THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON INTERNAL ECONOMY, BUDGETS AND ADMINISTRATION
EVIDENCE
OTTAWA, Tuesday, November 17, 2020
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration met this day at 9 a.m., pursuant to rule 12-13 of the Rules of the Senate, to organize the activities of the committee.
[English]
Pascale Legault, Chief Corporate Services Officer and Clerk of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, Senate of Canada: Honourable senators, I would like to welcome everyone to the organization meeting of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration. As your clerk, it is my duty to preside over the election of the chair. I am ready to receive a motion to that effect.
Senator Campbell: I nominate Senator Marwah as chair.
Ms. Legault: It is moved by the Honourable Senator Campbell that Honourable Senator Marwah do take the chair of this committee. Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion? I declare the motion carried.
I now invite Senator Marwah to take the chair.
Senator Sabi Marwah (Chair) in the chair.
The Chair: Thank you very much for your trust, colleagues. I do believe it is a privilege to chair this committee. We now have a number of standard motions to approve. It should be noted that all of these motions are consistent with past practice, and the motions were all adopted by previous CIBA committees and CIBA memberships.
The first is the election of the deputy chairs. Pursuant to the motion adopted by the Senate on October 29, 2020, the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration is empowered to elect three deputy chairs. Are there any motions?
Senator Seidman: I would like to nominate Senator Beth Marshall.
The Chair: It is moved by the Honourable Senator Seidman that the Honourable Senator Marshall be the deputy chair of this committee. Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Thank you. I declare the motion carried. Are there any other nominations?
Senator Munson: I would like to nominate Senator Tannas.
The Chair: It is moved by Honourable Senator Munson that the Honourable Senator Tannas be deputy chair of this committee. Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: I declare the motion carried. Are there any other nominations for the last position?
Senator Tannas: I nominate Senator Munson.
The Chair: It is moved by Honourable Senator Tannas that the Honourable Senator Munson be deputy chair of this committee. Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: I declare the motion carried. I guess there are no other committee chairs left.
We will move on to the next item, the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure. Can I have a mover for the following motion:
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of the chair and the three deputy chairs;
That the subcommittee be empowered to make decisions on behalf of the committee with respect to its agenda, to invite witnesses, and to schedule hearings; and
That, if the committee is unable to meet, the subcommittee be authorized to deal with and resolve immediate administrative matters, and that it report its decisions at the first meeting thereafter.
It is moved by Senator Dean. Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: I declare the motion carried. The next motion is for publication of the committee’s proceedings. Can I have a mover for the following motion:
That the committee publish its proceedings.
It is moved by Senator Munson. Can I have your agreement to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: I declare the motion carried.
The next motion is authority to commit funds and certify accounts. It reads:
That, pursuant to section 7, chapter 3:05 of the Senate Administrative Rules, authority to commit funds be conferred individually on the chair, the deputy chairs, and the clerk of the committee;
That, pursuant to section 8, chapter 3:05 of the Senate Administrative Rules, authority for certifying accounts payable by the committee be conferred individually on the chair, the deputy chairs, and the clerk of the committee; and
That, notwithstanding the foregoing, in cases related to consultants and personnel services, the authority to commit funds and certify accounts be conferred jointly on the chair and deputy chairs.
Can I have a mover for the motion?
Senator Campbell: So moved.
The Chair: It is moved by Senator Campbell. Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: I declare the motion carried.
The next motion concerns the ability to broadcast our proceedings. Can I have a mover for the following motion:
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure request coverage by electronic media of the committee’s public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its proceedings.
It is moved by Senator Tannas. Are we all agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: I declare the motion carried. The last motion is to approve transcripts of in camera proceedings. Can I have a mover for the following motion:
That the committee request the transcription of the in camera portion of meetings and that a confidential copy be kept with the clerk of the committee.
It is moved by Senator Seidman. Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: I declare the motion carried. Are there any other matters senators wish to raise? If not, I declare the meeting adjourned.
(The committee adjourned.)