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Committees By-Law

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BOARD OF
INTERNAL ECONOMY
COMMITTEES BY-LAW
Current as of April 1, 2012




HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA
COMMITTEES BY-LAW
Interpretation
Guide
1 (1) In this By-law, Financial Management and Policy Guide for Committees means the manual of that name, as amended from time to time, that is issued by the House Administration under the authority of the Board of Internal Economy, that describes the financial management activities and related policies that govern all types of parliamentary committees and that contains the budgets and allowances of parliamentary committees set by the Board of Internal Economy in accordance with section 16 of the Governance and Administration By-law.
Budgets and allowances
(2) For greater certainty, a reference in this By-law to the budgets and allowances set by the Board in accordance with section 16 of the Governance and Administration By-law shall be read as a reference to those budgets and allowances as amended from time to time.
By-law prevails
(3) In the event of any inconsistency between this By-law and any provision of the Financial Management and Policy Guide for Committees or any other administrative manual, this By-law prevails to the extent of the incon- sistency.
Purpose
Financing and administrative matters
2 The purpose of this By-law is to provide for the financing of committees and the administration related to goods or services for committees.
Policy
Liaison Committee
3 On behalf of the Board, the Liaison Committee may establish policies respecting the use of funds allocated to standing committees and standing joint committees.
Interim Budget
Legislative committees and special committees
4 Upon formation, every legislative committee and special committee is allocated an interim budget in an amount set by the Board in accordance with section 16 of the Governance and Administration By-law.
Budget — Standing Committees and Standing Joint Committees
Global envelope
5 (1) At the beginning of each fiscal year, the Board shall allocate a global envelope to the Liaison Committee for the operation of all standing committees and standing joint committees.
Liaison Committee
(2) At the beginning of each fiscal year, the Liaison Committee shall allocate to every standing committee and standing joint committee a budget for its operation.
Additional funds
(3) If a standing committee or standing joint committee needs additional funds during a fiscal year, it shall submit a proposed supplementary budget to the Liaison Committee, which may allocate the additional funds if funds are available in the global envelope.
Budget — Legislative Committees
Proposed budget
6 After it is formed, every legislative committee shall submit to the Board, for approval, a proposed budget for its operation if
(a) it expects to exceed its interim budget;
(b) it has instructions to travel; or
(c) it proposes to retain one or more contractors.
Budget — Special Committees
Proposed budget
7 After it is formed, every special committee shall submit to the Board, for approval, a proposed budget for its operation if
(a) it expects to exceed its interim budget;
(b) it has instructions to travel; or
(c) it proposes to retain one or more contractors.
Budget — Special Joint Committees
Proposed budget
8 After it is formed, every special joint committee shall submit to the Board, for approval, a proposed budget for its operation.
Share of Budget and Expenditures
House of Commons
9 The House of Commons shall bear 70% of the total budget and expenditures of every standing joint committee and special joint committee.
Form and Process for Proposed Budgets
Liaison Committee
10 (1) A proposed budget for a standing committee or a standing joint committee shall be prepared in the form and by the process set by the Liaison Committee.
Board
(2) A proposed budget for a legislative committee, a special committee or a special joint committee shall be prepared in the form and by the process set by the Board.
Contracts
Approval
11 (1) A contract for the provision of goods or services to a committee of the House of Commons, that is approved by the committee to be charged to the committee’s budget, may be entered into
(a) by the chair of the committee; or
(b) by the clerk of the committee, on the condition that the clerk is authorized to do so and subject to any limits on such delegation set by the Board.
Special committee
(2) A contractor retained by a special committee for the provision of goods or services may be retained for up to five days after the committee has reported to the House, if it is necessary for the completion of the business of the committee.
General Rules for Expenditures
Contractor’s fees
12 No committee shall pay a contractor at a fee per day or at a fee per contract, exclusive of expenses, that exceeds the amount set by the Board in accordance with section 16 of the Governance and Administration By-law without the approval of the Board.
Hospitality — standing committees or standing joint committees
13 (1) No standing committee or standing joint committee shall spend more on hospitality than the amount set by the Board in accordance with section 16 of the Gov- ernance and Administration By-law without the approval of the Liaison Committee.
Hospitality — legislative, special or joint committees
(2) No legislative committee, special committee or special joint committee shall spend more on hospitality than the amount set by the Board in accordance with section 16 of the Governance and Administration By-law without the approval of the Board.
Transportation Costs
Reimbursement of costs
14 (1) Members of a committee shall be reimbursed the cost of travel authorized by the committee, in compliance with the standards and subject to the conditions set by the Liaison Committee.
Limit
(2) A reimbursement made under subsection (1) shall not exceed the reimbursement a Member may receive under Division 2 of Part 2 of the Members By-law.
Accommodation expenses
15 In respect of expenses while travelling with or on the business of a committee, for either domestic or international travel, a Member may be reimbursed for the actual accommodation expense, and be reimbursed for meals and incidental expenses, at the per diem rate set by the Board in accordance with section 16 of the Governance and Administration By-law.
Expenses charged to committee budget
16 (1) Subject to subsection (2), the cost of a Member’s transportation and accommodation related to the business of a committee shall be charged to the budget of the committee.
Travel points
(2) The cost of a Member’s transportation shall not be charged to the budget of the committee where the Member has used travel points in accordance with the conditions provided in Division 2 of Part 2 of the Members By-law.
Prorogation or Dissolution
Expenditures
17 (1) Upon prorogation or dissolution of Parliament, no further commitment shall be made for expenditures by a committee.
Contract termination
(2) Despite subsection (1), a contract for the provision of goods or services to a committee shall provide that the contract terminates five days after a prorogation or dissolution of Parliament unless otherwise directed by the Board.
Standing committee budget balance reinstated
(3) After a prorogation, the budget of a standing committee is reinstated at its unused balance if Parliament is reconvened in the same fiscal year.
Legislative committee budget balance reinstated
(4) After a prorogation, the budget of a legislative committee is reinstated at its unused balance if Parliament is reconvened in the same fiscal year, if the legislative committee is reconstituted and if the bill that concerns the committee is reinstated at the last stage completed prior to prorogation.
Special committee budget balance reinstated
(5) After a prorogation, the budget of a special committee is reinstated at its unused balance if Parliament is reconvened in the same fiscal year and if the special committee is reconstituted.

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