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Pdf?1455216659 FINAL REPORT OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS STANDING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE REGARDING ITS CONSULTATIONS IN ADVANCE OF THE 2016 BUDGET Report of the Standing Committee on Finance Hon. Wayne Easter Chair MARCH 2016 42nd PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION Published under the authority of the Speaker of the House of Commons SPEAKER’S PERMISSION Reproduction of the proceedings of the House of Commons and its Committees, in whole or in part and in any medium, is hereby permitted provided that the reproduction is accurate and is not presented as official. This permission does not extend to reproduction, distribution or use for commercial purpose of financial gain. Reproduction or use outside this permission or without authorization may be treated as copyright infringement in accordance with the Copyright Act. Authorization may be obtained on written application to the Office of the Speaker of the House of Commons. Reproduction in accordance with this permission does not constitute publication under the authority of the House of Commons. The absolute privilege that applies to the proceedings of the House of Commons does not extend to these permitted reproductions. Where a reproduction includes briefs to a Standing Committee of the House of Commons, authorization for reproduction may be required from the authors in accordance with the Copyright Act. Nothing in this permission abrogates or derogates from the privileges, powers, immunities and rights of the House of Commons and its Committees. For greater certainty, this permission does not affect the prohibition against impeaching or questioning the proceedings of the House of Commons in courts or otherwise. The House of Commons retains the right and privilege to find users in contempt of Parliament if a reproduction or use is not in accordance with this permission. Also available on the Parliament of Canada Web Site at the following address: http://www.parl.gc.ca FINAL REPORT OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS STANDING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE REGARDING ITS CONSULTATIONS IN ADVANCE OF THE 2016 BUDGET Report of the Standing Committee on Finance Hon. Wayne Easter Chair MARCH 2016 42nd PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION STANDING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE CHAIR Hon. Wayne Easter VICE-CHAIRS Guy Caron Ron Liepert MEMBERS Raj Grewal Robert-Falcon Ouellette Steven MacKinnon Hon. Lisa Raitt Phil McColeman Francesco Sorbara Jennifer O’Connell OTHER MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT WHO PARTICIPATED Ziad Aboultaif Garnett Genuis Dan Albas Pat Kelly Sheri Benson Alistair MacGregor Randy Boissonnault Ron McKinnon Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet Pierre Nantel Ruth Ellen Brosseau John Oliver Julie Dzerowicz Blake Richards Hon. Ed Fast iii CLERK OF THE COMMITTEE Suzie Cadieux LIBRARY OF PARLIAMENT Parliamentary Information and Research Service Michaël Lambert-Racine, Analyst James Gauthier, Analyst Brett Capstick, Analyst In Collaboration With: Danielle Lafrance, Analyst iv THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE has the honour to present its SECOND REPORT Pursuant to its mandate under Standing Order 108(2), the Committee held its pre- budget consultations 2016 and has agreed to report the following: v TABLE OF CONTENTS FINAL REPORT OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS STANDING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE REGARDING ITS CONSULTATIONS IN ADVANCE OF THE 2016 BUDGET ......................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 1 AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND FISHERIES ................................................................. 1 Research and Other Supports .............................................................................. 2 Cattle and Beef Sector ......................................................................................... 3 Fisheries Sector .................................................................................................... 3 ARTS, CULTURE AND LINGUISTIC IDENTITY ........................................................ 4 Funding ................................................................................................................ 4 Francophone Communities .................................................................................. 4 CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES ......................................................................... 4 Tax Measures ....................................................................................................... 5 Early Learning and Child Care .............................................................................. 5 CORPORATE INCOME TAXES, CONSUMPTION AND EXCISE TAXES, AND REGULATORY ISSUES ............................................................................................. 6 General Corporate Rate ....................................................................................... 6 Canadian-Controlled Private Corporations ........................................................... 6 Small Business Deduction .................................................................................... 6 Capital Cost Allowance Rates .............................................................................. 7 Consumption and Excise Taxes ........................................................................... 7 Regulatory and Other Issues ................................................................................ 7 EDUCATION AND SKILLS TRAINING ....................................................................... 8 Loans and Grants ................................................................................................. 9 Debt and Affordability ........................................................................................... 9 A Post-Secondary Education Strategy ................................................................. 9 Skills Training ..................................................................................................... 10 EMPLOYMENT AND LABOUR MARKETS .............................................................. 11 Employment Insurance Program ........................................................................ 11 Labour Market Agreements and Labour Market Development Agreements ....... 12 Labour Market Information ................................................................................. 12 vii Internships, Co-ops and Apprenticeships ........................................................... 13 Labour Shortages and Labour Mobility ............................................................... 14 Temporary Foreign Workers ............................................................................... 14 ENERGY .................................................................................................................. 15 Oil and Gas......................................................................................................... 15 Renewable Energy ............................................................................................. 16 Conservation, Efficiency and Clean Technology ................................................ 16 Transportation .................................................................................................... 17 ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE .............................................................. 18 Air .................................................................................................................. 18 Water .................................................................................................................. 19 Land .................................................................................................................. 19 Pan-Canadian Coordination ............................................................................... 19 Carbon Pricing .................................................................................................... 20 Climate Change Policy and Adaptation .............................................................. 20 FEDERAL FINANCES, FISCAL POLICY DEVELOPMENT, THE PUBLIC SERVICE AND PARLIAMENT ................................................................................. 21 Budgetary Balance ............................................................................................. 21 Fiscal Targets ..................................................................................................... 22 Provincial/Territorial Transfers ............................................................................ 22 Fiscal Policy Development.................................................................................. 23 Tax and Program Spending Review ................................................................... 25 Parliament and the Federal Public Service ......................................................... 25 Federal Procurement .......................................................................................... 26 FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS FINANCING ISSUES ................................................ 27 Venture Capital and Access to Financing ........................................................... 27 Payment Cards ................................................................................................... 28 Credit Unions ...................................................................................................... 28 FOREIGN POLICY ................................................................................................... 29 FORESTRY AND MINING.......................................................................................
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