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CIBA - Standing Committee

Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration

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41-2 41st Parliament, 2nd Session (October 16, 2013 - August 2, 2015)
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Proceedings of the Standing Committee on
Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration

Issue 3 - Minutes of Proceedings - June 19, 2014

OTTAWA, Thursday, June 19, 2014
(21)

The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration met this day, at 9 a.m. in room 160-S, Centre Block, the chair, the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Campbell, Cordy, Demers, Downe, Doyle, Enverga, Furey, Kinsella, Lang, Marshall, Munson, Seth and Smith (Saurel) (13).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senators McCoy and Nolin (2).

Also in attendance: Mr. Gary W. O'Brien, Clerk of the Senate, and other senior Senate officials.

CIBA/2014-06-19/111(P) — Adoption of Minutes of Proceedings

It was moved by the Honourable Senator Marshall that the minutes of proceedings of June 12, 2014, be adopted.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

A few senators expressed their concerns regarding the requests for additional funding. It was noted that some of the requirements presented had not been budgeted for in the 2014-15 Main Estimates and that funding for them were reliant on have surplus funds at the end of the year.

CIBA/2014-06-19/112(P) — Joint Advisory Working Group on Security

It was agreed that a Joint Advisory Working Group on Security be created and that it be composed of the Honourable Senators Furey, Wallace and Nolin.

The Chair will inform the Committee of the names of the three (3) MPs to be part of the Joint Advisory Working Group once they are named.

CIBA/2014-06-19/113(P) — Joint Advisory Working Group on the Renovations of the Centre Block

It was agreed that a Joint Advisory Working on the Renovations of the Centre Block be created and that it be composed of the Honourable Senators Martin, Marshall, Downe and Joyal.

The chair will inform the Committee of the names of the four (4) MPs to be part of the Joint Advisory Working Group once they are named.

CIBA/2014-06-19/114(P) — Eighth Report of the Subcommittee on Committee Budgets

The Chair of the Subcommittee on Committee Budgets, the Honourable Larry Smith (Saurel), presented the eighth report of the subcommittee as follows:

Thursday, June 19, 2014

The Subcommittee on Committee Budgets of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to present its

EIGHTH REPORT

Your subcommittee recommends the release of the following amounts for fiscal year 2014-2015:

Human Rights (UNHCR and UNICEF)

Activity 1: Beirut and Amman $167,128
Total  $167,128

(includes funds for a fact-finding mission; includes funds for 9 senators to travel; includes business class travel for the clerk and analyst for overseas flights)

Human Rights (The Hague Abductions Convention)

General Expenses NIL
Total NIL

Respectfully submitted,

Larry Smith,
Chair

It was moved by Senator Smith (Saurel) that the eighth report of the Subcommittee on Committee Budgets be adopted.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

CIBA/2014-06-19/115(P) — Ninth Report of the Subcommittee on Committee Budgets

The Chair of the Subcommittee on Committee Budgets, the Honourable Larry Smith (Saurel), presented the ninth report of the subcommittee as follows:

Thursday, June 19, 2014

The Subcommittee on Committee Budgets of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to present its

NINTH REPORT

At its meeting on April 3, 2014, the Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration asked your Subcommittee to examine how committee budgets are presented in the Senate. Your Subcommittee understands the concern expressed by some senators that the public is not necessarily aware of the relationship between committee budgets as presented in the Senate for approval and actual expenditures. Therefore, some people may be under the false impression that the amounts included in committee budgets are what actually gets spent. In reality, in the last ten fiscal years, committees have collectively spent between 17 per cent and 54 per cent of their total approved budgets. Your Subcommittee therefore considered how it might enhance public understanding while respecting the requirements as set out in the Senate Administrative Rules (SARs).

Your Subcommittee notes that the SARs (Chapter 3:06, 2(1)) require that committee budgets for anything but bills, the subject matter of bills, or estimates be:

  • adopted by the committee
  • submitted by the committee to the Internal Economy Committee for its consideration; and
  • presented to the Senate by report of the committee, with the budget and a report of the Internal Economy Committee appended.

The SARs also require that the budget include ''a general estimate of the total cost a special study and a detailed estimate of the special expenses of the committee for the study for the fiscal year'' (Chapter 3:06, 2(2)).

Your Subcommittee believes that having committee budgets published in the Journals of the Senate is necessary for transparency. They include useful information regarding the committee's work plans, including whether they intend to travel to conduct public hearings and/or fact-finding missions and, if so, their destinations. The budgets also include the maximum amount that can be spent for General Expenses, as well as for any travel activity.

However, it should be noted that the budgets are normally developed on the basis of the full membership of the committee travelling, even though in reality, the actual size of the delegation is usually considerably less. For instance, over the past 3 fiscal years, delegations have ranged from 3 to 9 senators travelling, with 7 being the most common size of delegation. Since most of these committees budgeted for 12 members to travel, it is not surprising that their expenditures were considerably less than their approved budgets. In 2012-13, for example, committees spent between 14 per cent and 65 per cent of the approved budget for their travel activities.

The actual expenditures for committee travel are reported on an annual basis in the Senate Committees Directorate Annual Report on Activities and Expenditures, as well as on a sessional basis to the Senate in the rule 12(26) reports. In addition, the Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration decided earlier this year that committee post-activity expenditure reports, which include a line-by-line breakdown of travel budgets and expenditures, should be made public. The first such public reports are expected to be tabled in the fall of 2014.

Since there is a significant time lag between the presentation of committee budgets for Senate approval and the reporting of actual expenditures, your Subcommittee recommends:

That, starting September 2014, the Appendix B which includes the amount recommended by the Internal Economy Committee for each travel activity also include a statement of the following:

  • The budgets approved by the Senate for each travel activity are the maximum amount that can be spent for that activity;
  • Budgets normally include funds for the full membership of the committee to travel;
  • In general, a reduced delegation actually travels and efforts are made to find additional savings;
  • Therefore, actual expenditures are expected to be considerably below the approved budget, and they will be reported to the Senate;
  • Any surplus funds remaining at the conclusion of a travel activity will be clawed-back and can be made available for allocation to committees for other activities.

Having this statement published in the Journals of the Senate at the time of the budget application should increase the public's understanding of the committee budget process and provide a useful context for understanding the budget figures, in particular that they are considerably higher than the anticipated expenditures.

Respectfully submitted,

Larry Smith,
Chair

It was moved by Senator Smith (Saurel) that the ninth report of the Subcommittee on Committee Budgets be adopted.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

CIBA/2014-06-19/116(P) — Additional Funding Requirements

Iris Legislative Systems Renewal Project

The Senate Administration requested authorization to proceed with Phase II of the Iris legislative systems renewal project (Chamber Business and Publications modules) and that funding for this initiative ($72,325) be funded internally with projected surpluses in the Administration in 2014-15.

Support to Finance — OAG Audit

The Senate Administration requested authorization to proceed with the facilitation of the audit of Senators' expenses by the Auditor General and its implementation. Funding for the extension of existing employee contracts ($120,000) will be cash managed internally with projected surpluses in the 2014-15 budget for committees.

It was moved by the Honourable Senator Doyle, seconded by the Honourable Senator Marshall that the funding requested for the Iris Legislative Systems Renewal Project and the support to Finance for the OAG Audit be approved.

The questions being put on the motion, it was adopted with abstentions.

At 10:10 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:


Gary W. O'Brien

Clerk of the Senate and Clerk of the Standing Committee on
Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration

Lucie Lavoie

Recording Secretary

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