QUESTION PERIOD — Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Business of the Committee
November 18, 2020
Honourable senators, my question is for the chair of the Internal Economy Committee, Senator Marwah.
From mid-August, when Prime Minister Trudeau prorogued Parliament, until last week, the Senate’s Internal Economy Committee held six meetings. All of those six meetings were held solely by video conference, as specified on the Notices of Meeting. In those meetings, CIBA approved the $100 million Senate financial statements; at long last, payment of $500,000 to the victims of Don Meredith; and the expenditure of millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money.
Senator Marwah, what was your authority to hold those six meetings since prorogation only by Zoom?
Thank you, senator, for that question. I didn’t realize it was six meetings. We’ve been busy, so thank you for reminding me.
You’re right. After prorogation took place, steering did meet and we were concerned about two things. We were very concerned that there were some very urgent issues that had to be dealt with over several weeks. We were also concerned about the pandemic and the fact that we didn’t want to get all the senators in here in person and potentially have them and the staff exposed to the virus.
So steering met. We consulted, if my memory is correct, extensively with the interim Clerk of the Senate and the procedural team. We consulted with the clerk of the committee and the Law Clerk. Based on those deliberations, we came to the conclusion that the best way to proceed is for us to authorize CIBA to use the delegated powers that steering has, to allow CIBA to sit virtually, and that’s what we did. That was basically unanimous at steering, and we conveyed that to CIBA at the next meeting.
So if you look at the process, there was extensive consultation with the experts. It was unanimous at steering, and what we were doing was fully transparent because we communicated that to the Senate. As far as I know, no one really raised any issues at CIBA, and the Conservative caucus was fully present at every single meeting. I hope that helps, senator.
Well, Senator Marwah, thank you for that context, but under the Parliament of Canada Act, CIBA as a committee continues to exist and its membership continues until it’s changed. But the unusual method of meeting for three Senate committees, which was contained in that April sessional order, ceased with prorogation.
In a media article last week, you claimed that the Conservative opposition was putting the Senate at risk by refusing unanimous consent to hold CIBA meetings solely by Zoom, which would have prevented senators from attending in person. But what really puts the Senate at risk, Senator Marwah, is stunningly bad governance.
How can taxpayers in Canada trust the Senate’s wise expenditure of their money when CIBA continued to meet only by Zoom and without proper authority?
I respectfully disagree that we didn’t have the proper authority. And I would point out, if it is bad governance, the Conservative caucus is as much responsible for bad governance as I am, so thank you.
