Proceedings of the Standing Committee on
Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Issue No. 2 - Evidence - February 25, 2016
OTTAWA, Thursday, February 25, 2016
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, pursuant to rule 12-7(1), met this day at 8:02 a.m., in public, for the consideration of financial and administrative matters; and in camera for the consideration of financial and administrative matters.
Senator Leo Housakos (Chair) in the chair.
[English]
The Chair: The first and the most important item of business this morning is it has come to my attention that for one of our colleagues, it's a very special day for him today. It's Senator Scott Tannas' birthday. I've heard dissenting opinions, but some say you're turning 35, other say 42. We'll allow the website of the Senate to clarify that for everyone.
Happy birthday, Senator Tannas.
Senator Tannas: Thank you.
The Chair: I would like to make an adjustment to the agenda on item 2 in the public section, the section on re- establishment of subcommittees. I want to add to that an establishment of a special working group to review human resources. I'll explain that when we get into the subject matter. Everyone can take note of that.
We can go right to item 1, which is the adoption of minutes of proceedings of the February 18, 2016 meeting, the public portion, if anyone has any questions on it.
It's moved by Senator Tkachuk, seconded by Senator Munson. No dissenting voices? So it's passed.
Item 2, re-establishment of subcommittees: This, colleagues, has been an ongoing challenge to finalize the subcommittees and the membership on the subcommittees. We're going to require a little more time on this subject matter. So next week, hopefully, at the end of the break week, steering will be sending out to each member a reorganization of the committee structure for your approval. I'd like for you, colleagues, wherever you are, to respond via email and indicate your agreement or disagreement on the changes, and you can give us your quick opinion. Then, by the following meeting, when we come back, we'll sit down with leadership, and we will make sure that by the next Internal Economy meeting all this is finalized. At some point among leadership, if we can't get some kind of consensus of what the composition of committees and subcommittees are going to be, then I guess this committee will have to take responsibility for filling those positions accordingly.
Item B on section 2, which is the establishment of a working group to review human resources, steering for the last few months took a decision to start a review of the human resources department, similar to the audit and review we did in the communications department. We took the initiative of hiring an outside consultant, who, a few months ago, started the process and the evaluation and review of HR. That consultant has pretty much almost gotten to the point of finishing the report, but now we want to establish a committee of senators who will work with those consultants, work with the administration, review the findings, do an in-depth analysis of where we need to go and come back to Internal Economy with recommendations on that issue.
As well, going forward in the next few weeks, there's a headhunter who was commissioned a couple of months back to start the process of identifying a new director of human resources, so they're still in the vetting process on that front. But when the list starts narrowing down and gets shorter, we'd like the committee to also take over the responsibility from steering on the interview and hiring processes with the headhunter.
Senator Cordy, do you have anything to add on this?
Senator Cordy: Other than are we setting up the committee? I guess that's the next discussion.
The Chair: That's the next discussion.
Senator Cordy: By the way, the headhunter company that is dealing with this is the same company that we used in hiring the head of communications, and I was part of that hiring process. They did an exceptional job. So I think it was four or five people — it was filtered down, so we didn't look at all of the people who applied.
The Chair: CFO.
Senator Cordy: And the CFO, sorry, in both situations. My experience, just from the communications, was that they made it so easy. They had done the background work, the pros and cons of each of the candidates. We interviewed them. It was an excellent process.
The Chair: It's a five-member committee, special working group, three from the Conservative side, two from the independent Liberal side. Senator Cordy, you have, I think, a nomination to make.
Senator Cordy: I would like to nominate Scott Tannas to be chair of the working group.
An Hon. Senator: Happy birthday.
The Chair: That is your gift.
Senator Campbell: Just the start of the presents coming your way.
The Chair: The other members that have shown interest that want to participate, Senator Tannas, with you, would be Senator Paul Massicotte, Senator David Tkachuk, Senator Enverga, and we are looking for a member from this side of the room who would be willing to participate on that committee as well. On that side of the room, I see three possibilities: Senator Munson, Senator Campbell and Senator Downe, who has shown a lot of interest in the way we are reforming the administration.
Senator Campbell: Which committee is this?
The Chair: This is the special working group to review the human resources department.
Senator Campbell: Only because it's his birthday.
The Chair: Well, they fit in. They're very interrelated.
Thank you Senator, Campbell.
Is everyone in agreement with that working group? Thank you.
(The committee continued in camera.)