Question Period Notes
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Can you please provide an update on the Canada Revenue Agency’s Offshore Tax Informant Program (OTIP)?
Can the Minister tell us more about Canada Revenue Agency’s efforts to combat tax evasion and avoidance?ster tell us more about Canada Revenue Agency’s efforts to combat
tax evasion and avoidance?
Beginning the week of August 19, 2019, news media began reporting on a series of severe lung illnesses in the United States linked to the use of vaping products.
As of November 20, 2019, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting 2,290 cases of e-cigarette, or vaping product, use-associated lung injury in 49 states, the District of Columbia, and 2 US territories. A total of 47 deaths have now been confirmed in 25 states. The US investigation has not identified any specific e-cigarette or vaping product (devices, liquids, refill pods, and/or cartridges) or substance that is linked to all cases. The latest national and regional findings suggest products containing THC play a role in the outbreak – specifically THC products containing the additive Vitamin E acetate.
As of December 3, 2019, a total of 13 cases of vaping-associated lung illness have been reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada from British Columbia (3), New Brunswick (2), Ontario (3) and Quebec (5). Health Canada posted an Information Update for Canadians on December 5, 2019 and updates its vaping-associated lung illness web page on Canada.ca regularly.
Health Canada posted an Information Update for Canadians and updates its vaping-associated lung illness web page on Canada.ca regularly.
• What is the Government doing to address vaping-associated lung illness?
Concern raised by a northwest territories member of the legislative assembly (MLA) that since the merger of First Air and Canadian North, passengers, including those travelling south for medical appointments, are being bumped off flights from Inuvik to Yellowknife.
Various stakeholders have called for the levelling of the playing field where foreign-based digital service providers that operate in Canada would need to contribute to the broadcasting system in an appropriate, equitable manner. The Government committed to establishing a 3 percent tax on the revenues of large foreign digital companies operating in Canada. Stakeholders have also called for the Government to apply its sales tax rules to foreign-based digital service providers that operate in Canada. At the establishment of their Canadian production house, Netflix committed to invest at least $500 million CAD over the next five years in original productions in Canada.
The Snowflake Kingdom at Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau is co-produced (50/50) by the City of Gatineau and Canadian Heritage. In 2019, the City of Gatineau commissioned an external study (Raymond Chabot Grant Thorton) to evaluate the relevance of reviewing its business model. The firm's report confirms that there is no gain in efficiency and suggests continuing with the model in place. It also recommended that the Ville de Gatineau take a larger role in the partnership with Canadian Heritage.