Proceedings of the Standing Committee on
Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Issue 3 - Minutes of Proceedings - December 1, 2011
OTTAWA, Thursday, December 1, 2011
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The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration met this day, at 8:35 a.m., the chair, the Honourable David Tkachuk, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Campbell, Carignan, Comeau, Cordy, Dawson, Di Nino, Furey, Kinsella, Marshall, Munson, Poulin, Smith (Saurel), Stewart Olsen, Stratton, Tardif and Tkachuk. (16)
In attendance: Mr. Gary W. O'Brien, Clerk of the Senate and other senior Senate officials.
IE/2011-12-01/076(C) — Adoption of Minutes of Proceedings
It was moved, by Senator Munson, that the minutes of Proceedings of November 24, 2011, public portion, be adopted.
The question being put on the motion, it was resolved in the affirmative.
IE/2011-12-01/077(C) — Seventh Report of the Subcommittee on the Review of Committee Budgets and International Travel
The Chair of the Subcommittee on the Review of Committee Budgets and International Travel, Senator Comeau, presented the Seventh Report of the Subcommittee as follows:
Thursday, December 1, 2011
The Subcommittee on the Review of Committee Budgets and International Travel of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to present its
SEVENTH REPORT
Your subcommittee considered a request from the Honourable Senator Jaffer for approval to use the 64-points system to attend the Sthree Mela exhibition and conference being held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from December 7 to 11, 2011. Your subcommittee recommends that approval be granted for the Senator to use the 64-point travel system to cover the cost of airfare, ground transportation, accommodations, meals and incidentals in an amount not expected to exceed $3,600.
Your subcommittee would like to remind senators that, pursuant to the decision of the Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration dated May 7, 2009, ``a senator must, within 30 days of completion of the international travel, submit a detailed report to the Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration including the objectives of the travel, meetings held, achievements, costs and next steps; this report shall be tabled in the Senate as an appendix to a report of the Committee.''
Respectfully submitted,
GÉRALD J. COMEAU
Chair
Senator Comeau answered questions.
It was moved by Senator Comeau that the Seventh Report of the Subcommittee on the Review of Committee Budgets and International Travel be adopted.
The questions being put on the motion, it was resolved in the affirmative.
IE/2011-12-01/078(C) — Eighth Report of the Subcommittee on the Review of Committee Budgets and International Travel
The Chair of the Subcommittee on the Review of Committee Budgets and International Travel, Senator Comeau, presented the eighth report of the Subcommittee as follows:
Thursday, December 1, 2011
The Subcommittee on the Review of Committee Budgets and International Travel of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to present its
EIGHTH REPORT
Your Subcommittee considered a request from Senator Ringuette for her and Senator Harb to use the 64-point travel system to travel to Beirut, Lebanon within the next three weeks. The purpose of the trip would be to meet with the Lebanese Minister of Justice in an effort to resolve the case of Mr. Hendrick Tepper, a New Brunswick potato farmer, who is detained in Beirut and who may be at risk for extradition to Algeria.
Your subcommittee met with Senator Ringuette and considered her request at great length. After serious reflection, your subcommittee agreed to recommend that the request not be approved.
Your subcommittee is not convinced that an advocacy role on behalf of an individual constituent falls within the guidelines which were adopted by the Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration as the basis on which international travel requests are to be assessed. Your subcommittee is reluctant to establish such a precedent.
Respectfully submitted,
GÉRALD J. COMEAU
Chair
Senator Comeau answered questions.
It was moved by Senator Comeau that the Eighth Report of the Subcommittee on the Review of Committee Budgets and International Travel be adopted.
The questions being put on the motion, it was resolved in the affirmative.
At 9 a.m., the committee proceeded in camera.
At 10 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
ATTEST:
Gary W. O'Brien
Clerk of the Senate and Clerk of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Lucie Lavoie
Recording Secretary