Last June at Payments Panorama 2012, Canadian Finance Minister
Jim Flaherty
announced the Finance Canada Payments Consultative
Committee (FinPay), which meets regularly to discuss emerging
payments issues. Flaherty told AFPC in an interview that corporates
would have a strong voice in FinPay. Since then, however, very
little information has emerged about the committee.
Now the full
list of FinPay members has been announced, along with the
committee's primary objectives.
FinPay is comprised of public and private sector representatives
that meet no less than bi-annually to discuss industry-level
developments in the Canadian payments system. The committee is
chaired by Diane Lafleur, Director General of the Department of
Finance. Membership is determined by Finance Canada and includes
corporates, banks and other various payments industry stakeholders.
Ron Matthews, AFPC's representative to the Stakeholder Advisory
Council of the Canadian Payments Association, is currently the only
independent member.
The committee is charged with:
• Advising the Department of Finance on developments related to
public policy aspects of payments issues
• Discussing approaches for dealing with emerging and ongoing
challenges
• Informing government policymaking about the Canadian payments
system.
FinPay may establish working groups to further these objectives.
There will be a mix of permanent and renewable term members. FinPay
may also seek expertise from industry experts outside the
committee.
The most recent FinPay meeting occurred on January 22. The next
meeting is slated for May 2.