QUESTION PERIOD — Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators
Business of Committee
June 20, 2019
Honourable senators, my question is to Senator Andreychuk, the Chair of the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators. First, as a newcomer woman senator, may I offer most sincere appreciation for your leadership for more than 20 years as the doyenne of the Senate.
My question is about how to make the work of the Senate Ethics Officer and staff more understood and more transparent.
The Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators retains its jurisdiction after we adjourn.
If it is so decided, the committee could use the upcoming summer break time for the completion of in-depth research and work by, for example, the Library of Parliament or the Parliamentary Budget Office. Would the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators consider creating a report on the possibility for more directives, which are squarely within the authority of the committee, in terms of information to be included in the Senate Ethics Officer’s annual reporting requirements?
Thank you for the point of confidence in the work that I have done here.
With respect to the report, you know that there is a five-year review under the code and that the committee has been working to review the code and other codes that may pertain to the issue of ethics, both in legislatures and other countries. We have for some time met and reviewed the issues.
It has taken us longer for a multitude of reasons that I’m not going to go into, but imminently we have an interim report that addresses many of the issues that I think are confronting senators now and in the future.
I want to pay tribute to the members of the committee. They have taken this task on very seriously. We have put together rather a lengthy interim report. Unfortunately, for many reasons, we need to vet it with our legal services. You know that the law clerks have had to go through an unusually heavy amendment process, so we have had to defer our work.
We will be filing a major interim report that will cover procedures and some of the issues. It will deal with education for the public, for ourselves and for the community at large.
I think your point will be addressed in our report. I should say that there’s already an undertaking to bring more education out to the public from the Senate Ethics Officer and also from the education base that we need to take, including before we get to be senators so that we understand our obligations. That is being covered. Your suggestion that it be included in an annual report is now on the record and we will take it up in the committee.
Before our mandate expires, the report will be filed here. The committee has the authority to file reports with the Senate during the break until prorogation or a writ is dropped.
I think that senators should expect an interim report that will be quite lengthy and a final report that may be even more lengthy. I hope that will be educational and we will take up the point you have. We intend to meet during the break.
