Proceedings of the Standing Committee on
Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Issue No. 2 - Minutes of Proceedings - March 10, 2016
OTTAWA, Thursday, March 10, 2016
(7)
[English]
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration met this day at 8:16 a.m., in room 160- S, Centre Block, the chair, the Honourable Leo Housakos, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Batters, Cordy, Downe, Doyle, Housakos, Jaffer, Lang, Manning, Marshall, Munson, Smith (Saurel), Tannas, Tkachuk and Wells (14).
Other senator present: The Honourable Senator McCoy (1).
Also in attendance: Nicole Proulx, Chief Corporate Services Officer and Clerk of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration; Charles Robert, Clerk of the Senate and Chief Legislative Officer; Michel Patrice, Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel and Chief, Parliamentary Precinct Services; Brigitte Desjardins, Director, Property and Services Directorate; Jules Pleau, Senior Advisor to CIBA; Lynn Gordon, Clerk of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce and other senior Senate officials.
Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.
CIBA/2016-03-10/056(P)|211| — Adoption of Minutes of Proceedings
The committee considered the minutes of proceedings of February 25, 2016, in public portion.
It was moved by Senator Marshall that the minutes of proceedings of February 25, 2016, in public portion, be adopted.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2016-03-10/057(P)|312| — Budget Proposal: Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce
Senator Tkachuk, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce, accompanied by Lynn Gordon, clerk of the committee, presented the following budget for the committee's special study on issues pertaining to internal barriers to trade:
General Expenses: $ 700
Activity 1: Vancouver, Calgary and Winnipeg $ 160,072
Activity 2: Halifax $ 75,298
Total $ 236,070
Senator Tkachuk made a statement and answered questions.
It was moved by Senator Munson that the special study budget application (Issues Pertaining to Internal Barriers to Trade) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017, be approved
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2016-03-10/058(P)|230| — Audit Subcommittee
It was moved by Senator Cordy,
That the Audit Subcommittee be established and that the following senators be named as members (3 senators): Senators Smith (Saurel) (Chair), Campbell (Deputy Chair) and Batters.
That the mandate of the Audit Subcommittee be to:
1. Oversee and direct the internal audit function;
2. Recommend for approval by the Internal Economy Committee the internal audit plan, reports and recommendations regarding the internal audit function, including audit reports that have been submitted and other matters, as appropriate;
3. Review management action plans and ensure:
(a) that they adequately address the recommendations and findings arising from internal audits, and
(b) that the action plans have been effectively implemented.
4. Submit an annual report with its observations and recommendations to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration; and
5. Review and present the Quarterly Financial Reports (Q1 to Q3) and the audited Financial Statements (Q4, end of year).
That the Audit Subcommittee 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 senators' expenditures (notion of independent oversight and role of the AG in the future) and the monitoring of senators' expenditures (recommendations 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56 and 57);
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/2016-03-10/059(P)|295| — Subcommittee on Committee Budgets
It was moved by Senator Cordy,
That the Subcommittee on Committee Budgets be established and that the following senators be named as members (3 senators): Senators Tannas (Chair), Cordy (Deputy Chair) and Doyle.
That the mandate of the Subcommittee on Committee Budgets be to review committee budgets and to make recommendations on the allocation and release of funds.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2016-03-10/060(P)|313| — Subcommittee on the Long Term Vision and Plan (LTVP/GCC)
It was moved by Senator Cordy,
That the Subcommittee on the Long Term Vision and Plan be established and that the following senators be named as members (5 senators): Senators Tannas (Chair), Munson (Deputy Chair), Manning, Frum (non-voting participant) and Joyal (non-voting participant).
That the mandate of the Subcommittee on the Long Term Vision and Plan (LTVP/GCC) be:
To supervise all steps, processes and decisions involved in moving the Senate and Senators to their new location in 2018, in coordination with the Senate Administration.
To examine the best ways to ensure the renovations of Centre Block respect its heritage and the best interests of the Senate.
This study may draw on the experiences and management methods used in other parliamentary districts in Canada and abroad.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2016-03-10/061(P)|314| — Advisory Working Group on Canada 150
It was moved by Senator Cordy,
That the Advisory Working Group on Canada 150 be established and that the following senators be named as members (4 senators): Hon. Sen. Seidman, McInnis, Dawson and Johnson.
That the mandate of the Advisory Working Group on Canada 150 be to review proposals for one or more legacy projects to mark Canada's 150th anniversary in 2017, and to make recommendations to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration for consideration.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
At 8:40 a.m., the committee continued in camera.
At 9:55 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Nicole Proulx
Clerk of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Jodi Turner
Recording Secretary