THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON INTERNAL ECONOMY, BUDGETS AND ADMINISTRATION
EVIDENCE
OTTAWA, Thursday, May 28, 2026
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration met this day at 8 a.m. [ET] pursuant to rule 12-7(1), to consider financial and administrative matters; and, in camera, pursuant to rule 12-7(1), to consider financial and administrative matters.
Senator Tony Loffreda (Chair) in the chair.
[English]
The Chair: Good morning. My name is Tony Loffreda. I am a senator from Montreal, Quebec, and I have the privilege of chairing the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration.
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. Allow me to go through it, even though most of you have heard it many times, but it’s important.
Please consult the cards on the table for guidelines to prevent audio feedback incidents. Always keep your earpiece away from all microphones.Microphones must not be touched. Activation and deactivation will be managed by the console operator. Avoid handling your earpieces 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 like to acknowledge that the land on which we gather is on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation and is now home to many other First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples from across Turtle Island.
I’d now like to go around the table and ask my colleagues to introduce themselves.
Senator MacDonald: Michael MacDonald, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
Senator Ataullahjan: Salma Ataullahjan, Ontario.
Senator Greenwood: Margo Greenwood, beautiful British Columbia.
Senator Boyer: Yvonne Boyer, Ontario.
[Translation]
Senator Clement: I am Bernadette Clement from Ontario.
[English]
Senator Karetak-Lindell: Nancy Karetak-Lindell, Nunavut.
Senator MacAdam: Jane MacAdam, Prince Edward Island.
Senator Moodie: Rosemary Moodie, Ontario.
Senator Mohamed: Farah Mohamed, Ontario.
[Translation]
Senator Forest: Good morning. I am Éric Forest from the Gulf division, in Quebec.
[English]
Senator Boehm: Peter Boehm, Ontario, and I’m not a witness.
Senator Bernard: Wanda Thomas Bernard from Nova Scotia, Mi’kmaq territory.
Senator Pate: Kim Pate, and I live here on the unceded, unsurrendered and unreturned territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe.
Senator Audette: [Innu-aimun spoken.]
Michèle Audette, Quebec — beautiful Quebec, we remember.
Senator Ross: Krista Ross, New Brunswick.
Senator Osler: Senator Flordeliz Osler, Manitoba.
Senator Downe: Percy Downe, Charlottetown, P.E.I.
[Translation]
Senator Quinn: I am Jim Quinn from New Brunswick.
[English]
A hopeful Montreal fan.
[Translation]
Senator Oudar: I am Manuelle Oudar from the wonderful province of Quebec.
Senator Henkel: Danièle Henkel from the wonderful province of Quebec.
[English]
The Chair: Welcome to you all.
I would also like to welcome all those who follow our deliberations across the country.
[Translation]
Colleagues, our first item is the consent agenda, for approval. As a reminder, the items on the consent agenda are not controversial but do require our approval. A briefing note, form or other supporting document is submitted ahead of time for these items, but no presentation is required.
For today’s meeting, we have the following three items on the consent agenda: the minutes of proceedings from April 30, 2026 (in public and in camera); the request for proposal for the printing paper supplier; and the pilot project for the designation of a committee room at 1 Wellington Street.
Honourable senators, do you have any questions or concerns on any of these items? I need a mover for the following motion:
That the consent agenda be approved.
[English]
Senator Moodie: I move the motion.
[Translation]
The Chair: Senator Moodie moves the motion. Honourable senators, is it your pleasure to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Okay.
The Chair: Seeing no objections, I declare the motion carried. Thank you.
[English]
The next item is a report from the Subcommittee on Senate Estimates and Committee Budgets concerning a committee budget request from the Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples. As usual, this presentation will be followed by time for questions.
It is my understanding that Senator Forest will make opening remarks. Senator Audette, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples, and Sébastien Payet, Procedural Clerk of the Committee, are present and available to answer any questions relating to the budget request and the committee’s financial policy.
[Translation]
Senator Forest, the floor is yours.
The Hon. Éric Forest: Honourable senators, I have the honour to present the ninth report of the subcommittee, which deals with the budget request of the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples. The committee requested $26,250 for the Voices of Youth Indigenous Leaders 2026 event.
Since 2016, the committee has been inviting First Nations, Métis and Inuit youth to Ottawa for various learning and networking sessions, meetings with senators and senior officials, and a committee appearance.
Your subcommittee recommends approving this budget request, which we consider highly relevant.
Senator Audette will be here to brilliantly answer any questions you may have.
The Chair: Thank you, Senator Forest.
Do we have any questions for our colleagues?
[English]
It is moved by the Honourable Senator Forest that the ninth report of the Subcommittee on Senate Estimates and Committee Budgets be adopted. Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Seeing no objections, I declare the motion carried. Thank you.
[Translation]
The third item is a letter from the Joint Interparliamentary Council requesting an increase in funding for parliamentary associations. The Honourable Senator Saint-Germain will make this presentation. Jeremy LeBlanc, Clerk Assistant and Director General, International and Interparliamentary Affairs, will help the senator answer questions. As usual, this presentation will be followed by a question period.
Senator Saint-Germain, welcome. You may begin your presentation.
The Hon. Raymonde Saint-Germain: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good morning, colleagues. Thank you for welcoming me here today. As the chair pointed out, I’m joined by the Clerk Assistant and Director General, International and Interparliamentary Affairs.
I’m appearing today to seek the committee’s approval to increase the Joint Interparliamentary Council budget envelope for the 2026-27 fiscal year and subsequent fiscal years.
[English]
Allow me to first provide some brief context. Canada currently has 13 parliamentary associations that play a vital role in representing the Parliament of Canada internationally. To fully carry out this mandate, these associations must have adequate resources. This enables them to take part in key meetings, make Canada’s voice heard and exert meaningful influence while continuing their essential work in parliamentary diplomacy.
However, following the 2026-27 budget allocation exercise, many association chairs and members expressed clear concerns. Current budgets are insufficient. This situation has already led to a reduction in activities and in the number of delegates, limiting Canada’s ability to advance its interests and influence decisions.
[Translation]
In this regard, I applaud this committee’s decision to seriously consider, through its Subcommittee on Senate Estimates and Committee Budgets, the JIC’s recommendation to allow senators to use travel points when travelling to U.S. destinations other than Washington and New York. This measure would provide greater flexibility for the few associations that travel there regularly, but it would not be enough to bridge the financial gap.
Several factors support the request before you today.
To start with, the JIC envelope of $4.3 million hasn’t been changed since 2017-18 despite high inflation. Meanwhile, contributions required to participate in multilateral bodies, such as the NATO Parliamentary Assembly or the Inter-Parliamentary Union, have increased significantly from $1.39 million to nearly $2 million. In the notes provided to you, you’ll find a table that very clearly explains this increase and breaks it down by year. Since these contributions are taken from the JIC envelope, this increase directly reduces the funds available for association activities.
[English]
Next, I must insist on the impact of cumulative inflation of approximately 24% since 2017-18, which has substantially diminished the real value of the budget envelope. If an indexing mechanism similar to that applied to several other parliamentary budgets had been in place, the Joint Interparliamentary Council, or JIC, envelope would now stand at over $5.3 million. The gap between that figure and the current budget clearly illustrates an erosion of financial capacity and helps explain the pressures we are seeing today. The JIC is, therefore, putting forward two recommendations to address these key challenges, and the decision was made unanimously.
[Translation]
First, the Joint Interparliamentary Council is requesting a permanent increase of $628,250, an amount that reflects the growth in international contributions since the last increase nine years ago. According to the established ratio of 30/70—the Senate’s share being 30% and the House of Commons’ share being 70%—the Senate’s share would be $188,475 and the House of Commons’ share would be $439,775.
Second, to prevent this from happening again in a few years, the JIC recommends an annual adjustment to its overall budget envelope, starting in 2027-28, so starting next budget year, and based on the consumer price index. This would reflect the approach taken to mitigate the impact of inflation on other parliamentary budgets.
Finally, I’d like to express my sincere appreciation for your ongoing support for the work of parliamentary associations. I look forward to answering your questions with the invaluable assistance of our clerk.
The Chair: Thank you, Senator Saint-Germain. Honourable senators, do you have any questions or comments regarding the two options before us?
[English]
Senator Osler: Thank you very much, senator, for the presentation.
In regard to the initial request to increase the budget and then subsequent years, is that the amount needed to maintain the current level of bilateral and multilateral interparliamentary associations? Should this increase be granted, is there room to consider more bilateral or multilateral associations?
I ask that because I know there are some friendship groups with aspirations to elevate to an association. Certainly, there are countries or multilateral groups with growing economies and economic blocks that Canada would benefit from increasing our parliamentary diplomacy and association.
Is there room in this increase for the consideration of new associations in the future?
Senator Saint-Germain: Thank you, senator. I will be blunt. The answer is no. These amounts are strictly to cope with inflation and re-establish the level of activity that we had to diminish significantly this year.
[Translation]
Senator Osler: Thank you.
Senator Quinn: We are at a stage in our history where our Prime Minister is developing new relationships with countries around the world, while establishing a new relationship with the U.S. I think it’s very important for our association to assist and help our Prime Minister. Our country’s strategy is to have strong relations; the work of our parliamentarians is very important in building relationships.
[English]
I think this is very important work that the associations do, and we should be doing everything that we can to help parliamentarians build momentum amongst other legislators and businesses to help our Prime Minister establish those new relationships that he’s working very hard on.
I’m very much in support of what you’re proposing.
[Translation]
Senator Forest: Thank you for the presentation and for the very important work you’re doing. I have two questions. Do we sometimes end a fiscal year with a surplus? If so, what happens to it? Does it go back into the consolidated fund? I’ll have a second question afterwards.
Senator Saint-Germain: Yes. Every year there’s what I would describe as a modest surplus, which is returned to the consolidated fund, in accordance with the government’s budget rules. That said, this small surplus is almost inevitable. There are surpluses in all areas. Why is that? Because at the end of the year, there are certain planned activities that can’t be carried out. Sometimes, some senators can no longer travel. There are normal and usual situations, and, to that end, I would say the JIC’s surplus or unspent funds are less than those of senators’ offices. The average budget usage rate for senators’ offices over the past five years has been 73.3%, versus 91.8% for associations.
I must say the budgets are rigorously managed, thanks to the team and the associations’ secretary. Despite inflation costs, many associations have tried to maintain their budget, including when it comes to air travel costs. All kinds of measures have been taken, such as massive ticket purchases or no business class trips, even for long distances. That’s all taken into consideration. Despite those measures, inflation and rising association budget costs have caught up with us.
Senator Forest: My second question relates to the reality between friendship groups and interparliamentary associations. Associations rely on an increase they didn’t want. Regardless of the association, Canada’s share is increasing, and we have to incur expenses that aren’t based on travel or activities. How is this reality taken into account between interparliamentary associations, some of whose expenses depend on the international association, and friendship groups whose activities line up with our own program of activities?
Senator Saint-Germain: Thank you for your question. There are two elements here. Friendship groups are not funded by the JIC, so there’s no impact on funding, unless some friendship groups would like to become interparliamentary groups to receive funding. Otherwise, friendship groups have no impact on funding.
Furthermore, increasing membership costs for associations — I’m thinking of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, and especially multilateral associations — have an impact on the funding of all associations’ activities because, if you want to be a member, you have no choice but to pay your membership. This means you have to take from the overall budget to pay those membership costs, at the outset, for activities, which ultimately has an impact on all activities. Our request for $628,250 is to guarantee funding for membership fees, which will help stabilize the level of activity of all associations.
Senator Forest: One of the main reasons for the requested increase is the increase in membership fees for a multilateral association —
Senator Saint-Germain: The Inter-Parliamentary Union, NATO, the OSCE and the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, all associations Canada is already a member of, have all substantially increased their fees.
Senator Forest: Thank you.
[English]
Senator Boehm: Thank you, Senator Saint-Germain, for all of your work on this and on JIC over the years. I have two questions and one comment.
First, do we know what the thinking is in the Board of Internal Economy, or BOIE, in the other place, and is that something that should concern us?
Second, and perhaps this is for Mr. LeBlanc, has there been any consideration in terms of looking at airfare calculations in the most economical way possible? Because sometimes the projections in the past have been on full-fare business class, and that takes up a lot of budget. That’s more of a housekeeping issue.
My final point is basically following on Senator Osler and Senator Quinn and Senator Forest. At some point, there has to be consideration where all of these interparliamentary associations are going. Some are funded which, in my opinion, should be examined; others should be considered for funding. In particular, picking up on Senator Quinn’s point, our relationships are increasing with certain parts of the world and certain countries, reflecting on, for example, the big announcements made yesterday by Germany, one of our largest partners. We have an unfunded group there, and this is something on which we can build. I have a built-in bias on that country, but, still, it is there, and it is something that, for a future time, we should consider. Thanks.
Senator Saint-Germain: Thank you, Senator Boehm, for your great questions.
On the first one, I will not answer a political question, but the BOIE will be meeting on June 11 on the same request. That gives me the opportunity to say that, on this decision, the Senate will be bound by the House decision. If the House says no, we cannot go further because 30% of the budget is not sufficient, and it’s not possible that only senators would travel on the airfare.
I will defer, as you would like, to Jeremy, but before that, I will respond regarding preoccupations on the funding, many efforts are made by the associations to save money in order to have more participants in more activities or, in certain cases, more participants in fewer activities.
Actually, you’re referring to both things, some kind of evaluation over the years and rationalization, which are important, and the second point is needed development. Where can we go? With which countries and with which international organizations could we now focus more and do more?
This is a concern for the JIC. We’re planning to reflect on this and make some proposals. Obviously, for the time being, we are also insisting on multilateral or regional organizations or associations, such as Canada-Europe, for instance. Short of having bilateral associations with many countries, we insist on Canada-Europe. We have issues with Canada-U.S. We’ve seen many complaints regarding the recent cuts and rightly so. We want to focus on this as well. Many issues require us to take some distance and study it. It is the plan and, on this, we really concur with you.
On the airfare, Jeremy, I would defer to you.
Jeremy LeBlanc, Clerk Assistant and Director General, International and Interparliamentary Affairs: Thank you very much, senator. Indeed, the cost is the most significant portion of what is spent on activities. It is between 60% and 66% each year of what the JIC spends on activities.
The rule for class of travel follows the same rules as the National Joint Council. For trips that are beyond nine hours, people are entitled to fly in business class, but many associations would choose to fly in either economy or premium economy class, even for those long-haul flights, as a way of saving some money. I know a number of associations make that choice. I would mention that those rules are stricter than the rules that individual parliamentarians have for their own travel in many cases.
One of the best ways to save money on the cost of airline tickets is to purchase them as far in advance as possible. In that respect, many associations are somewhat dependent on decisions of the whips, the facilitators, the folks who decide which delegates get to travel. The sooner we have those approvals and the sooner those people are identified, the sooner we can purchase the tickets and usually at a lower price.
Certainly, in the past, the JIC had encouraged the people making those decisions to make them as efficiently as possible in order to allow us to purchase tickets at lower prices.
Senator Downe: I have two quick questions, given the size of the list. Is JIC considering increasing the fees for membership from $50 to a higher amount, given that the $25 was there for decades? And, second, a major expenditure is the fee for being members of international organizations. For example, at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, or OSCE, in which I’ve been involved for years, Canada’s fee was 240,000 euros a couple of years ago. Azerbaijan’s fee is 2,000 euros.
The reason for that is, after the Soviet Union broke up, all these former Soviet countries came in at a very low fee. Fast-forward years, they haven’t increased their fee. It is an association with over 50 countries, and Canada is paying 5%. We have tried for years to have them adjust it. In typical Canadian fashion, we’ve been very polite and nice, and we just get lip service on it. We have to bring in a hammer on some of these international fees to allow more funding for parliamentarians to participate.
Senator Saint-Germain: To your second question — I will answer that one first — Canada must be present to influence those decisions, and you are right. Those fees are increasing. I will also give the example of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the IPU; it’s a very high amount. They have many activities. We need to be there to influence and also to influence the good management, the good funding of these associations. It’s really important.
Can you remind you what your first question was about?
Senator Downe: The $25 to $50, are we going higher?
Senator Saint-Germain: Oh, yes. First, I want to commend you on this because you are the one who first made the recommendation to the JIC to —
Senator Downe: I think I moved $100, but it only went to $50.
Senator Saint-Germain: We want to go progressively because we need to not lose too many members. But you’re right; your first recommendation was for $100. So we have doubled it, as of this year, from $25 to $50. It is worth looking at this for next year when we are planning the budget. Thank you.
Senator Ataullahjan: Thank you, Senator Saint-Germain. I will just refer to the IPU, as Senator Downe was just referencing. A few years ago, Canada asked for a reduction because we were paying high fees. We did manage to reduce it by 10%. But as someone who has travelled, you’ve seen that delegations have gotten smaller, and the workload has increased.
Now, Canada is looking to build on relationships and diversify. It’s more important now than ever that we have a presence there. Those of us who have been there in recent years have seen many of the European countries coming to Canada with their concerns about our neighbour and asking how we’re dealing with it. Our message is always that we’re open for business.
At the recent conference in Istanbul, Senator Ross was also there, and we had many people asking about Canada and the opportunities here.
I’m very supportive, like you, Senator Quinn, of the request. Thank you.
Senator Saint-Germain: I share your comments. You’re right; the IPU is very important. That is why part of the request for increase is for funding our addition to the IPU. But, that said — and I’m glad that you raised it — even at the IPU, Mr. McGuinty, now minister, and yourself, as vice-president, have insisted on rationalization and stricter management of some budgets and activities. We should continue to do that. The IPU will still be able to function. I know that the European countries, the 12-plus group, share our views on this as well.
[Translation]
Senator Audette: My points were raised with the current government, which is developing a lot of relationships. I hope that will also be reflected in the associations or new associations.
I’d like us to keep in our archives that there are certain movements that, beyond asking for grants, call for consistency with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. Many of us are in different parliaments, including the Senate.
I’d like some reassurance this budget won’t be rigid in the coming years to ensure Canada has the capacity to establish an international parliamentary association of Indigenous peoples. Thank you.
Senator Saint-Germain: To that end, I’d like to commend our colleague’s efforts with ParlAmericas. I’m also thinking of Senator Galvez’s efforts, but in particular Senator Greenwood’s efforts to create an Indigenous caucus within ParlAmericas. We also need to connect with the existing associations where there are Indigenous parliamentarians. You raise a very valid point.
Senator Audette: Thank you.
[English]
Senator Pate: Thank you to our witnesses.
To follow up on some of the questions, Senator Boehm’s question in particular, Women Political Leaders is taking an incredible leadership position internationally on so many germane issues. It has been a group that many of us have paid our own way in order to go participate in the meetings. To their credit, they’ve made a lot of things available online, like their upcoming Paris meeting about artificial intelligence. Given the composition and gender makeup of our Senate, it strikes me that it’s a group we should be looking at.
I’d like to endorse Senator Downe’s position that we also look at increasing the rates of participation and membership in these committees and really examine which other groups we are a part of. It seems like we’re sticking to a model that is decades old and not actually moving forward in a way that the new or “regenerated” Senate might like to move.
Senator Saint-Germain: That is well noted. I see our clerk is taking notes. It should be part of what we will consider in revisiting our current functioning. Thank you for that.
The Chair: Thank you, senators. It’s always nice to see our witnesses taking notes on the proposals being made here.
Senator Saint-Germain: I hope that you are, as well.
The Chair: I just want to bring back the options back on the table. We have the documents in front of us — page 6 of 6, item 3. Would you like me to read the two options, or do you have the options there?
The first option would be the budget increase option. It is recommended that CIBA and BOIE approve a permanent increase of $628,250 to the parliamentary association’s budgetary envelope for the fiscal year 2026-27 to be allocated according to the established 30-70 split, meaning $188,475 for the Senate and $439,775 for the House of Commons. That’s part one — a budget increase option. I think it was well presented. For 10 year, there has been no adjustment on that.
The second is the ongoing adjustments based on inflation. It is further recommended that CIBA and BOIE approve an annual adjustment starting in 2027-28 to the JIC’s overall budgetary envelope based on the Consumer Price Index, CPI, in alignment with the approach adopted by CIBA and BOIE to mitigate the impact of inflation on other parliamentary budgets.
Those are the two options before us. BOIE will be meeting on June 11, so this may influence the BOIE decision. We also have the option to wait for BOIE to make the decision, and come back and make our decision after BOIE. We can propose today, if I have a senator who wants to propose a motion, and we’ll vote on the proposed motion.
Those are the options.
Senator Quinn: I propose the motion to support the recommendations.
The Chair: Is it option 1 only?
Senator Quinn: Option 1 and 2.
[Translation]
The Chair: Senator Quinn moves the motion.
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Yes.
The Chair: I see no objections, so I declare the motion carried. Thank you.
[English]
To clarify, we do have to wait for the BOIE decision for this to come into effect. That’s clear to everybody. We’ll wait for that BOIE decision.
[Translation]
Thank you, Senator Saint-Germain and Jérémy.
[English]
Moving on, the next item on the agenda is the creation of a Subcommittee on Diversity. Senators, you will recall that, at our last meeting, Senator Moodie introduced a motion to re-establish the Subcommittee on Diversity. At that meeting, it was decided that further consultation was necessary. I understand that a meeting took place on Tuesday between Senators Oudar, Moodie and Boyer, the Clerk of the Senate and the Director of Human Resources. In light of this, I will turn the floor over to Senator Moodie so she can move the appropriate motion.
Senator Moodie: Thank you, chair. Pursuant to the mandate provided by CIBA at our last meeting, Senators Boyer, Oudar and I met with the Clerk of the Senate and the Director of Human Resources, as you’ve heard. Following careful consideration, the senators reached a consensus recommending that the motion I moved on April 30 be adopted as it stands. I will now read that motion for members:
That a Subcommittee on Diversity be established and authorized to examine and report on issues of diversity in the Senate workforce;
That the composition of the subcommittee be as follows: two Honourable Senators from the Independent Senators Group (ISG); one Honourable Senator from the Canadian Senators Group (CSG); one Honourable Senator from the Conservative Party of Canada; and one Honourable Senator from the Progressive Senate Group (PSG);
The following senators were named as members of the committee:
The Honourable Senators Moodie, Boyer, Osler, Ataullahjan and Henkel.
That the subcommittee be required to report from the committee from time to time; and
That the mandate respecting diversity in the Senate workforce be removed from the Subcommittee on Human Resources.
I want to reassure senators on the committee and in the room that the membership of the Subcommittee on Diversity may be changed in accordance with rule 12-5. The process is quite simple. I understand from the clerk that the leader, the facilitator or a designate may file a notice with the clerk of the Subcommittee on Diversity. It’s an administrative change that can move forward as leaders reflect more carefully on the membership they have already selected. The names you’ve been given can change with a small amount of administrative effort.
With that, I am moving the motion that sits in front of you.
Senator Quinn: I second it.
The Chair: Thank you, Senators Moodie and Quinn, and all those involved in reaching this consensus.
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Senator Downe: Chair, I have a comment on the documents. I notice that various groups are listed for special consideration and concern. I notice that those members of the Canadian Armed Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police released for medically reasons because of their service to Canada are missing from that. We have various groups listed. We have Indigenous women, persons with disabilities and so on, but we’re missing that.
I raise that for consideration by Senator Moodie and the rest of the committee.
As you know, the Government of Canada has priority hiring for those who have been injured in the Canadian Armed Forces or the RCMP during their service to Canada. They go on a priority hiring list. Currently, in the Senate, as of last year, out of the 493 full-time equivalents, we had 6 former Canadian Armed Forces members. Apparently, 1 of them was medically released. That number, in my opinion, is shockingly low. We should be doing much better, and it should be given special emphasis by this committee.
That’s my comment for consideration.
The Chair: Thank you, Senator Downe, for that important note.
Senator Moodie: I thank Senator Downe for that important note.
As I said, the leadership has provided the names that you see in front of you on this motion, and we will certainly be working with them to ensure that, as we move forward, there is an increased focus on the diversity of this group. Thank you.
The Chair: This will be an important subcommittee and encompass many different groups. Thank you for that.
Colleagues, is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Seeing no objections, I declare the motion carried. Thank you.
Senators, the next item relates to items that were sent for information purposes only. This week, three documents were sent for information purposes only. They are the following: A letter to the Victoria Forum from the Speaker and myself; the 2025 Annual Report on the Senate Harassment and Violence Prevention Policy; and the 2025 Annual Report on Occupational Health, Safety and Wellness.
Senators, I wish to inform you that we have already received a response from the Victoria Forum. They understood the concerns raised in our letter and will ensure they do not use our logo or refer to the event being co-hosted by the Senate of Canada on their material.
Do you have any comments or questions on the three documents provided for information purposes?
Colleagues, are there any other items we need to discuss in public?
[Translation]
We will now briefly suspend the meeting so the clerk can ensure we’re in camera.
Before we do so, I’d like to remind everyone that CIBA meetings are most often held in public. It’s only when the committee deals with sensitive topics such as salaries, contracts and contract negotiations, labour relations and personnel or security matters that meetings are held in camera. The committee wants to be as transparent as possible about the important work it does.
I would ask the clerk to inform committee members when we’re in camera.
(The committee continued in camera.)