Proceedings of the Standing Committee on
Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Minutes of Proceedings - November 29, 2018
OTTAWA, Thursday, November 29, 2018
(67)
[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 Sabi Marwah, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Batters, Carignan, P.C., Dawson, Dean, Forest, Marshall, Marwah, Mitchell, Moncion, Munson, Plett, Saint-Germain, Tannas, Tkachuk, Verner, P.C. and Wetston (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; senior Senate officials and other support staff.
Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.
WITNESSES:
The Senate of Canada:
The Honourable Senator Patricia Bovey;
The Honourable Senator Nicole Eaton;
The Honourable Senator Serge Joyal, P.C.;
Nathalie Charpentier, Comptroller and Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Finance and Procurement Directorate;
Ali Rostami, Acting Director, Building Operations and Assets, Property and Services Directorate.
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.
CIBA/2018-11-29/513(P)|211| — Adoption of Minutes of Proceedings
The committee considered the Minutes of Proceedings of Thursday, November 22, 2018, public portion.
The Honourable Senator Saint-Germain moved:
That the Minutes of Proceedings of Thursday, November 22, 2018, public portion, be adopted.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2018-11-29/514(P)|395| — Report from the Advisory Working Group on Artwork and Heritage Assets
The chair, the Honourable Senator Marwah, tabled the second report of the Advisory Working Group on Artwork and Heritage Assets as follows:
Thursday, November 29, 2018
The Artwork Advisory Working Group (AAWG) of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to table its
SECOND REPORT
On April 19, 2018, your working group, made up of Senator Bovey, Senator Eaton and Senator Joyal P.C., was given the following mandate by the Standing Committee on Internal Ecomony, Budgets and Administration (CIBA):
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.
During the summer of 2018 the AAWG met to discuss the strategy for removing artwork and heritage furniture from Centre Block.
Phased Approach
The AAWG endorsed a phased approach to removing artwork from Centre Block. Starting in August 2018, artwork in Centre Block will be stabilized and moved to the Government Conference Centre or storage.
The objectives of the strategy are to:
Move the Senate's Heritage Collection to interim locations with minimal risk of loss or damage;
Provide the public with access to the Senate's Heritage Collection; and
Remove the Senate's Heritage Collection from Centre Block in support of Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)'s timelines.
To meet the objectives, the Senate's Heritage Collection will be moved in phases to ensure there is sufficient time to stabilize objects and to prudently move the pieces to their interim locations. Since August 2018, artwork on display in Centre Block has been stabilized, packed and moved to interim locations during break weeks. Where possible, artwork on the public tour route or visible in broadcast committees, will remain on display until later in the move timeline. Heritage Furniture in Senators offices will be removed after the occupants have moved to 40 Elgin or the GCC. Heritage Furniture in the Senate Chamber, Reading Room and Foyer will be moved to the GCC in late December and January.
The War Paintings in the Senate Chamber will be removed from Centre Block during the spring and summer of 2019 when the temperature and relative humidity are appropriate for the scope of work required to remove the paintings.
Artwork, artefacts and heritage furniture will not leave Centre Block until the interim locations are in an acceptable condition to accept them. The schedule will need to be adjusted if there are delays to the delivery of the interim locations. If required, any further adjustments to the schedule will be altered based on the following planning principles:
1. Artwork, artefacts and heritage furniture required for a legislative function are the top priority for moving to the GCC;
2. Artwork, artefacts and heritage furniture intended for display in public spaces at the GCC are a priority to be moved and installed in the GCC;
3. Artwork currently on display in high traffic areas in Centre Block may be moved earlier to reduce the risk of damage during other moves; and
4. Artwork, artefacts and heritage furniture going from Centre Block to Storage are the lowest priority for leaving Centre Block but may be moved earlier in the schedule to reduce the risk of extending the overall timeline.
Background
Property and Services has been working with PSPC to develop a strategy for removing artwork from Centre Block. To plan for the move, fine art and object conservators from the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) and private firms assessed the condition of objects in the Senate's Heritage Collection and developed stabilization and move recommendations. The recommendations were reviewed by the Senate Administration before they were approved and implemented. This information help to inform the timeline and approach for the move.
Next Steps
The Senate's heritage collection will continue to be stabilized, packaged, transported to interim locations and placed in storage or displayed in the Government Conference Centre. Throughout the move, Senate employees will be performing quality assurance by monitoring the work to stabilize and pack artwork as well as tracking the location of objects in the Heritage Collection as they move from Centre Block to interim locations. Senate employees will be onsite at both Centre Block and the interim location to track all phases of the process. The information will captured into PastPerfect, the Senate's collection management database.
Risk Mitigation Strategies
There are a number of risk mitigation strategies worked into the strategy to meet the objectives. Artwork in high traffic corridors will be moved ahead of briefcase moves to reduce the risk of damage. Artwork will be moved during the fall to reduce the number of winter moves when the weather becomes unpredictable.
Respectfully submitted,
| Patricia Bovey | Nicole Eaton | Serge Joyal, P.C. |
| Member | Member | Member |
The Honourable Senator Bovey, the Honourable Senator Eaton and the Honourable Senator Joyal, P.C. each made a statement and answered questions.
CIBA/2018-11-29/515(P)|230| — Report from the Audit Subcommittee: Quarterly Financial Report
The Chair of the Audit Subcommittee, the Honourable Senator Moncion, tabled the twelfth report of the subcommittee as follows:
Thursday, November 29, 2018
The Audit Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to table its
TWELFTH REPORT
Your subcommittee received the information on the financial highlights and results for the first quarter of operations, including the summary of budgetary authorities, the analysis of current expenditures and forecast expenditures. Your subcommittee informs you that the first-quarter financial results are compliant. We have reviewed and discussed the risks and uncertainties associated with the institution's operations.
Your subcommittee has approved and now tables the attached Quarterly Financial Report of the Senate of Canada for the quarter ended June 30, 2018.
Respectfully submitted,
LUCIE MONCION
Chair
The Honourable Senator Moncion made a statement and, together with Nathalie Charpentier, answered questions.
CIBA/2018-11-29/516(P)|383| — Request for Proposal for Toner
Ali Rostami made a statement and answered questions with respect to a request for proposal for the purchase of toner cartridges.
The Honourable Senator Marwah moved:
That the Property and Services Directorate be authorized to proceed with a competitive process to award a contract valued at more than $100,000 for the purchase of toner cartridges over a three-year period, with an option to extend for two additional years, for an estimated total of $900,000.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
At 9:08 a.m., the committee proceeded in camera, pursuant to rule 12-16(1).
At 9:09 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
Gérald Lafrenière
Recording Secretary