Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Issue 1 - First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Reports of the Committee
Thursday, February 12, 2004
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to present its
FIRST REPORT
Your Committee, in accordance with the Parliament of Canada Act, met during the period of prorogation between the 2nd and 3rd sessions of the 37th Parliament, and before the members of its successor Committee were appointed. Your Committee wishes to report to the Senate the decisions taken.
Supplementary Estimates 2003-2004
Your Committee has approved Supplementary Estimates (B) for the fiscal year 2003-2004 and recommends their adoption. (Appendix A)
Your Committee notes that the proposed Supplementary Estimates total $3,574,600.
Main Estimates 2004-2005
Your Committee has approved the Senate Estimates for the fiscal year 2004-2005 and recommends their adoption. (Appendix B)
Your Committee notes that the proposed total budget is $ 73,551,950.
An overview of the 2004-2005 budget will be forwarded to every Senator's office.
As Chair of the Committee since October 2002, I would like to thank all the Senators who served on Internal Economy for their contributions to the Committee.
Respectfully submitted,
Thursday, February 12, 2004
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to present its
SECOND REPORT
Your Committee recommends that the following funds be released for fiscal year 2003-2004.
Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament
|
Professional and Other Services |
$ 3,600 |
|
Transportation and Communications |
— |
|
Other Expenditures |
— |
|
TOTAL |
$ 3,600 |
Social Affairs, Science and Technology (Legislation)
|
Professional and Other Services |
$ 3,000 |
|
Transportation and Communications |
— |
|
Other Expenditures |
300 |
|
TOTAL |
$ 3,300 |
Respectfully submitted,
Thursday, February 19, 2004
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to present its
THIRD REPORT
Your Committee recommends that the following funds be released for fiscal year 2003-2004.
|
Transport and Communications (Legislation) |
|
|
Professional and Other Services |
$ 4,800 |
|
Transportation and Communications |
— |
|
Other Expenditures |
500 |
|
Total |
$ 5,300 |
Respectfully submitted,
Thursday, March 11, 2004
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to table its
FOURTH REPORT
Your Committee reports, pursuant to rule 104, that the expenses incurred by the Committee during the Second Session of the Thirty-Seventh Parliament are as follows:
|
Professional & Other Services |
$ 1,151 |
|
Transportation & Communications |
— |
|
All Other Expenditures |
— |
|
Total |
$ 1,151 |
Respectfully submitted,
Thursday, March 11, 2004
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to present its
FIFTH REPORT
Your Committee recommends that the following funds be released for fiscal year 2003-2004.
Banking, Trade and Commerce (Legislation)
|
Professional and Other Services |
$ 9,750 |
|
Transportation and Communications |
— |
|
Other Expenditures |
1,000 |
|
Total |
$ 10,750 |
Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources (Legislation)
|
Professional and Other Services |
$ 3,000 |
|
Transportation and Communications |
— |
|
Other Expenditures |
1,000 |
|
Total |
$ 4,000 |
Foreign Affairs (Legislation)
|
Professional and Other Services |
$ 1,750 |
|
Transportation and Communications |
750 |
|
Other Expenditures |
750 |
|
Total |
$ 3,250 |
Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
|
Professional and Other Services |
$ 1,000 |
|
Transportation and Communications |
— |
|
Other Expenditures |
— |
|
Total |
$ 1,000 |
Legal and Constitutional Affairs (Legislation)
|
Professional and Other Services |
$ 18,000 |
|
Transportation and Communications |
9,350 |
|
Other Expenditures |
1,000 |
|
Total |
$ 28,350 |
(includes funds for conference attendance)
National Finance (Legislation)
|
Professional and Other Services |
$ 2,500 |
|
Transportation and Communications |
— |
|
Other Expenditures |
— |
|
Total |
$ 2,500 |
Scrutiny of Regulations (Joint Committee)
|
Professional and Other Services |
$ 750 |
|
Transportation and Communications |
600 |
|
Other Expenditures |
1,185 |
|
Total |
$ 2,535 |
Respectfully submitted,
Wednesday, March 31, 2004
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to table its
SIXTH REPORT
Your Committee has examined and reports the attached document entitled ``Senate Administrative Rules.''
Respectfully submitted,
Thursday, April 22, 2004
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to table its
SEVENTH REPORT
1. All Parliamentarians are conscious that the national and international environment has changed dramatically since the events of September11, 2001. In the slightly more than two years that have elapsed since that date, there have been many effects on our lives and our society.
2. Security within the parliamentary precincts is an on-going and evolutionary issue. We have two independent, autonomous chambers that share buildings in the middle of a major city, with many workers and visitors. Each chamber has its own security service; in addition, there are two provincial and two municipal police forces, as well as a national police force, that are also involved.
3. The members of the Committee wish to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and high degree of professionalism of the Senate and House of Commons security personnel.
4. Whenever addressing issues of parliamentary security, it is extremely important that we balance the public interest of access to representative institutions with the need for security. It is not acceptable for Parliament Hill to become an armed fortress, or to discourage Canadians from visiting their seat of government.
5. An on-going concern has been the development of greater cooperation, communication and coordination among the security and police forces on Parliament Hill. At the operational level, we understand that considerable work has been done, and the security of the Senate and the House is largely seamless and highly efficient. Nevertheless, there are members of both chambers who believe that more can and should be done.
6. Members of the Standing Senate Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs have met informally, and are agreed that greater cooperation, communication and coordination between our respective chambers and the RCMP is highly desirable.
7. We believe that, in line with this objective, the Senate and House of Commons should promptly pursue measures to strengthen the command structure regarding parliamentary security. To this end, we are looking at more formalized structures, involving political and institutional leadership. It has been suggested that a two-tier system be established: a joint, high-level oversight working group (consisting of members of the two chambers) to provide broad policy and strategic direction; and an operational executive working group to implement these broad policy decisions. The RCMP would be involved in both structures.
8. We wish to emphasize that we are not, in this report, proposing a joint service or a unified security service. Any changes must respect the independence of the two chambers and of the two security services, while enhancing cooperation, communication and coordination, and formalizing the involvement of the RCMP.
9. We believe that this proposal would be consistent with the continuous refining and enhancing of parliamentary security. With respect and goodwill on all sides, we can together develop an even more effective and responsive system.
Respectfully submitted,
LISE BACON
Chair