THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL FINANCE

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Tuesday, April 9, 2024
(95)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on National Finance met this day at 9:01 a.m., in room W110, 1 Wellington St., the chair, the Honourable Percy Mockler, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Dalphond, Galvez, Gignac, Kingston, Loffreda, MacAdam, Marshall, Mockler, Moncion, Ross and Smith (11).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C. (1).

Participating in the meeting: Shaowei Pu and André Léonard, analysts, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, February 8, 2024, the committee continued its examination of the subject matter of Bill C-59, An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023 and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023.

WITNESSES:

Department of Finance Canada:

Erin Hunt, Director General, Financial Crimes and Security Division;

Khusro Saeedi, Senior Director, Framework Policy, Financial Institutions Division;

Nicolas Marion, Senior Director, Payments Policy;

Jeremy Weil, Senior Director, Financial Crimes Governance and Operations;

Barbara Russell, Director, Competition and Strategic Initiatives, Financial Institutions Division;

Yannick Coté-Steben, Senior Advisor, Financial Institutions Division;

William Kendall, Senior Advisor, Financial Crimes and Security Division;

Matt Shannon, Senior Economist, Financial Crimes and Security Division;

Michelle Gouchie, Director, Federal-Provincial Taxation.

Employment and Social Development Canada:

Jenelle Power, Director General, Employment Insurance Benefits Processing, Benefits and Integrated Services Branch, Service Canada;

Steven Coté, Acting Director General, Employment Insurance Policy;

Douglas Wolfe, Senior Director, Strategic Policy and Legislative Reform, Labour Program;

Sebastien St. Arnaud, Manager, Strategic Policy and Legislative Reform, Labour Program;

Soojin Yu, Director, Employment Insurance Policy, Special Benefits;

Magalie Brochu, Manager, Employment Insurance Policy, Special Benefits;

Neil Burron, Manager, Strategic Policy and Legislative Reform, Labour Program;

Deanne Field, Executive Director, Employment Insurance Benefits Processing, Service Canada.

Environment and Climate Change Canada:

Gemma Boag, Director General, Freshwater Policy and Engagement;

Daniel Wolfish, Assistant Deputy Minister, Canada Water Agency.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada:

Mark Schaan, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategy and Innovation Policy Sector;

Samir Chhabra, Director General, Marketplace Framework Policy Branch;

Martin Simard, Senior Director, Corporate, Insolvency and Competition Directorate;

Ian Disend, Senior Analyst, Corporate, Insolvency and Competition Directorate;

Paul Morrison, Senior Analyst, Corporate, Insolvency and Competition Directorate.

Department of Justice Canada:

Erin Cassidy, Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section.

Financial Transactions and Report Analysis Centre of Canada:

Patricia Bennett, Manager, Strategic Policy, Partnership, Policy and Analysis.

Canada Border Services Agency:

Joel Gibbons, Senior Program Advisor.

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat:

Nadine Labrie, Executive Director, Pension Policy and Programs;

Laura MacLean, Acting Director, Strategic Pension Policy.

Infrastructure Canada:

Gerard Peets, Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy and Results Branch;

Tim Angus, Director General, Policy and Results, Strategic and Sectoral Policy.

Gerard Peets, Tim Angus, Daniel Wolfish, Martin Simard, Barbara Russell, Nicolas Marion, Samir Chhabra, Erin Cassidy, Joel Gibbons, Erin Hunt, Gemma Boag, Sebastien St. Arnaud, Magalie Brochu and Michelle Gouchie answered questions.

At 11:03 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Mireille K. Aubé

Clerk of the Committee