Standing Committee on Finance

Comité permanent des finances

For immediate release

Ottawa, May 01, 2013 -

Today, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance released a report entitled Tax Evasion and the Use of Tax Havens. The report contains 11 recommendations pertaining to measures to address the detection and prosecution of aggressive tax planning and tax evasion, and to reduce the level of such activities by taxpayers.

“This report has given the Committee an opportunity to learn about aggressive tax planning and tax evasion in both the domestic and international contexts,” stated Mr. James Rajotte, Member of Parliament for Edmonton-Leduc and Chair of the Committee. “I am pleased that our Committee’s study of tax evasion and the use of tax havens, and the subsequent report and its recommendations, can form the basis for new measures to prevent aggressive tax planning and tax evasion.”

“This report is the culmination of a study that began with a motion in the 40th Parliament to examine the use of offshore accounts by Canadians to evade taxation and Canada’s strategy for combating tax evasion,” said Mr. Rajotte. “I would like to thank all members of the Committee in both Parliaments, as well as the many witnesses who appeared before the Committee and submitted briefs on this important issue.”

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance held 14 meetings on the study during the 40th and 41st Parliaments. In total, 26 organizations and 10 individuals appeared before the Committee.

The Committee’s report is available at:http://www.parl.gc.ca/CommitteeBusiness/ReportsResponses.aspx?Cmte=FINA&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=41&Ses=1