THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON INTERNAL ECONOMY, BUDGETS AND ADMINISTRATION
EVIDENCE
OTTAWA, Thursday, June 5, 2025
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration met this day at 9 am [ET], pursuant to rule 12-17(1), to consider financial and administrative matters; and in camera, pursuant to rule 12-7(1), to consider financial and administrative matters.
Senator Lucie Moncion (Chair) in the chair.
[Translation]
The Chair: Hello, everyone. Welcome to this meeting of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy. My name is Lucie Moncion. I’m a senator from Ontario and I have the privilege of chairing the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration.
[English]
Before we begin, to support the smooth operation of committee proceedings, the following guidelines must be observed by all participants to help prevent audio feedback. Consult the cards on the table for guidelines to prevent audio feedback incidents. Keep your earpiece away from all microphones at all times. Microphones must not be touched. Activation and deactivation will be managed by the console operator. Avoid handling your earpiece while the microphone is active. Earpieces should either remain on the ear or be placed on the designated sticker at each seat. Thank you all for your cooperation.
I would now like to go around the table and ask my colleagues to introduce themselves, starting on my left.
Senator Loffreda: Good morning. I’m Senator Tony Loffreda from Montreal, Quebec.
[Translation]
Senator Saint-Germain: Hello. Raymonde Saint-Germain from Quebec.
[English]
Senator Boyer: Yvonne Boyer, Ontario.
Senator LaBoucane-Benson: Patti LaBoucane-Benson, Treaty 6 territory, Alberta.
[Translation]
Senator Forest: Hello. Éric Forest, Gulf senatorial division, Quebec.
[English]
Senator Boehm: Peter Boehm, Ontario.
[Translation]
Senator Audette: [Innu-Aimun spoken]
[English]
Senator MacAdam: Jane MacAdam, Prince Edward Island..
Senator Tannas: Scott Tannas from Alberta.
Senator Moodie: Rosemary Moodie, Ontario.
Senator Osler: Gigi Osler, Manitoba.
Senator Fridhandler: Daryl Fridhandler, Calgary, Alberta.
Senator Smith: Larry Smith, Hudson, Quebec.
Senator Quinn: Jim Quinn, Saint John, New Brunswick.
Senator Francis: Brian Francis, Epekwitk, P.E.I.
Senator MacDonald: Michael McDonald, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
[Translation]
Senator Seidman: Judith Seidman from Montreal, Quebec.
Senator Carignan: Hello. Claude Carignan from Quebec, Mille Iles.
Senator Housakos: Leo Housakos from Montreal, Quebec.
Senator Dalphond: Pierre Dalphond, De Lorimier senatorial division, Quebec.
[English]
The Chair: I would also like to welcome all those who follow our deliberations across the country.
[Translation]
Honourable senators, the first item on our public agenda is the consent agenda. As a reminder, the items on the consent agenda are not controversial, but do require our approval. For these items, a briefing note, a form and another supporting document are submitted in advance, but no presentation is required.
For today’s meeting, the consent agenda includes the following item: the minutes of the December 4, 2024, meeting, which was held in public and in camera. Honourable senators, do you have any questions or concerns about the minutes of proceedings in your notes? Thank you.
Can someone move the following motion:
That the consent agenda be adopted.
Senator Forest: I so move.
The Chair: Senator Forest moved the motion. Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: The motion is carried.
The second item on the agenda refers to the information items. This week, there are two information documents. They are the report of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure on the decisions reported to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy; and secondly, the report of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure regarding the biannual exemptions to the Senators’ Office Management Policy and other policies.
Honourable senators, do you have any questions or comments on those documents? If not, thank you.
[English]
Colleagues, we are now at Other Items. Are there any questions we need to address in public?
We will now suspend briefly so that the clerk can make sure we are in camera. Before that, I would like to remind everyone that the meetings of this committee are, for the most part, public. The committee only goes in camera to discuss sensitive matters such as salaries, contracts, contract negotiations, labour relations, and personnel and security matters. The Standing Senate Committee on Internal Economy Budgets and Administration wishes to be as transparent as possible in the important work it does. I would ask the clerk to inform the committee members once we are in camera.
(The committee continued in camera.)