Proceedings of the Standing Committee on
Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Minutes of Proceedings - September 21, 2017
OTTAWA, Thursday, September 21, 2017
(40)
[English]
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration met this day at 8:30 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, Dupuis, Forest, Housakos, Marshall, Marwah, Mitchell, Munson, Plett, Saint-Germain, Smith, Tannas, Tkachuk and Wells (16).
Other senator present: The Honourable Senator Pate (1).
Also in attendance: Nicole Proulx, Clerk of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and Interim Clerk of the Senate; Hélène Bouchard, Interim Chief Corporate Services Officer; Jacqueline Kuehl, Interim Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel; 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:
The Senate of Canada:
The Honourable Senator Scott Tannas.
Brigitte Desjardins, Director, Property and Services Directorate.
CIBA/2017-09-21/320(P)|231| — East Block Rehabilitation Work
The Honourable Senator Scott Tannas made a statement and, together with Brigitte Desjardins, answered questions about the rehabilitation work of the East Block building.
CIBA/2017-09-21/321(P)|194| — Post Trip Report: Senator White
The chair tabled a report regarding the international travel of the Honourable Senator White to Amsterdam, The Netherlands, to attend the NATO Stability Policing Concept Development Conference from May 15 to 18, 2017.
The Honourable Senator Marshall moved:
That the report be tabled in the Senate.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2017-09-21/322(P)|194| — Post Trip Report: Senator Pate
The chair tabled a report regarding the international travel of the Honourable Senator Pate to Geneva, Switzerland, to attend the 93rd Session of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination from August 12 to 16, 2017.
The Honourable Senator Downe moved:
That the report be tabled in the Senate.
After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2017-09-21/323(P)|190| — Mandate for the Subcommittee on the Senate Estimates — Oversight Body
The Honourable Senator Smith made a statement.
The Honourable Senator Wells moved:
That, notwithstanding the motion of the committee adopted on Thursday, March 10, 2016, to authorize the Audit Subcommittee 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) and any other related recommendations, the examination now be conducted by the Subcommittee on the Senate Estimates;
That the study examine the Auditor General of Canada's audit oversight recommendations;
That the study consider the audit industry's best practices in establishing an oversight body which would have an audit mechanism and be of an appropriate structure; and
That the subcommittee report to the committee no later than October 26, 2017.
After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2017-09-21/324(P)|238| — Report: Third Report of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure
The Chair of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, the Honourable Senator Housakos, tabled the Third Report of the subcommittee as follows:
Thursday, September 21, 2017
The Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to table its
THIRD REPORT
Your subcommittee met on June 20, 2017, July 4, 2017, August 2, 2017, August 23, 2017 and August 24, 2017 and wishes to report on the following decisions taken.
Candidate Search for Chief Corporate Services Officer
It was agreed that a candidate search be conducted, with the assistance of Boyden Canada for a new Chief Corporate Services Officer within the Parliamentary Precinct.
It was further agreed that the selection committee for the position be the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.
Senate Corporate Autonomy
The subcommittee reviewed a proposal to outsource the Senate's payroll system to replace the Phoenix pay system. In the context of the Deloitte strategic review of the Human Resources Directorate, the payroll expert firm partner suggested the issuance of a Request for Information to gather information for a future Request for Proposal (RFP).
It was agreed that the Senate issue a Request for Information regarding outsourcing its payroll system.
Access to In Camera Minutes
It was agreed that a representative from KPMG be authorized to access the in camera Minutes of Proceedings from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure and the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration for the purpose of the annual audit of the Senate's financial statements;
That the consultation of minutes be done on site under the supervision of a staff member from the Internal Economy Secretariat; and
That the representative from KPMG be allowed to take notes.
Issues Management and Media Relations Advisor
It was agreed that the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure authorize an employment contract for an Issues Management and Media Relations Advisor;
That the Subcommittee on Communications be authorized to hire the advisor;
That the chair and deputy chair of the Subcommittee on Communications, or an equivalent subcommittee, direct the work of the individual; and
That $81,000 be reallocated from the committees budget to fund the employment contract for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018.
New Administrative Structure
It was agreed that the new organizational structure for the Senate Administration be approved and that the new structure will be effective for September 2017.
The new organizational chart is appended to this report.
New Members of the Advisory Working Group on the Review of Human Resources
It was agreed that Senators Boniface, Hartling, McPhedran and Pate be added as members of the Advisory Working Group on the Review of Human Resources, effective September 1, 2017.
Contract over $100,000 — Printing Equipment
It was agreed that, following a RFP process, a contract be issued to Konica Minolta for the purchase of printing equipment at a total cost of $225,448.
Interim Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel
It was agreed that Jacqueline Kuehl be named Interim Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel, effective August 21, 2017 until a permanent appointment is made by decision of the Senate on the recommendation of Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration.
It was further agreed that the new structure for the Senate Administration be effective August 21, 2017 and that this be communicated to all senators and staff.
Office of the Facilitator of the Independent Senators Group
It was agreed that the Independent Senators Group be granted the flexibility to hire personnel and make staffing decisions at their discretion within their 2017-2018 budget allocation of $722,000, including position title changes, employment contracts, casual contracts, and services contracts. Hospitality or any other expenses are not eligible.
Respectfully submitted,
LEO HOUSAKOS
Chair
The Honourable Senator Forest moved:
That the report be adopted.
After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2017-09-21/324(P)|382| — Public Accounts
The Honourable Senator Downe made a statement about the disclosure of Senate expenses in the Public Accounts of Canada.
After debate, it was agreed that a letter be sent to the House of Commons to encourage it to follow the same practices as the Senate.
CIBA/2017-09-21/325(P)|370| — Advisory Working Group: Parliamentary Translation Services
The Honourable Senator Forest moved:
That the Advisory Working Group on the Parliamentary Translation Services be established;
That the advisory working group be authorized to review the Service Agreement for Language Services with the Translation Bureau of Public Services and Procurement Canada in order to improve the service level and the quality of their translation services offered to the Senate;
That the following senators be named as members (five senators),
Joyal, P.C.; Maltais; Ringuette and two Anglophone senators to be named by the chair of the committee; and
That the advisory working group report to the committee no later than January 31, 2018.
After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2017-09-21/326(P)|211| — Adoption of Minutes of Proceedings
The committee considered the Minutes of Proceedings of June 15, 2017, in public portion.
The Honourable Senator Dupuis moved:
That the Minutes of Proceedings of June 15, 2017 be adopted.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
At 9:48 a.m., the committee proceeded in camera, pursuant to rule 12-16(1).
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.
At 10:21 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 and Interim Clerk of the Senate
Daniel Charbonneau
Recording Secretary