Proceedings of the Standing Committee on
Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Minutes of Proceedings - April 19, 2018
OTTAWA, Thursday, April 19, 2018
(55)
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 Larry W. Campbell, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Batters, Campbell, Carignan, P.C., Dawson, Jaffer, Marshall, McCoy, Mitchell, Moncion, Munson, Plett, Pratte, Saint-Germain, Tannas, Tkachuk and Verner, P.C. (16).
Also in attendance: Pascale Legault, Chief Corporate Services Officer and Clerk of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration; Richard Denis, Interim Clerk of the Senate; Jacqueline Kuehl, 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:
Senate of Canada:
Brigitte Desjardins, Director General, Property and Services Directorate;
Tamara Dolan, Project Coordinator, Heritage and Curatorial Services;
David Vatcher, Director, Information Services Directorate;
Mathieu Beauregard, Manager, Applications Development and Systems Integration, Information Services Directorate.
CIBA/2018-04-19/425(P)|214| — Adoption of Minutes of Proceedings
The committee considered the Minutes of Proceedings of Thursday, March 29, 2018, public portion.
The Honourable Senator Jaffer moved:
That the Minutes of Proceedings of Thursday, March 29, 2018, public portion, be adopted.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2018-04-19/426(P)|189| — Report from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure
The Chair of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, the Honourable Senator Campbell, tabled the ninth report of the subcommittee as follows:
Thursday, April 19, 2018
The Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to table its
NINTH REPORT
Your subcommittee wishes to report on the following decisions taken on March 29, 2018.
Committee Budgets
Your subcommittee has approved the release of the following amounts for fiscal year 2018-19:
Fisheries and Oceans (Maritime Search and Rescue activities)
Activity 1: Iqaluit, Nunavut and Kuujjuaq,
Quebec$129,636 Activity 2: Trenton, Ontario $ 5,975 Activity 3: Quebec City, Québec $26,475 Total $162,086 (includes funds for public hearings and fact-finding missions, as well as approval for sole source for charter flights; includes funds for 8 senators to travel)
Human Rights (issues relating to the human rights of prisoners in the correctional system)
Activity 1: Alberta and British Columbia $126,878 Total $126,878 (includes funds for public hearings and a fact-finding mission; includes funds for 6 senators and 1 senator's staff to travel)
National Finance (federal estimates and government finance generally)
Activity 1: Miramichi, New Brunswick $23,060 Total $23,060 (includes funds for a fact-finding mission; includes funds for 5 senators to travel)
Official Languages (Canadians' views about modernizing the Official Languages Act)
Activity 1: Outaouais and Eastern Townships $51,700 Total $51,700 (includes funds for a fact-finding mission; includes funds for 7 senators and 2 senators' staff to travel)
Extension of Mandate — Subcommittee on Diversity
That, the mandate of the Subcommittee on Diversity be extended from March 29, 2018 to May 31, 2018.
Respectfully submitted,
LARRY W. CAMPBELL
Chair
The chair made a statement.
CIBA/2018-04-19/427(P)|313| — Report from the Subcommittee on the Long Term Vision and Plan
The Honourable Senator Tannas provided an oral report from the Subcommittee on the Long Term Vision and Plan on the upcoming move of the Senate to the Government Conference Centre and answered questions.
CIBA/2018-04-19/428(P)|295| — Report from the Subcommittee on Committee Budgets
The Chair of the Subcommittee on Committee Budgets, the Honourable Senator Verner, P.C., presented the eighteenth report of the subcommittee as follows:
Thursday, April 19, 2018
The Subcommittee on Committee Budgets of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to present its
EIGHTEENTH REPORT
Your subcommittee recommends the release of the following amount for fiscal year 2018-19:
Scrutiny of Regulations (Legislation)
General Expenses $ 2,250 Total $2,250 Respectfully submitted,
JOSÉE VERNER
Chair
The Honourable Senator Verner, P.C., made a statement.
The Honourable Senator Verner, P.C., moved:
That the report be adopted.
After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2018-04-19/429(P)|395| — Management of the Senate's Artwork and Heritage Collection
Brigitte Desjardins and Tamara Dolan made statements and answered questions.
The Honourable Senator Tkachuk moved:
That three senators be appointed to work collectively as an advisory working group with the delegated authority to act on behalf of the committee, on matters related to the Senate Policy on Heritage Assets and Works of Art;
That the advisory working group report to the committee for ratification any recommendations it makes involving expenditures over $5,000 for the purchase, disposal, repairs and restorations of heritage assets and works of art;
That the designated senators report quarterly to the committee its decisions and recommendations; and
That the Property and Services Directorate provide operational and administrative support to the advisory working group.
After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2018-04-19/430(P)|330| — Wireless Contract
David Vatcher made a statement and, with Mathieu Beauregard, answered questions.
The Honourable Senator Pratte moved:
That the committee approve the adoption of the new Government Cellular Services (Bell 2017) contract for all Senate staff mobile devices and that senators have the option to stay with the current service provider should they wish to do so;
That the existing plans be transitioned to the new contract progressively, starting immediately;
That the existing information technology guidelines be updated to identify a set of pre-approved medium- range devices averaging $500 as the standard mobile devices for Senate employees and high-end devices averaging $1,000 as the standard mobile devices for senators and approved power users; and
That the information technology guidelines be updated to specify a device life cycle of 30 months.
After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
At 9:38 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 9:40 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Pascale Legault
Chief Corporate Services Officer and Clerk of the
Standing Committee on Internal Economy,
Budgets and Administration
Daniel Charbonneau
Recording Secretary