Proceedings of the Standing Committee on
Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration

Issue No. 8 - Minutes of Proceedings - December 15, 2016

OTTAWA, Thursday, December 15, 2016
(26)

[English]

The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration met this day at 9:03 a.m., in room 160- S, Centre Block, the chair, the Honourable Leo Housakos, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Batters, Campbell, Cordy, Downe, Housakos, Jaffer, Marshall, McCoy, Munson, Ngo, Smith, Tannas, Tkachuk and Wells (14).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senators Dupuis, Lankin, P.C., Marwah, Mitchell and Omidvar (5)

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; and other senior Senate officials.

Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.

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.

WITNESSES:

Senate of Canada:

Luc Presseau, Director of Human Resources;

Kathy Jacob, Chair, Advisory Committee on Diversity and Accessibility;

Angela Vanikiotis, Manager, Human Resources Operations, Diversity and Official Languages, Human Resources Directorate;

Maria-Chantal Eynoux, Senior Advisor, Services to Senators and Programs, Human Resources Directorate.

CIBA/2016-12-15/210(P)|211| — Adoption of Minutes of Proceedings

The committee considered the Minutes of Proceedings of December 8, 2016, in public portion.

The Honourable Senator Marshall moved:

That the Minutes of Proceedings of December 8, 2016, in public portion, be adopted.

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

CIBA/2016-12-15/211(P)|216| — Addition of a Fourth Member of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure

The Honourable Senator Wells moved:

That, pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on December 7, 2016, the membership of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be increased by one non-voting member chosen from the senators who are not members of a recognized party; and

That the Honourable Senator Campbell be the fourth member of the subcommittee.

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

CIBA/2016-12-15/212(P)|190| — Third Report of the Subcommittee on Senate Estimates

The Chair of the Subcommittee on the Senate Estimates, the Honourable Senator Wells, presented the third report of the subcommittee as follows:

Thursday, December 15, 2016

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

THIRD REPORT

On December 8, 2016, your subcommittee was given the following mandate by the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration:

That, pursuant to the order of the Senate on December 6, 2016, to approve funding for the Independent Senators Group for the current fiscal year and for the fiscal year 2017-18, the Subcommittee on Senate Estimates be authorized to examine and report on the funding for the Independent Senators Group;

That the subcommittee be further authorized to recommend conditions for funding, including but not limited to:

(a) Structure; (b) membership; (c) deputy leader duties; and (d) whip duties;

That the subcommittee report to this committee no later than December 15, 2016.

Your subcommittee met the Honourable Senators Elaine McCoy, Frances Lankin, P.C., Ratna Omidvar, and Murray Sinclair on behalf of the Independent Senators Group (ISG) on December 12, 2016.

During its deliberations, the subcommittee recognized that the Senate is undergoing significant transformation to its structure and its operations due to the appointment of a large number of senators not affiliated with a political caucus. It is clear that, barring any unforeseen changes in the method of selection of senators, this number of non-affiliated senators will continue to increase.

The majority of the non-affiliated senators have chosen to group themselves collectively to form the Independent Senators Group (ISG). The Rules of the Senate do not recognize this type of grouping as a caucus, therefore the group is not eligible for caucus funding. The Senate has recognized the need for the ISG to receive funding and has requested, by order, for the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration to determine funding for the current fiscal year and for the fiscal year 2017-18.

During the presentation from representatives of the ISG, the subcommittee heard that the group meets twice a week when the Senate is sitting for the purposes of planning and sharing information, similar to a caucus. The group also has selected senators to sit on committees as members. It has developed a "chamber team'' to fulfill the traditional roles of a deputy leader and whip. While the decentralized structure of the ISG is very different from the political party caucus and its development into a structured parliamentary group is still ongoing, the subcommittee is of the view that funding be provided to the ISG for the current and 2017-18 fiscal years.

Following its hearings with representatives from the Independent Senators Group your subcommittee recommends the following:

That the Independent Senators Group receive annual funding in the amount of $722,000 for fiscal year 2016-17 effective January 1, 2017, on a prorated basis which amounts to $180,500;

That the Independent Senators Group receive funding in the amount of $722,000 for fiscal year 2017-18 which will be added to the Main Estimates;

That the Independent Senators Group shall only use the allocated funds for personnel (employment contracts) listed in the appendix of this report; and

That all personnel listed in the appendix of this report fall under same policies, terms and conditions as those working in a senator's office.

Respectfully submitted,

DAVID M. WELLS
Chair

Appendix

Position and salary scale as requested by the Independent Senators Group

The Honourable Senator Wells made a statement and, with Nicole Proulx, answered questions.

The Honourable Senator Wells moved:

That the report be adopted.

After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted on the following vote:

YEAS

The Honourable Senators

Campbell, Cordy, Housakos, Jaffer, Marshall, McCoy, Munson, Ngo, Smith, Tannas, Wells — 11

NAYS

The Honourable Senators

Batters, Tkachuk — 2

ABSTENTION

The Honourable Senator

Downe — 1

CIBA/2016-12-15/213(P)|207| — Fifth Report of the Advisory Committee on Diversity and Accessibility

Luc Presseau made a statement about the fifth report of the Advisory Committee on Diversity and Accessibility and answered questions with Maria-Chantal Eynoux.

At 10:09, the deputy chair, the Honourable Senator Cordy, took the chair.

At 10:15, the Honourable Senator Housakos resumed the chair.

The Honourable Senator Jaffer moved:

That the Subcommittee on Diversity be established.

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

It was agreed that the item will be further discussed at a future meeting.

CIBA/2016-12-15/214(P)|364| — Communications Support for CIBA

The committee considered a draft budget for 2016-17 and a draft budget for 2017-18.

The chair made a statement about a budget for a service contract to hire a communications officer for the committee. The chair answered questions with Nicole Proulx.

The Honourable Senator Munson moved:

That the committee approved a budget for a communications officer in the amount $27,000 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017; and

That the committee approved a budget for a communications officer in the amount $108,000 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018.

After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

At 10:34 a.m., the committee proceeded in camera.

At 10:35 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

Daniel Charbonneau
Recording Secretary