THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL FINANCE

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Tuesday, November 7, 2023
(79)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on National Finance met this day at 9 a.m., in room W110, 1 Wellington St., the chair, the Honourable Percy Mockler, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Dagenais, Forest, Galvez, Gignac, Loffreda, MacAdam, Marshall, Martin, Mockler, Pate and Smith (11).

Participating in the meeting: Tracy Amendola, Administrative Assistant, Committees Directorate; André Léonard and Shaowei Pu, analysts, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, the committee continued its examination of expenditures set out in the Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024.

WITNESSES:

Canadian Institute of Health Research:

Tammy Clifford, Acting President;

Jimmy Fecteau, Chief Financial Officer.

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada:

Ted Hewitt, President (by videoconference);

Dominique Osterrath, Chief Financial Officer and Vice-President, Common Administrative Services Directorate;

Valérie La Traverse, Vice-President, Corporate Affairs.

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada:

Manal Bahubeshi, Vice-President, Research Partnerships;

Marc Fortin, Vice-President, Research Grants and Scholarships;

Dominique Osterrath, Chief Financial Officer and Vice-President, Common Administrative Services Directorate.

National Research Council Canada:

Dale MacMillan, Vice-President, Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer;

Marcel Turcot, Director General, Policy, Strategy and Performance.

Tammy Clifford, Ted Hewitt, Marc Fortin and Dale MacMillan each made a statement and answered questions.

At 10:26 a.m., the committee suspended.

At 10:31 a.m., the committee resumed.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, June 8, 2023, the committee continued its consideration of Bill C-241, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (deduction of travel expenses for tradespersons).

The Honourable Senator Marshall moved that the committee not proceed with clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-241 at this time and that it hear from other witnesses, including Mr. Chris Lewis, the sponsor of the bill, and the unions and associations which represent the workers who would be affected by this bill.

After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

At 10:47 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Mireille K. Aubé

Clerk of the Committee