Senate unveils new expense disclosure model and online attendance records
Ottawa — Continuing to show its commitment to transparency, efficiency and accountability, the Senate made its new disclosure model available to Canadians online today.
The new disclosure model provides more detail and uniformity in the quarterly disclosure of senators’ expenses.
The new disclosure model provides far more information, including the following:
- Details of the travel expenses of individual senators and Senate House Officers (Speaker and leaders), including the purpose of the visit, the itinerary and the type of traveller (e.g. senator, staff member, dependent).
- Detailed breakdowns of service contracts awarded for senators, including the nature of the contract, the name of the supplier, the contract period and the original contract value, as well as any amendments to the contract.
- Details of the hospitality expenses of individual senators and Senate House Officers, including the purpose of the hospitality event, the name of the provider and the number of guests.
Quarterly expense information will be hosted on the Senate of Canada’s website. Expenses will be published within 60 days of the end of the quarter in which they were processed.
The new model does not include expenses incurred while on committee or parliamentary association business. Expenses related to Senate committees are reported at the end of the fiscal year and tabled in the Senate. Expenses related to travel taken by parliamentary associations are tabled in the Senate and the House of Commons shortly after each visit.
Senators’ attendance records will also be available on the Senate’s website as part of the Senate’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
The Senate’s attendance register, a public document that has been available for public consultation in paper format, will now be available online.
Overall, these changes offer Canadians greater access to information about their senators and their expenditures and attendance of their senators.
Quotes
“Canadians deserve to know how their money is being spent so they can hold their representatives to account. The new proactive disclosure model and online publication of senators’ attendance records will make it easier for Canadians to see how the Senate works to serve them. They demonstrate our continuing commitment to transparency and accountability.”
— Senator Leo Housakos, Chair of the committee
“The Senate’s new disclosure model shows that we have made increasing transparency a priority. Canadians expect robust accountability mechanisms from their politicians; we invite them to make use of the new tools we have placed at their disposal.”
— Senator Jane Cordy, Deputy Chair of the committee
Associated Links
For more information, please contact:
Jacqui Delaney
Communications Advisor, Director of Parliamentary Affairs
Office of Senator Leo Housakos
613-996-2796
jacqui.delaney@sen.parl.gc.ca
Matthew Ryan
Regional Assistant
Office of Senator Jane Cordy
613-995-8409
matthew.ryan@sen.parl.gc.ca
