FINA meeting 27 · 2026-02-23 — Committee Evidence — LegisWatch — LegisWatch

Finance

Meeting 27 · February 23, 2026 · 11:01–16:21 (5h 20m)

45-11 witness · 151 interventions · 14,936 words

Read the official evidence on ourcommons.ca ↗

Summary

The committee met to conduct clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-15, an act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled on November 4, 2025. Eugene Gourevitch, Director of Postal Affairs at the Department of Public Works and Government Services, appeared as a witness to answer technical questions.

Eugene Gourevitch advised the committee that the government amendment to clause 196, which codified protections for blind and library materials in law, was stronger than a Bloc Québécois amendment that would have retained regulatory provisions. He explained that the regulatory provisions would create additional red tape and less flexibility, and that the new legislative requirement made the regulatory-making power unnecessary.

AI-generated summary — may contain errors; verify against the official evidence.

Witnesses · 1

Eugene Gourevitch

Director, Postal Affairs, Department of Public Works and Government Services

Opening remarks

The position of the officials would be that the government amendment is actually stronger. It codifies the protection of blind material and library material in the law. The regulatory provisions would no longer be required, essentially. The regulatory provisions would in a sense create additional red tape and less flexibility around additional library materials that could be sent at reduced rates of postage, for example. Similarly for the material for the blind, given the new legislative requirement to maintain the rates, there would be no reason to maintain the regulatory-making provision or power that currently exists.

Full testimony ↗

Bills mentioned

C-5One Canadian Economy Act C-15Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 1 C-20Build Canada Homes Act C-27Final Self-Government Agreement for the Tlegohli Got’ine Act