Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Banking, Trade and Commerce
Issue 13 - Minutes of Proceedings
OTTAWA, Wednesday, May 11, 2005
(27)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce met this day, at 3:36 p.m., in room 9, Victoria Building, the Chair, the Honourable Jerahmiel S. Grafstein, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Angus, Biron, Fitzpatrick, Grafstein, Harb, Hervieux- Payette, P.C., Massicotte, Moore, Oliver, Plamondon and Tkachuk (11).
In attendance: June Dewetering, Acting Principal, Jean Dupuis and Sheena Starky, Analysts, Library of Parliament.
Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to the Order of Reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, November 23, 2004, the committee began its consideration on issues dealing with productivity and competitiveness.
WITNESSES:
The Fraser Institute:
Niels Veldhuis, Senior Research Economist.
As an individual:
Jean-Marc Suret, Director, School of Accountancy, Laval University and Fellow CIRANO.
Information Technology Association of Canada:
Bernard Courtois, President and Chief Executive Officer.
Centre for the Study of Living Standards:
Andrew Sharpe, Executive Director.
Atlantic Institute for Market Studies:
Bruce Winchester, Director of Research Services.
The Chair made an opening statement.
Mr. Veldhuis, Mr. Suret and Mr. Courtois made statements and answered questions.
At 4:57 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 4:59 p.m., the committee resumed.
Mr. Winchester and Mr. Sharpe made statements and answered questions.
At 6:08 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
ATTEST:
OTTAWA, Thursday, May 12, 2005
(28)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce met this day, at 10:47 a.m., in room 9, Victoria Building, the Chair, the Honourable Jerahmiel S. Grafstein, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Angus, Grafstein, Harb, Hervieux-Payette, P.C., Massicotte, Moore, Oliver, Plamondon and Tkachuk (9).
In attendance: June Dewetering, Acting Principal, and Sheena Starky, Analyst, Library of Parliament.
Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to the Order of Reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, November 23, 2004, the committee continued its consideration on issues dealing with productivity and competitiveness.
WITNESSES:
The Conference Board of Canada:
Paul Darby, Vice-President and Chief Economist.
CAW Canada:
Jim Stanford, Economist.
Statistics Canada:
John R. Baldwin, Director, Micro Economic Studies and Analysis Division.
C.D. Howe Institute:
Yvan Guillemette, Policy Analyst.
As an individual:
Wimal Rankaduwa, Associate Professor, Department of Economics, University of Prince Edward Island.
The Chair made an opening statement.
Mr. Darby, Mr. Stanford and Mr. Baldwin made statements and answered questions.
At 12:43 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 12:48 p.m., the committee resumed.
Mr. Guillemette and Mr.Rankaduwa made statements and answered questions.
At 1:28 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
ATTEST:
OTTAWA, Wednesday, May 18, 2005
(29)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce met this day, at 4:35 p.m., in room 9, Victoria Building, the Chair, the Honourable Jerahmiel S. Grafstein, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Angus, Chaput, Grafstein, Harb, Moore and Oliver (6).
In attendance: June Dewetering, Acting Principal, Jean Dupuis and Sheena Starky, Analysts, Library of Parliament.
Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to the Order of Reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, November 16, 2004, the committee continued its consideration of consumer issues arising in the financial services sector. (For complete text of Order of Reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 1, November 18, 2004.)
WITNESSES:
Royal Canadian Mounted Police:
Chief Superintendent Peter M. German, Director General, Financial Crime;
Superintendent J.R. (John) Sliter, Director, Integrated Market Enforcement Branch, Federal and International Operations.
The Chair made an opening statement.
Chief Superintendent German made a statement and, with Superintendent Sliter, answered questions.
At 5:11 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
ATTEST:
OTTAWA, Thursday, May 19, 2005
(30)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce met in camera this day, at 11:02 a.m., in room 505, Victoria Building, the Chair, the Honourable Jerahmiel S. Grafstein, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Angus, Chaput, Grafstein, Harb, Moore, Oliver and Tkachuk (7).
In attendance: June Dewetering, Acting Principal, Jean Dupuis and Sheena Starky, Analysts, Library of Parliament.
Pursuant to the Order of Reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, November 23, 2004, the committee continued its consideration on issues dealing with productivity and competitiveness.
It was agreed that senator's staff be permitted to stay in the room during the in camera meeting.
Pursuant to rule 92(2)(f), the committee considered a draft report.
At 12:10 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
ATTEST:
Gérald Lafrenière
Clerk of the Committee