Proceedings of the Standing Committee on
Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Issue No. 1 - Minutes of Proceedings - December 10, 2015
OTTAWA, Thursday, December 10, 2015
[English]
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration met this day at 6:30 p.m., in room 160- S, Centre Block, for the purpose of organization, pursuant to rule 12-13.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Batters, Doyle, Housakos, Marshall, Munson, Smith (Saurel), Tkachuk and Wells (8).
Also in attendance: Charles Robert, Clerk of the Senate and Chief Legislative Officer; Michel Patrice, Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel and Chief, Parliamentary Precinct Services and other senior Senate officials.
Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.
CIBA/2015-12-10/009(P)|214| — Election of Chair
Pursuant to rule 12-13, the clerk of the committee presided over the election of the chair.
The Honourable Senator Tkachuk moved:
That the Honourable Senator Housakos do take the chair of this committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2015-12-10/010(P)|215| — Election of Deputy Chair
The Honourable Senator Munson moved:
That the Honourable Senator Cordy be deputy chair of this committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2015-12-10/011(P)|216| — Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure (Steering Committee)
The Honourable Senator Tkachuk moved:
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure (Steering Committee) be composed of the chair, the deputy chair, and the Honourable Senator Wells; and
That pursuant to Rule 12-12(3) of the Rules of the Senate, that the quorum be three (3) members, including the chair and the deputy chair, and that the opposition whip be authorized to designate for substitution, from time to time, the third member with a member from the main committee on the subcommittee;
That the clerk be informed of any such substitution in writing;
That the subcommittee be empowered to make decisions on behalf of the committee with respect to its agenda and schedule meetings;
That if the full committee is unable to meet, the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure (Steering Committee) be authorized to deal with and resolve immediate administrative problems, and that it report its decisions at the first meeting thereafter.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2015-12-10/012(P)|217| — Subcommittee on Senate Communications
The Honourable Senator Tkachuk moved:
That the Subcommittee on Senate Communications be established and that the following senators be named as members: The Honourable Senators Housakos (Chair), Wells, Cordy and Batters, and that the Honourable Senator Mitchell be a non-voting participant;
That the mandate of the Subcommittee on Senate Communications be to advise the Senate on communications strategy and implementation;
That, pursuant to rule 12-17, the committee's authority to hold meetings, to receive and authorize the publication of the evidence when a quorum is not present, be conferred on the subcommittee;
That the Subcommittee on Senate Communications report to the Internal Economy Committee;
That the Subcommittee on Senate Communications be authorized to examine the recommendations contained in the report of the Auditor General of Canada on Senators' Expenses, tabled in the Senate on June 9, 2015, relating to the disclosure of information by the Senators (recommendations 96, 97, 105 and 106); and
That the subcommittee examine how the recommendations contained in the report can be implemented.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2015-12-10/013(P)|218| — Publication of Committee's Proceedings
The Honourable Senator Batters moved:
That the committee publish its proceedings.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2015-12-10/014(P)|219| — Authorization to hold meetings/receive evidence when quorum is not present
The Honourable Senator Marshall moved:
That, pursuant to rule 12-17, the chair be authorized to hold meetings, to receive and authorize the publication of the evidence when a quorum is not present, provided that a member of the committee from both the opposition and the Senate Liberals be present.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2015-12-10/015(P)|220| — Broadcasting of Committees' Public Proceedings
The Honourable Senator Doyle moved:
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure (Steering Committee) be empowered to allow coverage by electronic media of the committee's public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its hearings at its discretion.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2015-12-10/016(P)|221| — Political Staff Attending In Camera Meetings
The Honourable Senator Marshall moved:
That the following political staff be authorized to be present during in camera meetings of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration:
- a political staff member of the three senators on the Internal Economy Steering Committee; and
- a political staff member of the opposition caucus and of the Senate Liberal caucus.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
At 6:37 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Charles Robert
Clerk of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Jodi Turner
Recording Secretary