CIBA - Standing Committee

Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration

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44-1 44th Parliament, 1st Session (November 22, 2021 - January 6, 2025)
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THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON INTERNAL ECONOMY, BUDGETS AND ADMINISTRATION

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Thursday, October 6, 2022
(13)

[English]

The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration met this day at 9:00 a.m., in room C128, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Lucie Moncion, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Boniface, Bovey, Carignan, P.C., Dawson, Forest, Gagné, Loffreda, Marshall, Moncion, Moodie, Plett, Saint-Germain, Seidman, Tannas and Woo (15).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senator Deacon (Nova Scotia) (1).

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.

WITNESSES:

The Honourable Senator Patricia Bovey, Chair, Artwork and Heritage Advisory Working Group;

The Honourable Senator Colin Deacon, Chair, Advisory Working Group on Environment and Sustainability;

The Honourable Elizabeth Marshall, Deputy Chair, Subcommittee on the Senate Estimates and Committee Budgets;

The Honourable Senator Rosemary Moodie, Chair, Subcommittee on Diversity;

Toni Francis, Chief Human Resources Officer, Human Resources Directorate;        

Josée Labelle, Director General, Property and Services Directorate;

Julie Lacroix, Director, Corporate Security Directorate;

Pierre Lanctôt, Chief Financial Officer, Finance and Procurement Directorate (by videoconference);

Prescilla Pivkine, Advisor, Talent Management, Human Resources Directorate.

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 made a statement.

The Chair introduced all senators that were present.

CIBA/2022-10-06/146(P) – Adoption of Minutes of Proceedings from September 22, 2022 (public)

The committee considered the Minutes of Proceedings from September 22, 2022 (public).

The Honourable Senator Bovey moved that the Minutes of Proceedings of Thursday, September 22, 2022 (public), be adopted.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

CIBA/2022-10-06/147(P) – Report from the Advisory Working Group on Environment and Sustainability

The chair of the Advisory Working Group on Environment and Sustainability, the Honourable Senator Deacon, presented the working group’s First Report as follows:

Thursday, October 6, 2022

The Advisory Working Group on Environment and Sustainability of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to present its

FIRST REPORT

Your advisory working group, which was authorized by the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration (CIBA) to examine the feasibility of implementing environment and sustainability programs and to oversee the request for proposals to secure external expertise, now presents its first report.

Senate of Canada Net Zero 2030 Project

Background

On March 29, 2022, the Senate of Canada unanimously adopted a Senate of Canada Environmental and Sustainability Policy Statement with the following objective:

The Senate of Canada is committed to reducing the Senate’s carbon footprint to net zero by 2030 and to implement sustainable practices in its operations. Achieving this goal requires a whole-of-organization approach which prioritizes reduction of outputs and utilizes standard leading emission offsets. The road to net zero will include quantifiable regular reporting on progress towards target. These actions are to demonstrate leadership as an institution on climate action, to encourage accountability of federal institutions and to inform the legislative process.

CIBA approved the former Advisory Working Group on Environment and Sustainability’s Report to CIBA on February 10, 2022. Recommendation 9 of this report stated: That CIBA approve to immediately initiate the process for selecting an external expertise entity on environment and sustainability through a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP). The final RFP document will be presented to CIBA for cost approval prior to being released.

The previous Advisory Working Group ceased to exist when its mandate from CIBA expired on December 31, 2021. The current Advisory Working Group on Environment and Sustainability was created on April 28, 2022, through a CIBA motion. Since its creation, the group has moved forward to seek pertinent information through an RFI process and carefully draft a proposed RFP, with the assistance of the Finance and Procurement Directorate, in order to solicit external expertise for the Senate on the road to net zero.

Progress to Date

 The activities of the Advisory Working Group are now focused on two distinct yet intertwined areas. First, the group has been authorized to examine the feasibility of implementing a range of environment and sustainability programs at the Senate. Second, the group has been mandated to oversee the Request for Proposal process to secure external expertise in accordance with recommendation 9 of the afore-mentioned report. These two areas will be discussed here, in turn.

1)      Environment and sustainability programs

The working group has been authorized to examine the feasibility of implementing programs to establish:

(a) an accountability framework and annual reporting cycle;

(b) the promotion of climate-friendly transportation policies and reduced travel;

(c) enhanced recycling and minimizing waste;

(d) a digital-first approach and reduction in printing;

(e) support from central agencies to allow the Senate to charge carbon offsets as part of operating a sustainable Senate; and

(f) a process for senators and their offices to propose environmental and sustainability recommendations.

The working group examined each of these items in consultation with the relevant stakeholders in the Senate Administration and has a number of observations. First, it has agreed that a recommendation for item (a), an accountability framework and annual reporting cycle, should be the purview of the external expert, once they are in place. Similarly for item (c) enhanced recycling and minimizing waste, the working group is of the view that the Senate consider a recommendation from the external expert regarding enhanced programs.

Regarding item (b), promotion of climate-friendly transportation policies and reduced travel, the working group identified an opportunity for the Senate to offer a hybrid work environment for staff members where feasible, to reduce the carbon footprint of building occupancy and commuting.

Item (d), a digital-first approach and reduction in printing is already underway in the Senate Administration. The working group has requested that the Administration compile statistics on the amount of printing currently done at the Senate, in order to establish a baseline and consider potential targets for further reduction.

As for item (e), the group is pleased to report that this summer, consultations took place between the Senate’s Finance and Procurement Directorate and the Treasury Board Secretariat on the possibility of support from central agencies to allow the Senate to charge carbon offsets as part of operating a sustainable Senate. The Senate received confirmation that it has the authority to buy carbon offsets. The working group is of the opinion that it would be important to wait for the final report from the consultant and have required Senate policy changes in place before launching a formal process to use those offsets.

Finally, (f) a process for senators and their offices to propose environmental and sustainability recommendations is underway through the proposed creation of a “Green Team” to represent senators’ offices, which aims to have broad representation of staff, complementary to ongoing Green Team efforts that exist in the Senate Administration. These individuals would be the “champions” in their respective caucus/groups to coordinate environmental and sustainability recommendations to provide to the working group.

In sum, working group members are of the view that establishing accurate baseline measurements (for categories like recycling, printing, or commuting, for example) would be a vital first step before implementing formal programs. As such, the group agrees that the Senate would benefit from informed recommendations from the external expert on the feasibility of implementing programs, once the consultant is secured through the RFP process.

This approach would also ensure that environment and sustainability activity undertaken across the institution – and any future programs established – would be formalized, quantified, and thus accurately included as contributing activities in reducing Senate emissions.

2)      External Expertise: Senate of Canada Net Zero 2030 Project

The Advisory Working Group on Environment and Sustainability has been mandated to oversee a competitive procurement process to secure external expertise to catalogue, benchmark and develop an on-going measurement approach for total carbon footprint of Senate activities and provide recommendations to achieve targets.

The external expert would advise on best practices for how to implement an internal accountability structure with regular reporting using recognized industry standards. This would also support evidence for cost-effective measures to reduce the carbon footprint of the institution.

Once the Senate’s carbon footprint is benchmarked, it will be better equipped to develop a long-term plan that will reduce its environmental impact and track whether the actions taken will achieve these goals effectively and cost-efficiently.

a)       Request for Information

In summer 2022, the Senate issued a Request for Information for research and planning purposes in determining a potential Statement of Work to Achieve a Net Zero Senate of Canada by 2030. The RFI received strong interest, with submissions from eight companies. Feedback from the RFI has been analyzed to inform the proposed RFP.

b)      Request for Proposals

To achieve the objective of reducing overall GHG emissions, the Senate of Canada will request a detailed proposal from applicants that demonstrates understanding, expertise and experience in developing innovative and cost-efficient strategies on emissions cataloguing and benchmarking, implementing medium and long-term strategies for reducing total emissions, and applying well-established industry standards.

The RFP: Senate of Canada Net Zero 2030 Project proposes to divide the work required in to three phases, and to take approximately 12 months to complete in its entirety.

Phase 1 would consist of Benchmarking, Data Collection and Analysis of Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions. (As defined in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol: “Scope 1 emissions are the GHGs produced directly from sources that are owned or controlled, for example, from the combustion of fuels in vehicles or in heating buildings. Scope 2 GHG emissions are those generated indirectly from the consumption of purchased energy (electricity, heating and cooling). Scope 3 GHG emissions are indirect emissions resulting from an organization’s operations.” For example, travel.)

The emissions of the Senate largely fall into three areas: travel, buildings, and operations. While much of the emissions data already exists, further data will need to be sourced from parliamentary partners and internally at the Senate. Upon completion of the GHG inventory and data analysis, the contractor would deliver a bilingual written report on the Senate’s GHG emissions, including an analysis of the Senate’s Scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions, a forecast of the Senate’s Scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions levels until 2030, and a preliminary outline for an effective net zero implementation plan.

Phase 2 would be Developing net zero targets and implementation plan. In this phase, the contractor would develop GHG emissions reduction targets for the entire Senate of Canada, evaluate the existing emission reduction initiatives in the Senate and explore potential new initiatives, and develop a clear roadmap which outlines incremental, sequential plans to fulfill the Senate's intended goal of net zero. This roadmap would identify required investments, both in equipment and technology, to achieve this goal.

Phase 3 would be Tracking and sustaining progress towards net zero. In this phase, the contractor would propose a formalized approach for a regular reporting regime to track progress against the established targets identified in Phase 2. This would include proposing available software products, systems, or processes to facilitate the Senate’s tracking and reporting in a cost-effective and reliable manner. Recommendations would be provided to the Advisory Working Group and CIBA.

The company selected for this work would first need to meet a number of mandatory criteria, including demonstrated ability and experience in emissions reduction for organizations, bilingualism, and references.

The value of this RFP contract, if awarded by the Senate, will be publicly disclosed on the Senate website, through its regular quarterly reporting. The advisory working group welcomes this transparency.

RECOMMENDATION

Your advisory working group recommends that CIBA approve the proposed RFP for the Senate of Canada Net Zero 2030 Project, along with the following target dates, in order to reduce the Senate’s carbon footprint to net zero by 2030 and to implement sustainable practices in its operations.

Timelines:

Stages

Target Date

CIBA approval sought for RFP

October 6, 2022

RFP released

October 12, 2022

RFP closed

November 15, 2022

Interviews

November / early December 2022

Contract award

Late December 2022 / early January 2023

 

Respectfully submitted,

COLIN DEACON

Chair of the Advisory Working Group

The Honourable Senator Deacon made a statement and, together with Pascale Legault, answered questions.

After debate, the Honourable Senator Moodie moved that CIBA authorize the creation of a microsite for the Advisory Working Group on Environment and Sustainability as part of its communication strategy.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

CIBA/2022-10-06/148(P) – Report from the Subcommittee on Diversity

The chair of the Subcommittee, the Honourable Senator Moodie, presented the subcommittee’s First Report as follows:

Thursday, October 6, 2022

The Subcommittee on Diversity of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to present its

FIRST REPORT

Your subcommittee, which was authorized by the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration (CIBA) to examine and report on issues of diversity in the Senate workforce, now presents its first report.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Senate of Canada’s role is to defend regional interests and to give a voice to often-underrepresented groups like Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, minorities and women. The Senate provides an important forum for diversity to be discussed and debated at the national level.

Fostering a culture that is respectful, inclusive and embraces diversity within the Senate and its administration is crucial to ensuring the Senate workforce is reflective of the diverse nature of Canada. It is also critical to ensuring that all members of the Senate community are able to work in an environment that fosters their perspective, productivity and potential, and that they feel valued, included and empowered to reach their potential regardless of their background.

The Subcommittee on Diversity (the Subcommittee) was established by the Senate Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration (CIBA) with the broad mandate to examine and report on issues of diversity in the Senate workforce. In carrying out this work, the Subcommittee concluded that implementing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the Senate is a pressing matter that needs to move beyond discussion to action.

Efforts to enhance DEI in the workplace require a connection and understanding of the environment and the people within it. The Subcommittee acknowledges that this is a challenging time to implement such measures, as the Senate emerges from the pandemic and employees return to on-site work, and resume in-person interactions that will shape the institution’s future culture on diversity and inclusion.

As such, the Subcommittee suggests that the recommendations in this report be considered and implemented in a flexible manner, as workplace culture continues to evolve the coming months and years. The timelines suggested throughout this report are reasonable but subject to a reassessment as senators, employees and senators’ staff incrementally return to in-person work.

To prepare the recommendations in this report, the Subcommittee examined the work recently completed by the Advisory Working Group on Diversity and Inclusion Training (“AWG”). In April 2021, the AWG was established by the Senate Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration to examine issues related to racism, diversity and inclusion training in the Senate.

To guide its discussions, the Subcommittee carefully considered the recommendations made in the AWG’s final report, An Internal Scan of the Senate of Canada on Diversity and Inclusion. The Subcommittee’s recommendations focus on providing practical solutions that can be implemented in the short, medium and long-term. Within the context of the current Senate, the recommendations in this report aim to:

  • Facilitate the collection of baseline data regarding the Senate workforce, so progress can be measured, and targets can be established
  • Provide appropriate resources to implement a robust DEI program
  • Ensure inclusive hiring and recruitment practices
  • Provide guidance on DEI training and learning opportunities

RECOMMENDATIONS

RECOMMENDATION 1 —INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT

That the Senate of Canada contract an external provider to conduct an independent assessment of the issues relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Senate of Canada.

RECOMMENDATION 2 — WORKFORCE SURVEY

That the Senate of Canada conduct a survey of its workforce that collects disaggregated demographic data and asks questions related to inclusion on a three-year cycle.

RECOMMENDATION 3 —DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION STAFF

That the Senate Administration hire staff whose sole focus will be the institution’s performance on equity, diversity, and inclusion.

RECOMMENDATION 4—RESOURCES

That the Senate dedicate adequate resources to fund diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the institution.  

RECOMMENDATION 5—HIRING CRITERION

That the Senate Administration examine its hiring criterion related to education and seek to remove barriers that reinforce discrimination based on class and other forms of economic marginalization.

RECOMMENDATION 6—LEARNING FOR NEW SENATORS AND STAFF

That basic diversity, equity and inclusion learning be imbedded into onboarding for senators and staff and repeated on a cyclical basis.

RECOMMENDATION 7 —LEARNING FOR SENATORS, EMPLOYEES AND SENATORS’ STAFF

That there be basic learning, training and development opportunities for all senators, Senate Administration employees and senators’ staff. In the near term (6-12 months), the curriculum for diversity, equity and inclusion training and development, be determined with the input of senators, staff, and members of the Senate Administration. Due to limited internal resources these opportunities may be offered and developed by an external entity to respond to near term needs.

RECOMMENDATION 8 —CONTENT OF LEARNING AND TRAINING

That the Human Resources Directorate in consultation with senators, and staff, should seek to offer a suite of both traditional and experiential, diversity, equity and inclusion learning, training and development opportunities on an ongoing and non-mandatory basis. 

These opportunities should seek to:

  • Build knowledge: e.g., diversity of Canada, principles found in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act, Accessible Canada Act and the Employment Equity Act, and the values of the Senate of Canada.
  • Build awareness: e.g., racism, colonialism, disability, discriminatory behaviour.
  • Build skill: e.g., psychological safety.

RECOMMENDATION 9 —REGULAR TRAINING FOR HUMAN RESOURCES

That Human Resources staff undergo regular diversity, equity and inclusion learning, training, and development as part of their responsibilities.

 

PART I: BACKGROUND

A.      Advisory Working Group on Diversity and Inclusion Training

On April 1, 2021, CIBA established an Advisory Working Group on Diversity and Inclusion Training (“AWG”) to examine and report on issues relating to racism, diversity and inclusion training and to report their findings and recommendations to the Subcommittee on Diversity. On October 29th, 2021, the AWG’s final report, An Internal Scan of the Senate of Canada on Diversity and Inclusion, was referred to the Subcommittee on Diversity, during the dissolution period before the start of the 44th Parliament.

The report of the AWG proposed a whole-of-organization approach with 22 recommendations, all with a goal of making the Senate a more diverse and inclusive workplace.

B.      Process

On February 10, 2022, the Senate Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration (CIBA) re-established its Subcommittee on Diversity, with a mandate “To examine and report on issues of diversity in the Senate workforce.”

The Subcommittee met six times to consider the AWG’s report since its reestablishment.

The Subcommittee consulted with the Legislative Sector and the Human Resources Directorate (HR) to determine which authority (the Senate, CIBA, HR) held the appropriate mandate to consider and/or implement the recommendations made in this report.

Based on these discussions and after careful analysis, the Subcommittee is proposing nine of the AWG’s 22 recommendations for CIBA’s consideration. Implementing these recommendations will require further study by CIBA in some cases, and further consultation with senators and approval of the Senate in other cases.

The Subcommittee also inquired about timelines, progress-to-date and resources required for each recommendation. For a complete summary of these findings, see Appendix I. 

C.      Meeting with the Chief Human Resources Officer

On May 13 and June 3, 2022, Toni Francis, Chief Human Resources Officer, Human Resources Directorate, met with the Subcommittee.

She described that HR’s current diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) approach has focused on ad hoc initiatives established to comply with legislative requirements under employment equity and raising institutional awareness of DEI.  Ms. Francis stated that a cohesive strategy with clear objectives would be more effective in moving the Senate and Administration beyond basic compliance, into a state where DEI is embedded in the fabric of the Senate’s work culture and practices.

Ms. Francis described a three-year plan that HR is in the final stages of preparing. In year one of this plan, HR will collect baseline data. Ms. Francis indicated that a self-identification campaign is planned for the coming months, with the intention of building an understanding of the current makeup of the Senate Administration.  Before any further work can be initiated, HR needs to compile data and create a dashboard by which success can be measured. 

In years two and three, HR will concentrate on building additional peer support networks and equipping employees with tools and building on wellness initiatives. At this stage, HR will also aim to build the capacity to carry out all its work through a DEI lens. In year three, HR will measure performance and determine the success of DEI initiatives.

The plan focuses on four pillars: 

  • Accountability and Measurement;
  • Integration and Alignment;
  • Awareness and Skill-building; and
  • Employee Engagement.

Ms. Francis also provided her perspective on the AWG’s recommendations. To describe the current context of DEI in the Senate, Ms. Francis highlighted where progress has been made on the recommendations, such as the development of new recruitment strategies that target underrepresented groups. She also noted areas where little or no progress has been made; for example, she noted that there are currently no employees that work full-time on DEI.  [See Appendix I for a full summary of progress on each recommendation.]

D.      Areas of Inquiry

Regarding the AWG recommendations, the Subcommittee requested Ms. Francis comment on the following questions:

  • Has progress been made on any of these recommendations?
  • What linkages exist between the recommendations?
  • When considering the recommendations, which would be considered short, medium and long-term?
  • How do the recommendations relate to what HR is currently trying to achieve?
  • In terms of the wording of the specific recommendations, the following questions have arisen:
    • Why would an external provider be contracted to conduct an independent assessment?  Does HR have the resources to do that internally?
    • Why would a survey be conducted on an annual basis?  What is a more reasonable interval for conducting such a survey?
    • Would it be meaningful or helpful for HR to have dedicated resources to work on diversity and inclusion?
    • Should all recommendations regarding learning and training on training be grouped together?
    • Is recommendation regarding psychological safety within the mandate of DVSC or should it be considered by the Subcommittee on Human Resources (HRRH) and specific to the Senate Harassment and Violence Prevention Policy?

The responses to these inquiries are woven throughout this report and summarized in Appendix I.

 

PART II: SUBCOMMITTEE OBSERVATIONS

The following chapter discusses the Subcommittee’s observations and corresponding recommendations.

A.      External Assessment

To establish baseline knowledge and data regarding DEI in the Senate, the Subcommittee considered contracting an external provider to conduct an independent assessment on DEI matters in the Senate. The Subcommittee asked Ms. Francis to explain why an external provider would be beneficial and whether HR currently has the resources to carry out an assessment internally.

Ms. Francis explained that an external provider would bring neutrality and objectivity to an assessment and could identify gaps that may be overlooked by internal staff. Ms. Francis also noted that HR does not currently have the capacity to conduct the assessment. She added that contracting an external provider would be dependent on CIBA approval for funding.

In the Subcommittee’s view, any external provider must understand the culture of the Senate and should have experience working within a parliamentary system.

As such, the Subcommittee recommends:

Recommendation 1:

That the Senate of Canada contract an external provider to conduct an independent assessment of the issues relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Senate of Canada.

B.      Data collection

The Subcommittee discussed the importance of regular data collection on DEI-related matters in the Senate. Currently, HR collects demographic information upon hire. Ms. Francis indicated that a self-identification campaign is planned for the coming months, to build an understanding of the current environment in this Senate.  This survey is confidential, but it is not anonymous, which allows HR to aggregate data to report on the composition of different employment categories.

The Subcommittee noted the challenges associated with such surveys, as some people may misidentify and accuracy may be difficult to validate.

The Subcommittee also considered a reasonable interval for conducting a survey of the Senate workforce. Ms. Francis indicated an annual survey may not hold much value as the composition of the workforce may not change significantly over the course of a year. She added that an annual survey would require significant time and resources from HR. She recommended a three-year cycle would be more effective and HR would be better able to provide timely analysis and respond to the findings/share results with surveyed staff.

As such, the Subcommittee recommends:

Recommendation 2: 

That the Senate of Canada conduct a survey of its workforce that collects disaggregated demographic data and asks questions related to inclusion on a three-year cycle.

C.      Resources

The Subcommittee inquired about the resources required to develop and maintain effective DEI programming.  Ms. Francis noted that there are currently no resources dedicated specifically to DEI, and HR is using existing resources that are also assigned to other HR services.  A dedicated resource would significantly support HR’s ability to advance DEI goals.  

The Subcommittee recognizes that for DEI initiatives to become effective, embedded and sustainable within the Senate, an appropriate investment in resources (human and financial) is required for its development, implementation and maintenance. As such, the Subcommittee recommends:

Recommendation 3:

That the Senate Administration hire staff whose sole focus will be the institution’s performance on equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Recommendation 4:

That the Senate dedicate adequate resources to fund diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the institution. 

D.      Hiring and recruitment

The Subcommittee heard that minimum education requirements listed on job postings can act as a barrier for entry into the Senate workforce. The Subcommittee heard that changes to the requirements on job postings may help attract candidates from underrepresented groups.  For example, removing the requirement of a “university degree” and more broadly requiring “equivalency combined with education” can significantly broaden the pool of candidates, according to Ms. Francis.

Ms. Francis noted that partial progress has been made in modernizing hiring and recruitment practices from a DEI lens. HR carefully considers language used in job postings and reviews postings to determine if the requirements, merits and qualifications for positions are reasonable. Other than for some positions requiring very specific expertise, background and accreditations, HR’s current practice has been to accept equivalent education and experience in lieu of a post-secondary degree.

HR is currently revising its Senate Administration Talent Acquisition Policy. Ms. Francis will present the revised policy to the Executive Committee during the fall of 2022.

Ms. Francis also said that HR regularly expands recruitment methods. Specifically, HR has increased efforts to hire individuals with different abilities and disabilities, recent immigrants and Indigenous Youth [See Appendix I].

To attract a broader pool of candidates for employment opportunities in the Senate, the Subcommittee recommends:

Recommendation 5:

That the Senate Administration examine its hiring criterion related to education and seek to remove barriers that reinforce discrimination based on class and other forms of economic marginalization.

E.       Learning

Developing organizational competence regarding DEI is an important step in building a culture of respect and understanding. To support increased awareness and knowledge, the Subcommittee discussed learning opportunities that could be offered to Senators, employees of the Administration and Senators’ staff.

The Subcommittee agreed that for DEI learning to be effective, facilitators must be knowledgeable and sensitive to the culture of the Senate. Learning objectives must be clear and target the specific needs of the institution.

Ms. Francis told the Subcommittee that a single training course may not be conducive to the type of learning DEI requires. She proposed, rather, offering a suite of ongoing, voluntary learning opportunities.

Ms. Francis explained that individuals need time and space to “digest” information before moving on to the next topic. She recommended that learning opportunities be offered in stages, as foundational knowledge, and awareness of DEI is necessary prior to learning about more specific topics, such as racism, colonialism and discriminatory behaviour.

The Subcommittee also discussed psychological safety training, which identifies mental health risks and reduces associated harms in the workplace. Ms. Francis said that it would be best assigned to the Occupational Health, Safety and Wellness portfolio and that it will be addressed in plans for a wellness initiative being developed over the next fiscal year. Ms. Francis noted that HR is considering offering training on psychological first aid which will help employees respond to a mental health crisis. 

Regarding DEI learning in the Senate, the Subcommittee recommends:

Recommendation 6:

That basic diversity, equity and inclusion learning be imbedded into onboarding for senators and staff and repeated on a cyclical basis.

Recommendation 7:

That there be basic learning, training and development opportunities for all senators, Senate Administration employees and senators’ staff. In the near term (6-12 months), the curriculum for diversity, equity and inclusion training and development, be determined with the input of senators, staff, and members of the Senate Administration. Due to limited internal resources these opportunities may be offered and developed by an external entity to respond to near term needs.

Recommendation 8:

That the Human Resources Directorate in consultation with senators, and staff, should seek to offer a suite of both traditional and experiential, diversity, equity and inclusion learning, training and development opportunities on an ongoing and non-mandatory basis. 

These opportunities should seek to:

  • Build knowledge: e.g., diversity of Canada, principles found in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act, Accessible Canada Act and the Employment Equity Act, and the values of the Senate of Canada.

  • Build awareness: e.g., racism, colonialism, disability, discriminatory behaviour.

  • Build skill: e.g., psychological safety.

Recommendation 9:

 That Human Resources staff undergo regular diversity, equity and inclusion learning, training, and development as part of their responsibilities

Your subcommittee has also appended to this report a chart providing additional context from the Senate Human Resources Directorate on each recommendation

Respectfully submitted,

ROSEMARY MOODIE

Chair

The Honourable Senator Moodie made a statement and, together with Toni Francis, answered questions.

After debate, it was agreed that the adoption of the report be deferred to a future meeting and that additional information be provided to the committee, including targets and funding.

CIBA/2022-10-06/149(P) – Self-identification campaign

Toni Francis made a statement and answered questions regarding the Senate self-identification campaign.

CIBA/2022-10-06/150(P) – Report from the Subcommittee on Subcommittee on Senate Estimates and Committee Budgets

The deputy chair of the Subcommittee on Senate Estimates and Committee Budgets, the Honourable Senator Marshall, presented the subcommittee’s Eighth Report as follows:

Thursday, October 6, 2022

The Subcommittee on Senate Estimates and Committee Budgets of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to present its

EIGHTH REPORT

Your subcommittee recommends the release of the following amounts for fiscal year 2022-23:

Foreign Affairs and International Trade (AEFA)
(Special study on foreign relations and international trade generally)

General Expenses $4,000
Activity 1: Fact-finding to Global Affairs Canada (Ottawa). $480
Total $4,480

(includes funds for 12 senators and 1 senators’ staff to travel)

Foreign Affairs and International Trade (AEFA)
(Special study on Canadian foreign services)

Activity 1: Fact-finding to Washington, DC (USA) $60,442
Total $60,442

(includes funds for 12 senators and 1 senators’ staff to travel)

The total funds available for all of 2022- 2023 will be $2,382,000, less $500,000 for witness expenses, leaving $1,882,000 for release for individual committee budgets.

Before today, the total amount of funds recommended for release for the current fiscal year was $964,744 (for three committee travel activities, one conference and three general expenses budgets). Today’s recommended release (for two committee travel activities and general expenses) brings us to a total of $1,029,666, leaving $852,364 for the remainder of the fiscal year.

The budgets approved by the Senate for each travel activity are the maximum amount that can be spent for that activity. Budgets often include funds for the full membership of the committee to travel. In general, a reduced delegation travels, and efforts are made to find additional savings. Therefore, actual expenditures are expected to be considerably below the approved budget, and they will be reported to the Senate.

To date, total expenditures and commitments are at $361,240, however some of the travel activities are still underway or only recently completed, so this number is expected to rise slightly. As in past years, the subcommittee notes that typically, actual expenditures are closer to 40% of a committee’s total budget request. Any funds remaining at the conclusion of a travel activity will be clawed-back and can be made available for allocation to committees for other activities.

Copies of each committee’s budget application are appended to this report.

Respectfully submitted,

ELIZABETH MARSHALL

Deputy Chair

The Honourable Senator Marshall made a statement regarding the Eighth Report.

After debate, the Honourable Senator Marshall moved that the subcommittee’s Eighth Report be adopted.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

CIBA/2022-10-06/151(P) – Report from the Subcommittee on Subcommittee on Senate Estimates and Committee Budgets — Quarterly Financial Reports (Q1)

The deputy chair of the Subcommittee on Senate Estimates and Committee Budgets, the Honourable Senator Marshall, tabled the subcommittee’s Ninth Report as follows:

Thursday, October 6, 2022

The Subcommittee on Senate Estimates and Committee Budgets of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has the honour to table its

NINTH REPORT

Your subcommittee received the financial highlights for the first quarter for the fiscal year 2022-23.  Accordingly, your subcommittee has approved and now tables the attached Quarterly Financial Report of the Senate of Canada for the quarter ended June 30, 2022.

Respectfully submitted,

ELIZABETH MARSHALL

Deputy Chair

The Honourable Senator Marshall made a statement regarding the Ninth Report.

After debate, the Honourable Senator Marshall moved that as per the division of responsibilities between CIBA and the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight (AOVS), the financial highlights for the first quarter for the fiscal year 2022-23 be shared with the members of the AOVS.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

CIBA/2022-10-06/152(P) – Report from the Advisory Working Group on Artwork and Heritage Assets

The chair of the Artwork and Heritage Advisory Working Group, the Honourable Senator Bovey, presented the working group’s Second Report as follows:

Thursday, October 6, 2022

The Advisory Working Group on Environment and Sustainability (AHAWG) of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration (CIBA) has the honour to present its

SECOND REPORT

On February 10th, 2022, the AHAWG was reestablished and authorized to: 

That the Artwork and Heritage Advisory Working Group be established and authorized to exercise delegated authority, acting on behalf of the committee on matters related to the Senate Policy on Heritage Assets and Works of Art;

That the advisory working group be composed of 4 senators working collectively;

That the advisory working group be empowered to elect a chair;

That the advisory working group be required to submit an annual plan for purchase, disposal, repair and restorations of heritage assets and works of art and a related annual financial forecast to the committee for approval; and

That the advisory working group be required to report its decisions and recommendations to the committee on a quarterly basis.

Membership of the advisory working group is:

  • The Honourable Senator Ataullahjan;
  • The Honourable Senator Bovey;
  • The Honourable Senator Moodie; and
  • The Honourable Senator White.

Your AHAWG now reports as follows:

Cultivating Perspectives

The Second round of essays by Canada’s curators from all parts of the country and representing diversity and museological experience, are now posted on the Senate Website. These are proving to be very well received and are reaching Canadians with positive effect while allowing museum professionals to engage in the work of the Senate. At our recent meeting we agreed that going forward we would continue to invite 13 curators a year, but rather than one per province and territory, we would make invitations by regions: Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Prairies and BC – this will give us a better balance reflecting the numbers of curators within those regions.

Honouring Canada’s Black Artists

We will move to our third installation, but this has been slowed given the increase in shipping fees so we are looking to include works close to Ottawa in Western Quebec.

Museums at the Senate

The Inuit installation from the Winnipeg Art Gallery, our first, has now been returned and I thank the Winnipeg Art Gallery and senate staff for their work in making this first installation the success it was. Again, however, given the increase in shipping fees we are scaling back the number of works to be included and we will announce the participating museum this fall.

Visual Voices

The current installation of Roberta Bondar and Ed Burtynsky runs through the fiscal year, and we will look at the key issues in the Chamber before determining its next iteration.

Copyright/Exhibition Fees

Following a review of the Copyright Act and of the legal advice provided by the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel, exhibition rights under the Copyright Act likely extend to artistic works displayed to the public in the Senate.  As a result, AHAWG strongly believes the Senate should pay any applicable exhibition fees to artists who lend us art for public display. It is important for the Senate to uphold the rights of artists.

Collection

Acquisitions

Our Committee approved three new donations of Artwork and Heritage pieces.

 

The AHAWG has accepted three new donations into the Senate’s Artwork and Heritage Collection:

  1. The Honourable Sir Alexandre Lacoste’s Speaker‘s Chair donated by former Senator Serge Joyal.  Lacoste served as a Senator from 1882-1891 and was Speaker in 1891. It was the practice prior to 1923 for the Senate to commission a new chair for each Speaker who would keep the chair on his retirement.
  2. The Accounts and Vouchers Box from 1878, used to store and transport paper documents in Parliament. The Clerk of the Senate was responsible for the Senate’s Accounts and Vouchers, and this will be installed outside the Clerk’s office.
  3. Senator Forest-Niesing’s Ribbon skirt, made by her mother to the Senator’s specifications and with the material selected by her. We are borrowing a display case from the National Gallery of Canada and it will be installed early in 2023.

Collection Review

The Senate owns, and cares for works which have not been designated over the years as being ‘in’ the Collection and we are currently assessing these pieces to give them proper designation. Those we have recommended to be incorporated in the Collection are:

  1. Theophile Hamel: PORTRAIT OF SIR EDMUND WALKER HEAD, 1860, oil on canvas. This work was donated to the Legislative Council of Upper Canada by the artist in 1861. The sitter was Governor General of British North America from 1854-1861. The artist is an important Quebec portrait artist.
  2. A chair from the original Senate Chamber prior to the 1916 fire. Made of walnut and leatherette by William Drum of Quebec it was originally purchased for the original Senate Chamber.
  3. Woolsack, dating prior to 1889, made of wool, was manufactured for the Senate. It was used by Supreme Court justices for the opening of Parliament. It is now on loan to the Winnipeg Art Gallery.
  4. Desk, East Block, dating from 1830-1860 was made in wood with metal feet by Foulevers and Loach and Clarke.
  5. Mace Cabinet, made in the 1920s by Castle & Son of walnut and ebony, is still in use.
  6. Table, designed by Centre Block architect J. A Pearson and made by Castle & Son c. 1920.
  7. Writing Desk, 2001, based on the design of a desk which survived the 1916 fire. For many years it was used for new senators to sign their Declaration of Qualification.
  8. Side Table, Speaker’s Chair, 2003 was manufactured for use in the Senate following the design of the one made in 1923.
  9. Sideboard, 2001, commissioned by Speaker, the Honorable Daniel Hays based on the design of those in the House of Commons.

Deaccessioning

With the new policies for the AHAWG in place and approved by CIBA your advisory group has begun the process of reviewing and recommending deaccession of various holdings. The committee has commenced with official dinnerware no longer in use. We have determined that the Senate will retain two sets of the no longer used official tableware of the Speaker of the Senate. Those will be added to the Senate’s Artwork and Heritage Collection. We agreed to contact museums in the region of the Speaker who acquired the sets as recipients of those we no longer need. At our meeting we discussed five groupings and approved Curator Tamara Dolan to take first inquiries for reporting to our next meeting with the aim of full deaccessioning to take place in the spring of 2023.

  1. Tableware from 2008, made in England, featuring a gold and red rim with the arms of Canada in the top center.  We will recommend keeping 18 pieces and deaccessioning 364. It is believed these were used by Speaker Gildas Molgat, so we will approach Musée St Boniface, his home region, the Manitoba Museum and the Canadian Museum of History to ascertain their interest in receiving some pieces.
  2. Tableware purchased in 1952 and used until 2008 were made in England and feature a gold rim and the arms of Canada and the Speaker of the Senate. It is recommended that we retain 31 pieces and work to deaccession 391. These were purchased by Speaker Beauregard and local museums will be contacted as will the Canadian Museum of History.
  3. Silver Serving Dish engraved with ‘Speaker Senate’. We have three, will keep the two in the best condition.
  4. Glasses, commercially made and never part of the Speaker’s Official tableware, thus not meeting the requirement for retention. There are four for deaccession.
  5. Silverware not part of the Speaker’s Official tableware and engraved with House of Commons. We suggest they be returned to the House of Commons.

Recommendation

That the above report be approved and that the Curator proceed with steps to deaccessioning those pieces noted in this report for final deaccessioning in the Spring of 2023.

Respectfully submitted,

Patricia Bovey                   Salma Ataullahjan            Rosemary Moodie          

Chair                                     Member                               Member                              

 

The Honourable Senator Bovey made a statement regarding the Second Report.

After debate, the Honourable Senator Bovey moved that the advisory working group’s Second Report be adopted.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

It was agreed that item 6, 8 and 9 be postponed.

CIBA/2022-10-06/153(P) – Sole Source Contract – Lock Renewal

Julie Lacroix made a statement regarding a sole sources contract for security locks.

At 10:35 a.m., the committee suspended.

At 10:36 a.m., the committee resumed in camera, pursuant to rule 12-16. (1).

At 11:00 a.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

Appendix to the First Report of the Subcommittee on Diversity