THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON INTERNAL ECONOMY, BUDGETS AND ADMINISTRATION
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
OTTAWA, Thursday, October 31, 2024
(40)
[English]
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration met this day at 9:01 a.m., in room C128, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Lucie Moncion, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Boehm, Boyer, Carignan, P.C., Dalphond, Forest, LaBoucane-Benson, Loffreda, MacAdam, MacDonald, Moncion, Plett, Quinn, Saint-Germain, Seidman, and Smith (15).
Other senator present: The Honourable Senator Tannas (1).
Participating in the meeting: Shaila Anwar, Clerk of the Senate and Clerk of the Parliaments; Pascale Legault, Chief Corporate Services Officer and Clerk of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration; Philippe Hallée, Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel; senior Senate officials and other support staff; senior Senate officials and other support staff.
WITNESSES:
The Honourable Senator Scott Tannas, Chair, Subcommittee on Long Term Vision and Plan;
Annie Carpentier, Director, Talent Optimization and Employee Well-Being, Human Resources Directorate;
Louise Cowley, Director, LTVP & Accommodation, Property and Services Directorate;
Toni Francis, Chief Human Resources Officer, Human Resources Directorate;
Josée Labelle, Director General, Property and Services Directorate;
Julie Lacroix, Director, Corporate Security Directorate
Pierre Lanctôt, Chief Financial Officer, Finance and Procurement Directorate;
Shankar Thaleshvar, Senior Advisor, Occupational Health, Safety and Wellness, Human Resources Directorate.
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.
The senators introduced themselves.
CIBA/2024-10-31/425(P) – Consent Agenda
The chair made a statement regarding the consent agenda.
After debate, the Honourable Senator Loffreda moved that the consent agenda, which is comprised of the following items, be adopted:
- Minutes of Proceedings from October 10, 2024 (In Public and In Camera)
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2024-10-31/426(P) – Report from the Subcommittee on the Long Term Vision and Plan
The chair of the Subcommittee on Senate Long Term Vision and Plan, the Honourable Senator Tannas, presented the Twelfth Report of the subcommittee as follows:
Thursday, October 31, 2024
The Subcommittee on Long Term Vision and Plan of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to present its
TWELFTH REPORT
Your subcommittee, which has been authorized by the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration (CIBA) to study and report on the work program for the Long-Term Vision and Plan for the parliamentary precinct, now presents its twelfth report with the following recommendations:
2024 LTVP Plan Update
Your subcommittee met with representatives of the Senate Administration and Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) on October 23, 2024, to receive an updated LTVP Plan. Although the 2024 LTVP Plan Update is not a fixed blueprint for the program, it provides an important update to the 2006 LTVP Plan, along with a framework of new guiding principles that reflect the evolving needs of parliamentarians, the progress made to date, and future work required to prepare the parliamentary precinct for the next 150 years, while seizing opportunities to reduce risks and costs along the way.
Following this presentation, your subcommittee was informed by Administration officials that elements of key importance to the Senate, including security, parking, accessibility, and senators’ parliamentary office accommodation, have been taken into consideration in the preparation of the updated plan and are aligned with previously confirmed Senate requirements. More detailed Senate-related items and considerations for each project are addressed as part of each project scope and work is being coordinated with the appropriate parliamentary partners and key internal stakeholders.
Your subcommittee also notes that the 2024 LTVP Plan Update specifies that senators’ parliamentary office accommodations are being planned in three core buildings, in Centre Block; East Block and the Senate Office Complex (located on the Eastern portion of Block 2), and that the 2024 LTVP Plan Update aims to consolidate the Senate Administration into a single building in the end state.
Finally, your subcommittee was advised that, in addition to providing the Senate with PSPC’s 2024 LTVP Plan Update for the parliamentary precinct, the department is seeking the Senate’s approval of its guiding principles and planning assumptions, so that the department can seek the necessary funding to implement the updated plan.
Recommendation 1:
Accordingly, your subcommittee recommends that CIBA approve the 2024 LTVP Plan Update, in particular as it relates to the guiding principles and planning assumptions for Senate-occupied spaces.
Parliamentary Campus Tunnels
Representatives of the Senate Administration and PSPC also provided your subcommittee with an update on future planning assumptions for the design of the parliamentary campus tunnel network.
In 2022, the Senate and House of Commons approved the creation of an underground network loop that will connect all Parliamentary buildings both North and South of Wellington Street. The department provided your subcommittee with a preliminary estimate of the rough order of magnitude hard construction costs for the tunnel network, along with and a series of planning assumptions regarding their usage, level of security, accessibility, access control points and construction.
Information provided to your subcommittee in 2022 was that the rough order of magnitude estimate for hard construction costs for the two north-south tunnels was approximately $180 million. Following a feasibility study, this estimate has increased to approximately $200 million. The estimated hard construction cost for the additional Wellington Street segments of the tunnel is approximately $240 million. Although your subcommittee has concerns about the escalation of these rough costs, we were informed that design efficiencies will be evaluated during the schematic design phase of this project.
Recommendation 2:
Having reviewed the department’s current plan, your subcommittee recommends that CIBA approve Public Services and Procurement Canada 's planning assumptions for the design of the parliamentary campus tunnel network.
Your subcommittee also recommends that it be authorized to communicate these recommendations to Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of CIBA.
Respectfully submitted,
SCOTT TANNAS
Chair of the Subcommittee
The Honourable Senator Tannas made a statement and answered questions.
After debate, the Honourable Senator Tannas moved that the subcommittee’s Twelfth Report be adopted and that the Chair of the Subcommittee be authorized to communicate this decision to Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of CIBA.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted, on division.
CIBA/2024-10-31/427(P) – Framework and Criteria for the Senate to Promote Diversity and Inclusion Events Internally
Toni Francis made a statement and answered questions regarding the creation of a calendar for future diversity and inclusion events or commemorative days to be promoted institutionally.
After debate, the Honourable Senator Saint-Germain moved that the status quo be maintained, with certain commemorations to be shared at the Administration level.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted, on division (Senator Plett).
CIBA/2024-10-31/428(P) – Update to the Senate Procurement Policy
Pierre Lanctôt made a statement and answered questions regarding modifications to the Senate Procurement Policy.
After debate, the Honourable Senator Forest moved that the revisions to the Senate Procurement Policy be approved and that the implementation date of the updated policy be November 1, 2024.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted, on division.
CIBA/2024-10-31/429(P) – Update to the Senate Administration’s Delegation of Financial Authorities Policy and Matrix
Pierre Lanctôt made a statement and answered questions regarding modifications to the Senate Administration’s Delegation of Financial Authorities Policy and Matrix.
After debate, it was agreed that this item be deferred to the next meeting of the committee.
It was further agreed that the implementation date of the Senate Procurement Policy be postponed until the Senate Administration’s Delegation of Financial Authorities Policy and Matrix is approved, so that the revisions to both policies come into force concurrently.
CIBA/2024-10-31/430(P) – Update on Rapid Antigen Detection Testing Program
Annie Carpentier made a statement regarding the rapid antigen testing program.
The chair answered questions.
After debate, the Honourable Senator Carignan, P.C., moved that:
The Human Resources Directorate collaborate closely with the Finance and Procurement Directorate to establish a small stock of rapid test kits; and
That the program be reassessed at the end of the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted, on division.
CIBA/2024-10-31/431(P) – For Information Items sent via Email
The chair made a statement regarding items sent via email to members for information purposes.
CIBA/2024-10-31/432(P) – Request for Travel Internationally by Senators
The Honourable Senator Plett raised concerns regarding the approval by the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of Honourable Senator Pate’s international trip to Oslo to speak at a conference.
After debate, the Honourable Senator Tannas moved that all future requests for international travel by senators be considered by CIBA, during a public portion of their meetings.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2024-10-31/433(P) – Other Matters
The chair informed members that at the last steering meeting, members instructed the Clerk of the Senate to conduct a satisfaction survey on services for senators in June 2025.
At 10:33 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 10:37 a.m., pursuant to 12-16(1), the committee proceeded in camera.
At 11:02 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
Keli Hogan
Recording Secretary