Proceedings of the Standing Committee on
Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Minutes of Proceedings - March 1, 2018
OTTAWA, Thursday, March 1, 2018
(52)
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration met this day at 8:30 a.m., in room 160- S, Centre Block, the chair, the Honourable Larry W. Campbell, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Batters, Campbell, Carignan, P.C., Dawson, Forest, Harder, P.C., Housakos, Marshall, McCallum, McCoy, Mitchell, Moncion, Saint-Germain, Tannas and Tkachuk (15).
Other senators present: The Honourable Senators Cools, McPhedran, and Omidvar (3).
Also in attendance: Pascale Legault, Chief Corporate Services Officer and Clerk of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration; Richard Denis, Interim Clerk of the Senate; Suzie Seo, Assistant Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel; and other senior Senate officials.
Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to rule 12-7(1) of the Rules of the Senate, the committee continued its consideration of financial and administrative matters concerning the Senate's internal administration.
WITNESSES:
Senate of Canada:
The Honourable Senator Peter Harder, P.C., Government Representative in the Senate;
The Honourable Senator Anne C. Cools;
The Honourable Senator Marilou McPhedran;
Katrina Leclerc, Executive Assistant, Office of the Honourable Senator Marilou McPhedran.
Conway Baxter Wilson LLP:
David Taylor, Lawyer.
Senate of Canada:
Linda Dodd, Interim Director of Human Resources.
CIBA/2018-03-01/402(P)|214| — Adoption of Minutes of Proceedings
The committee considered the Minutes of Proceedings of Thursday, February 15, 2018, public portion.
The Honourable Senator Tannas moved:
That the Minutes of Proceedings of Thursday, February 15, 2018, public portion, be adopted.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2018-03-01/403(P)|194| — Senator Harder: Post-Trip Report
The chair tabled a report regarding the international travel of the Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., to London, United Kingdom, to attend the 2017 Canada-UK Colloquium from November 14 to 19, 2017. The Honourable Senator Harder, P.C., answered questions.
After debate, it was agreed that the report be tabled in the Senate.
CIBA/2018-03-01/404(P)|194| — Senator McPhedran: Post-Trip Report
The chair tabled a report regarding the international travel of the Honourable Senator McPhedran to the Kingdom of Thailand, from January 3 to 12, 2018.
It was agreed that the report be tabled in the Senate.
CIBA/2018-03-01/405(P)|194| — Senator Cools: International Travel Request
The committee considered a request from the Honourable Senator Cools for an exemption to the Senators' Office Management Policy to travel to Lincoln, United Kingdom to attend the International Bomber Command Centre Opening Ceremony on April 12, 2018. The Honourable Senator Cools made a statement and, together with Pascale Legault, answered questions.
The Honourable Senator Tannas moved:
That an exemption from the Senators' Office Management Policy be approved.
After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was agreed.
CIBA/2018-03-01/406(P)|194| — Senator Neufeld: International Travel Request
The committee considered a request from the Honourable Senator Neufeld for an exemption to the Senators' Office Management Policy to travel to San Francisco, California, United States to attend a dialogue session at Stanford University on the topic of North American Hydropower; Climate Solution and Conservation Challenge on March 12, 2018.
It was agreed that an exemption from the Senators' Office Management Policy be approved.
CIBA/2018-03-01/407(P)|341| — Senator McPhedran: Service Contract Request
The committee considered a request from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure for direction on the approval of a service contract by the Honourable Senator McPhedran with Anne Levesque of Juristes Power. The Honourable Senator McPhedran made a statement and, with Pascale Legault, answered questions.
After debate, it was agreed that the request for a service contract be approved on the following vote:
YEAS
The Honourable Senators
Campbell, Marshall, McCallum, McCoy, Moncion,
Tannas — 6
NAYS
The Honourable Senators
Batters, Carignan, Dawson, Housakos, Tkachuk — 5
ABSTENTIONS
The Honourable Senators
Forest, Saint-Germain — 2
It was noted that the Honourable Senator Mitchell did not vote on the motion.
CIBA/2018-03-01/408(P)|230| — Report of the Audit Subcommittee
The Chair of the Audit Subcommittee, the Honourable Senator Moncion, tabled the ninth report of the subcommittee as follows:
Thursday, March 1, 2018
The Audit Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to table its
NINTH REPORT
Your subcommittee has approved and now tables the attached Quarterly Financial Report of the Senate of Canada for the quarter ended December 31, 2017.
Respectfully submitted,
LUCIE MONCION
Chair
The Honourable Senator Moncion, made a statement and, together with Pascale Legault, answered questions.
At 9:45 a.m., the deputy chair, the Honourable Senator Batters took the chair.
At 9:48 a.m., the Honourable Senator Campbell took the chair.
CIBA/2018-03-01/409(P) — Confidentiality of Committee Documents
The committee considered the issue of the confidentiality of committee documents for public portions of meetings.
After debate, it was agreed that, for the remainder of the current session, documents distributed to committee members receive the following information classification:
Restricted until adopted by the committee:
Public minutes;
Restricted until the item is called:
Presentations from external witnesses;
Restricted until tabling or moved:
Draft motions;
Subcommittee reports.
That for any other document from public portions of meetings, not listed above, including briefing notes prepared by the Senate administration, presentations from internal witnesses, correspondence from senators, financial reports, be considered restricted unless made public by the committee; and
That all documents from in camera portions of meetings remain confidential and be classified as restricted, unless otherwise determined by the committee.
CIBA/2018-03-01/410(P)|283| — Vintage Train Station Bench
The committee considered the return of a restored train station bench, which will be displayed in the Government Conference Centre. The chair made a statement and recognized the work of Tamara Dolan and Natalie Whidden of the Property and Services Directorate.
The Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., moved:
That the committee adjourn.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
At 10:03 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Pascale Legault
Chief Corporate Services Officer and Clerk of the
Standing Committee on Internal Economy,
Budgets and Administration
Daniel Charbonneau
Recording Secretary