated the reserves and in many ways control the trade on reserves as well. It is an issue

Finance committee  We would like to see something with more teeth. However, one of the reasons we are supportive of this bill is that we would like to see a lot more study on what is necessary or appropriate for credit card rates, to ensure that retailers aren't paying too much, but also to ensure

Finance committee  I would disagree. Our members have told us across the board, from the large chains to the small independents, that they have very, very little negotiating leverage with credit card companies. When you have an organization like Couche-Tard, that has over 1,000 sites in Canada that

Finance committee  I think there are a couple of things going on in Australia that have to be differentiated here. First of all, their capping of fees I believe has been very effective, and has resulted in supporting small businesses in that country. The issue that has really been controversial is

Finance committee  No, not that they would be reducing—

Finance committee  Certainly. This was not something that was promised to us. This was not something that we know will be in there. But what we were told, in talking with Finance and in talking with small business—

Finance committee  The clerk in the Finance office.

Finance committee  I can't even recall; I'm sorry. I will provide it to you—

Finance committee  Yes.

Finance committee  The voluntary agreement with the credit card companies was to result in an average credit card rate of 1.5%, the average credit card rate for all businesses. Our concern with that agreement is that prior to the agreement, Canada had amongst the highest credit card rates in the wo

Finance committee  It wasn't by any stretch of the imagination a promise. It was a recognition that it was in the platform they will endeavour to achieve that 9% rate in the future.

Finance committee  It's our understanding that the full reduction that was in the Liberal Party platform, going to 9%, wasn't done in this budget but that it would be done in future years.

Finance committee  It's not stated in the budget.