The following Commons committees meet today to elect chairs: Industry, Official Languages, Transport, Foreign Affairs and International Development, Justice and Human Rights, National Defence, International Trade, Finance, and Public Safety and National Security. The Senate committees on Transport and Communications and Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources are also holding their first meetings.

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, International Trade Minister Peter Van Loan, and Minister of State Denis Lebel (Economic Development Agency for the Regions of Quebec) took questions on Parliament Hill this morning about the plan to eliminate remaining tariffs on manufacturing inputs, machinery, and equipment. Canada would be the first G20 nation to provide a tariff-free zone for the manufacturing sector, which has suffered during the recent economic downturn. Flaherty announced the measure in last Thursday's federal budget, with a prediction of 12,000 new jobs as a result. Most of the 1,541 remaining tariffs disappeared the following day. The rest will be gradually eliminated by the beginning of 2015, leading to an estimated $300 million in annual duty savings for Canadian manufacturers. The first round of tariff elimination in 2009 saved $88 million, according to the government.