THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON INTERNAL ECONOMY, BUDGETS AND ADMINISTRATION
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
OTTAWA, Thursday, November 25, 2021
(01)
[English]
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration met this day at 11:31 a.m., in room C128, Senate of Canada Building, the Chair, the Honourable Sabi Marwah presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Bovey, Carignan, P.C., Dawson, Dean, Duncan, Jaffer, Gagné, Marwah, Massicotte, Moncion, Oh, Plett, Saint-Germain (13).
Other senators present: The Honourable Senators Dalphond, Omidvar (2).
Participating in the meeting: Pascale Legault, Chief Corporate Services Officer and Clerk of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration; Gérald Lafrenière, Interim Clerk of the Senate and Clerk of the Parliaments and Chief Legislative Services Officer; Philippe Hallée, Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel; senior Senate officials and other support staff.
Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.
WITNESSES:
Senate of Canada:
The Honourable Senator Lucie Moncion, Chair, Subcommittee on the Senate Estimates;
The Honourable Senator Donald Neil Plett, Chair, Subcommittee on Long Term Vision and Plan;
Pierre Lanctôt, Chief Financial Officer, Finance and Procurement Directorate;
Nathalie Charpentier, Comptroller and Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Finance and Procurement Directorate;
Shaila Anwar, Clerk Assistant, Committees Directorate;
Anne Burgess, Senior Parliamentary Counsel, Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel;
Isabel-Andrée Lavigne, Director, People, Culture and Inclusion, Human Resources Directorate;
Geneviève Garneau, Senior Advisor, Talent Management, Human Resources Directorate;
Caroline Morency, Director General, Property and Services Directorate;
Marc-André Roy, Parliamentary Counsel, Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel.
Ernst & Young LLP:
Suzie Gignac, Partner, Assurance;
Celina Salamani, Senior Accountant, Assurance Service.
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.
The Chair introduced all senators that were present.
The Chair paid tribute to the Honourable Senator Forest-Niesing, who passed away on November 19, 2021.
CIBA/2021-11-25/001(P) – Adoption of Minutes of Proceedings from June 10, 2021 (public)
The committee considered the Minutes of Proceedings from June 10, 2021 (public).
The Honourable Senator Dean moved that the Minutes of Proceedings of Thursday, June 10, 2021 (public), be adopted.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2021-11-25/002(P) – Report from the Subcommittee on the Senate Estimates
The Chair of the Subcommittee on Senate Estimates, the Honourable Senator Moncion, presented the Ninth Report of the subcommittee as follows:
Thursday, November 25, 2021
The Subcommittee on Senate Estimates of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to present its
NINTH REPORT
Your subcommittee has approved the audited Financial Statements of the Senate of Canada for the year ended March 31, 2021. The audit was conducted in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards by the professional services firm of Ernst & Young, LLP.
The audit resulted in an unqualified auditor’s report indicating that the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Senate of Canada as at March 31, 2021, and the results of its operations, the change in net financial position, the change in net debt and its cash flows for the years then ended in accordance with Canadian public sector accounting standards.
Your subcommittee recommends that these financial statements adopted and tabled in the Senate.
Respectfully submitted,
LUCIE MONCION
Chair
The Honourable Senator Moncion and Pierre Lanctôt each made a statement.
Suzie Gignac answered questions.
At 11:42 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 11:43 a.m., the committee resumed in camera, pursuant to rule 12-16. (1).
At 11:45 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 11:47 a.m., the committee resumed in public.
CIBA/2021-11-25/003(P) – Report from the Subcommittee on the Senate Estimates – Main Estimates 2022-2023
The Chair of the Subcommittee on Senate Estimates, the Honourable Senator Moncion, presented the Eleventh Report relating to the Main Estimates for 2022-2023.
The Honourable Senator Moncion made a statement and, together with Pierre Lanctôt, answered questions.
Senators raised the issue of the need to review the process for economic increases for senators’ staff and the chair took the matter under advisement.
It was agreed that a mid-year review of the budget be undertaken to analyze the status of inflation and the impact it may have on the budget.
After debate, the Honourable Senator Moncion moved that the Eleventh Report from the Subcommittee on Senate Estimates relating to the Main Estimates for 2022-2023 be adopted and that it be presented in the Senate.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
It was agreed that item 4 be deferred to the next committee meeting.
CIBA/2021-11-25/004(P) – CIBA vs. AOVS – Roles and Responsibilities
The chair made a statement and answered questions regarding the division of roles and responsibilities between CIBA and the new Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight (AOVS).
After debate, the Honourable Senator Moncion moved:
That the recommended division of roles and responsibilities be approved; and
That the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel, in consultation with the Committees Directorate, be instructed to draft consequential amendments to the SARs in order to implement these recommendations.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
CIBA/2021-11-25/005(P) – Training Expense Reimbursement
Geneviève Garneau made a statement regarding a proposed amendment to the Senator’s Office Management Policy for training and education programs for senators and their staff.
After debate, the Honourable Senator Dean moved:
That the Senators’ Office Management Policy (SOMP) be amended by adding the following after section 5.2.6:
“5.2.7 Notwithstanding paragraph 2.4.2d, senators’ staff member may, with their senator’s written approval, request a cash advance to cover the cost of their registration, tuition, and/or training material.
An agreement between the Senate and the staff member, through which the staff member undertakes to reimburse the Senate fully should the course not be successfully completed, must be signed before a cash advance payment can be made to the staff.”
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
It was agreed that item 7 be deferred to the next committee meeting.
CIBA/2021-11-25/006(P) – Travel Decision for the Joint Interparliamentary Council (JIC)
Senator Dawson made a statement regarding allowing parliamentarians to participate in in-person preparatory meetings for the upcoming Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie Conference.
CIBA/2021-11-25/007(P) – Fall Forward Agenda from the Subcommittee on Long Term Vision and Plan
The chair made a statement regarding the fall forward agenda of the Subcommittee on Long Term Vision and Plan this fall.
It was agreed that item 10 to 12 be deferred to the next meeting.
At 11:42 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 11:43 p.m., the committee resumed in camera, pursuant to rule 12-16. (1).
At 1:24 p.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
Keli Hogan
Recording Secretary