Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
National Finance

Issue 5 - Minutes of Proceedings - October 19, 2011

OTTAWA, Wednesday, October 19, 2011
(11)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on National Finance met this day, at 6:45 p.m, in room 9 Victoria Building, the chair, the Honourable Joseph A. Day, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Day, Dickson, Eggleton, P.C., Finley, Frum, Marshall, Nancy Ruth, Neufeld, Peterson, Ringuette and Runciman (11).

Other senator present: The Honourable Senator Gerstein (1).

In attendance: Édison Roy-César and Sylvain Fleury, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament; and Jean-Pierre Morin, Communications Officer, Communications Directorate.

Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, October 6, 2011, the committee began its study on the potential reasons for price discrepancies in respect of certain goods between Canada and the United States, given the value of the Canadian dollar and the effect of cross border shopping on the Canadian economy.

APPEARING:

The Honourable James M. Flaherty, P.C., M.P., Minister of Finance.

WITNESSES:

Department of Finance Canada:

Patrick Halley, Chief, Tariffs and Market Access, International Trade Policy Division, International Trade & Finance;

Dean Beyea, Director, International Trade Policy;

Jim Haley, General Director, Economic and Fiscal Policy Branch;

Rainer Nowak, Senior Chief, Operations, Sales Tax Division, Operations and Border Issues;

Geoff Trueman, Director, Business Income Tax Division;

Lucia Di Primio, Chief, Excise Policy, Sales Tax Division;

Elisha Ram, Director, Microeconomic Policy Analysis.

At 6:48 p.m., Minister Flaherty made a statement and answered questions.

At 7:07 p.m., Messrs. Haley, Beyea, Halley, Nowak, Trueman, Ram and Ms. Di Primio answered questions.

At 8:25 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 8:26 p.m., the committee resumed.

The committee considered a draft special study budget application for the study on price disparities in respect of certain goods between Canada and the United States for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012.

The Honourable Senator Neufeld moved:

That the following special study budget application for the study on price disparities in respect of certain goods between Canada and the United States for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012, in the amount of $49,704, be approved for submission to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration:

Summary of Expenditures

Professional and Other Services	$ 16,100
Transportation and Communications	$ 32,354
All Other Expenditures	$ 1,250
TOTAL	$ 49,704

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

At 8:30 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Jodi Turner

Clerk of the Committee