Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Internal Economy,
Budgets and Administration
Issue 7 - Evidence
OTTAWA, Thursday, September 26, 1996
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration met this day at 10:25 a.m. to consider its agenda.
Senator Colin Kenny (Chairman) in the Chair.
The Chairman: Honourable senators, we have a budget to deal with this morning.
Senator Rompkey: Mr. Chairman, on behalf of Senator Gauthier and Senator Robertson, I am here to present the budget for the Standing Committee on Privileges, Standing Rules and Orders.
The Chairman: Is there a consensus that this budget be passed, honourable senators?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: The next item of business relates to the restructuring of Senate committees. I have had two or three meetings with Senator Gauthier. He has asked for a joint meeting of this committee with the Rules Committee, wherein he wishes to discuss the restructuring of Senate committees. The Rules Committee will deal with the issue from there.
Like our committee, the Rules Committee does not need a reference from the house. That committee can take upon itself anything it wishes. Senator Gauthier has asked if can we do this through a joint committee meeting.
Senator Di Nino: A joint meeting of the two committees?
The Chairman: Yes. His suggestion is that after we have passed the proposal allowing his committee to study this matter, together with other proposals that come to them in terms of improving committee structure, he would like a second joint meeting with us to look at the issue from a cost point of view, as to whether we can supply interpreters, and that sort of thing.
The meeting will not be at the normal time. Senator Gauthier is in therapy in the mornings. Normally he would be here today, but he cannot be here in the mornings. You will receive notice of the meeting sometime within the next week, but it will not be at the usual time. I would ask as many senators as possible to please try to attend the meeting.
Senator Gauthier is really struggling hard, and he looks upon getting the work of his committee going as part of his therapy. He is very anxious to get on with things.
Honourable senators, this will be the first joint meeting of its kind. I think we should cooperate because we have combined responsibilities. The Rules Committee is responsible for rules, but we are responsible for the bread and rations.
Honourable senators, the last item on our agenda relates to a paper that has come before us on informatics. It is the next step in the computer revolution. I thought perhaps we might have Senator De Bané take a look at it, together with Senator Nolin. I know that Senator Nolin and Senator Milne have done a great deal of work on this matter; that they are in the middle of the campaign, and have much work still to do. However, together with Senator Carstairs, they know a great deal about this subject. Perhaps we might strike a subcommittee on this matter. Senator Comeau was another senator who was also active in that matter, and perhaps he could again be drafted to help out.
Perhaps Senator De Bané would review this report and come back to this committee with advice within the next month as to what we should be doing about our informatics, because we need it for our estimate planning for the coming year. This is essentially a strategy to find the way ahead.
Senator Nolin: It is the plan. We have introduced short-term measures, but we have a plan.
The Chairman: I suggest that we strike a subcommittee composed of senators who have been involved with this issue, and have them look at it again in detail with our staff. They would then report to this committee in maybe three or four weeks. Is that agreeable, honourable senators?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The committee adjourned.