QUESTION PERIOD — Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Business of the Committee
November 23, 2023
My question is for the Chair of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration.
Madam Chair, how much do Senate operations cost during those fifteen-minute or hour-long breaks for voting? Do you have that information?
Thank you for the question, Senator Mégie. I don’t have that information, but I can get it for you.
All I can tell you is that, while the bell is ringing, all senators and staff are waiting for the sitting to resume. That’s probably 150 to 200 people waiting, so there would be salary and overtime costs.
We can ask the administration people. They might be able to give us more exact numbers.
I would like to ask a follow-up question of the Chair of the Internal Economy Committee, if she would take one. Thank you.
Perhaps when you do that, Senator Moncion, you could also find out what the impact and implications would be of having a 15-minute bell or an immediate vote when there are committees meeting and senators are not available to come here because we have duties right across the entire Parliamentary Precinct. Maybe you could explain, when you do explain the numbers, some of the reasons why we have a one-hour bell versus an immediate vote or a 15-minute bell. Thank you.
There is no answer right now, so we will look into it and bring an answer back to Senator Plett.
