Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Issue 1 - Evidence for February 5, 2004
OTTAWA, Thursday, February 5, 2004
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration met this day at 9:34 a.m. to organize the activities of the committee.
[English]
Mr. Paul Bélisle, Clerk of the Senate and Clerk of the Committee: Honourable senators, our first item of business is the election of a chair to preside over your committee, pursuant to rule 88.
[Translation]
Senator Kinsella: I move that Senator Bacon be elected to the chair.
Mr.Bélisle: Senator Kinsella moves that Senator Bacon be elected to the chair. Are there any other motions?
Senator Poulin: I move nominations be closed.
Mr.Bélisle: We have a motion to elect Senator Bacon to the chair. Is it agreed, honourable senators?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
[English]
Senator Lise Bacon (Chairman) in the Chair.
The Chairman: I wish to thank honourable senators for your confidence in me.
I also wish to welcome our new members, Senators Kinsella, Munson and Massicotte, and thank them for agreeing to work with us. This is a very good committee; we will have much to deal over the next few months.
We will meet next week at 9 a.m. on Thursday mornings in this room. We will deal with committee budgets beginning next week. There may also be other meetings on budgets, as soon as they are sent to us.
Turning to the election of a deputy chair.
Senator Poulin: I nominate Senator Robertson, Madam Chair, as deputy chair.
The Chairman: We have one name, Senator Robertson, as deputy chair.
Senator Stratton: I move the nominations closed.
The Chairman: Is it agreed, honourable senators?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Senator Robertson is the deputy chair of this committee.
We also need also a motion to print the committee's proceedings. It is suggested that 200 copies be printed for distribution to senators, MPs, officials and others.
Senator Stratton: I so move.
The Chairman: All those in favour?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chairman: Carried.
We need an honourable member to be added to the subcommittee on agenda and procedure, in addition to the chair and the deputy chair.
Are there any nominations?
Senator Massicotte: I propose that Senator Gill be a member of the committee.
The Chairman: Senator Gill, do you accept the nomination?
Senator Gill: Yes, I do.
The Chairman: Any other nominations?
[Translation]
Senator Poulin: I move nominations be closed.
The Chairman: I declare Senator Gill elected as the third member of the subcommittee on agenda and procedure. I want to thank him once again for his efforts. I would also like to thank Senator Robertson.
[English]
The steering committee has been of great help to me. I would not have been able to do my job properly without them.
I also need a motion to join the Joint Interparliamentary Council, the JIC. The three members of the subcommittee are members of the JIC and, as such, we will need to discuss the possibility of holding a meeting soon, perhaps next week or the week after. We will be meeting to discuss the budgets of various associations.
[Translation]
Senator Poulin: When you co-chair the JIC, do you think it might be timely to include on the agenda a discussion on parliamentary associations to give us an opportunity to share with you the feedback we receive as Internal Economy committee members?
The Chairman: I have taken note of your suggestion, Senator Poulin, and we will discuss it at the earliest opportunity.
[English]
We will report to the Senate.
The committee continued in camera.