Proceedings of the Standing Committee on
Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Issue 2 - Evidence for March 22, 2005
OTTAWA, Tuesday, March 22, 2005
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration met this day at 8:03 a.m. to consider administrative and other matters.
Senator George J. Furey (Chairman) in the chair.
[English]
The Chairman: Honourable senators, the first item on our agenda is a request from Senator Losier-Cool for international travel, April 13 to 16, 2005, to Paris. It is for a special conference organized jointly by the French Senate and the French Movement for Family Planning.
[Translation]
Senator Losier-Cool: You have received a copy of my request in English and in French, as well as the appended program. In my capacity of Vice-President of the Réseau des femmes parlementaires de la Francophonie, I have been invited by the Deputy Speaker of the French Senate to attend a mini-symposium jointly organized by Planning Familial and the Agence de la Francophonie. The program has been designed for persons interested in following up on the Beijing +10 conference and in discussing issues affecting women's health and infant mortality, matters that I have been following closely since my appointment to the Senate. I also happen to Co-chair the Canadian Association of Parliamentarians for Population and Development.
Senator Michèle André, Deputy Speaker of the French Senate, has invited me to attend the symposium in my capacity of Co-chair. The symposium gets under way at noon on Thursday and concludes Friday evening. I would arrive in Paris Thursday morning and depart Saturday morning following the symposium's conclusion. Apart from the reasons I have just mentioned, I would be delighted as a Francophone to represent the Senate of Canada.
The amounts requested are estimates supplied by BTI Travel.I would be flying either Air Canada or Air France, asthe difference in air fare between the two carriers is a mere $100. Accommodation costs are similar to those covered by the APF for francophone parliamentarians when they are called upon to travel. The $200 represents one night's accommodation in a three-star hotel located in the Jardins du Luxembourg arrondissement, near the French Senate. The total cost of the trip would be approximately $5,525. I am prepared to answer any questions you may have.
[English]
The Chairman: It is not the Ritz.
Senator Losier-Cool: No, it is not the Ritz. I do not think any parliamentarians can go to the Ritz, not on the Senate budget.
Senator Stollery: I believe that Senator Losier-Cool would be an excellent representative of the Senate and should attend the conference.
Did I understand correctly, senator, that you arrive on a Thursday and come back on a Saturday?
[Translation]
Senator Losier-Cool: That is correct.
Senator Stollery: I do not think you will have enough time. It is not fair to ask someone to leave on a trip overseas on Thursday and to return on the Saturday. You are entitled to more time.
Senator Losier-Cool: I would like to attend the Wednesday sitting of the Senate. I would leave after the meeting, but it will not be easy arriving in Paris at 10 in the evening, and then attending the symposium the following day at noon.
Senator Stollery: I can well appreciate the difficulty.
Senator Losier-Cool: Thank you. Perhaps I could stay an extra day, that is stay over on Saturday night.
Senator Stollery: It is difficult to spend so little time in Paris.
[English]
There should be an extra day for the person to be able to do a trip, which is important. I support Senator Losier- Cool. It is pretty thick that she should have to travel in such a rush, with a change in time zones of six hours.
The Chairman: The purpose of this part of the session is strictly for questions, and the discussion on approval will come later when Senator Losier-Cool leaves.
Senator Di Nino: It is appropriate that Senator Losier-Cool put on the record what she feels would benefit Canada or Parliament. How will the Canadian taxpayer and Parliament benefit from this trip?
Senator Losier-Cool: Do you want more detail than what I have put on this sheet?
Senator Di Nino: Why do we need to spend this money? This is why we are having this discussion. No one is questioning your commitment and your contribution and the fact that you would be a great representative. However, for the record, so that we can justify the expenditure if there are questions, what is the benefit to us, to the Parliament of Canada and in effect to the Canadian people by participating in this conference?
Senator Losier-Cool: The first benefit would be to the Senate of Canada. I am a francophone senator who is very much involved and interested in these issues. I was on the Foreign Affairs Committee for a long time and have worked with CIDA in international development and also with the issue of sex education, which is my speciality. I have not written articles on it, but I do give many speeches on sex education in schools. At this conference, I would meet NGO specialists on the issue, which will give me more food for thought.
The Chairman: I think that information from a conference of this nature would be beneficial to committees such as Social Affairs Committee. Do you think you might bring back information that would be of assistance to Senator Kirby's committee?
Senator Losier-Cool: If the Social Affairs Committee studies the health of children, it would be helpful to them. This topic will be the focus of discussions at the conference. We will be looking at reproductive health. We know that there are problems in some regions of Canada with reproductive health and infant mortality.
I would be pleased to give Senator Kirby a report. It will also be of assistance to the Foreign Affairs Committee when they address international development. This year, they are studying Africa, and this is mostly a development issue.
Senator Di Nino: I expect that you would be preparing a full report that would be disseminated to the Senate as well as to other interested parties. It would fulfil the educational component of the responsibility that you just outlined.
Senator Losier-Cool: My plan is to start an inquiry in the Senate on that issue when I return.
The Chairman: On that last point, one of the requirements that we discussed as a committee is that a report be presented to the Senate on any international travel that is approved.
Senator De Bané: I support this application from Senator Losier-Cool. Unless the regulations have changed, a civil servant who wants to travel abroad needs the signature of the minister. For travel within Canada, the immediate supervisor makes the decision, but for travel outside the country, the minister and the deputy minister must sign.
The French Senate is organizing a conference about women, and the organizers of that conference are inviting our colleague to attend. It is evident that Senator Losier-Cool should accept that invitation. In order to show that taxpayers' money was used wisely, it would be good idea for her to make a report when she returns, as we do every time we travel on a parliamentary committee.
[Translation]
Senator Poulin: I would like to approve Senator Losier-Cool's request in recognition of the excellent work that she has done over the past ten years as a member of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie. This Assembly has tackled important issues affecting developing nations. For a number of years now, our governments have placed a great deal of emphasis on development, including the development of francophone countries in Africa. This is an extremely important issue. If our country is not actively involved in issues affecting women in developing countries, then it is missing out on a golden opportunity. Senator Losier-Cool's experience, both as a parliamentarian and as an educator, will contribute tremendously to further this cause throughout the world.
[English]
Senator Day: I am concerned about the process we are following. We agreed to hear the presentation from the applicant and afterwards have the discussion we are having now.
The Chairman: You are quite right, Senator Day.
Senator Day: The problem is that now that certain senators have spoken, Senator Losier-Cool will think that those who do not speak until after she leaves do not support her application. Therefore, I wish to point out that I support this application as well.
The Chairman: Senator Day is quite right. We are using time unnecessarily, because we do have to go in camera for this discussion.
Senator Stratton: Senator Losier-Cool, why were you turned down by the APF?
Senator Losier-Cool: The APF does not have funds in their budget for this conference.
Senator Smith: I move that we proceed in camera.
The Chairman: Thank you, Senator Losier-Cool.
The committee continued in camera.