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Board of Internal Economy meeting

The Agenda includes information about the items of business to be dealt with by the Board and date, time and place of the meeting. The Transcript is the edited and revised report of what is said during the meeting. The Minutes are the official record of decisions made by the Board at a meeting.

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MEETING MINUTES

Thursday, June 8, 2017

A meeting of the Board of Internal Economy of the House of Commons was held on Thursday, June 8, 2017, at 11:15 a.m., in Room 340-S, Centre Block.

In the Chair: The Honourable Geoff Regan, Speaker of the House of Commons

Present: The Honourables Bardish Chagger, Dominic LeBlanc, Pablo Rodriguez and Candice Bergen; Messrs. Gordon Brown and Murray Rankin

Acting Secretary to the Board: Marc Bosc, Acting Clerk of the House of Commons

Also Present: Philippe Dufresne, Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel; Daniel Paquette, Chief Financial Officer; Pierre Parent, Chief Human Resources Officer; Stéphan Aubé, Chief Information Officer; Patrick McDonell, Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms and Corporate Security Officer; Benoit Giroux, Director General, Parliamentary Precinct Operations; Julie Allard, Director, Client Service Delivery, Parliamentary Precinct Operations; José Cadorette, Manager, Business Resilience, Business Continuity Management; Mark Giguère, Director, Building Support Services, Parliamentary Precinct Operations; Guillaume La Perrière Marcoux, Secretariat

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

The minutes of the meeting of May 18, 2017, were adopted and approved for tabling.

BUSINESS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS

The Board noted correspondence distributed since its last meeting.

REPORT OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON REQUESTS FOR EXCEPTION

The Board considered and concurred with a report from the Subcommittee on Members’ Requests for Exception. Accordingly, the following recommendations were adopted:

  • That the Board approve a request for exception and allow a Member to charge certain travel expenses related to parliamentary functions incurred in 2015–2016 to the Member’s 2017–2018 Travel Points System allocation; and
  • That the Board deny a request to reimburse catering expenses.

PAYMENT OF LEGAL FEES

The Board approved the payment of legal fees of a Member involved in a legal action calculated at the rates approved by the Board for legal counsel, subject to the accounts being reviewed by the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel.

MEMBERS’ ALLOWANCES AND SERVICES

House Officers’ Budget Structure and Expenditure Disclosure

The Board discussed and approved changes to the current budget structure for House Officers and national caucuses of recognized parties as well as the disclosure of expenses of House Officers (including the Speaker, other presiding officers and Members who are former prime ministers) and national caucus research offices. The Board agreed that a first House Officers’ Expenditures Report be published on the House of Commons website by June 30, 2018. In subsequent fiscal years, the expenses will be disclosed on a quarterly basis following the same schedule established for the Members’ Expenditures Report, with the first quarterly report to be published as early as September 30, 2018. The Board also approved (a) one-time funding of $1,577,955 for fiscal year 2017–2018; and (b) permanent funding of $ 1,966,058 for fiscal year 2018–2019 and subsequent years to support these initiatives.

AMENDMENTS TO THE PARLIAMENT OF CANADA ACT TO OPEN THE MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF INTERNAL ECONOMY

The Board resumed its discussion on the provisions of Bill C-44, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 22, 2017 and other measures, that seek to amend the Parliament of Canada Act in order to make Board meetings public by default. The Board directed the House Administration to prepare draft by-laws to prescribe the circumstances in which meetings could be held in camera so that, should the provisions set out in the Bill come into force, the Board may review them at its next meeting after that occurs.

ADMINISTRATION

2016–2017 Year-End Financial Report

The Board discussed and took note of the 2016–2017 year-end financial report for the House of Commons.

Human Resources Services – Pay and Benefits Services

The Board discussed and approved a proposal to increase staffing levels and make the necessary adjustments to the work assignments of pay advisors within Human Resources Services (HRS). The Board approved the funding required for ten (10) additional full-time positions on the Pay and Benefits team within HRS.

Ratification of a Collective Agreement

The Board ratified the agreement in principle reached between the House of Commons and the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada for the Procedural Clerks and Analysis and Reference Bargaining Unit. The Board also approved the necessary temporary funding for fiscal year 2017–2018 and permanent funding for fiscal year 2018–2019 and subsequent years.

Security

The Board discussed security matters and a recommendation related to the upcoming move to West Block under the Long Term Vision and Plan. The Board approved the recommendation and the additional funding requested.

Printing and Mailing Services – Modernization of Products

The Board reviewed and approved the introduction of modernized householder formats. The House Administration will return to the Board at a later date to propose new products and formats for ten percenters, personalized stationery and other products.

Business Resilience

The Board was briefed on business resilience plans and activities at the House of Commons, including the plan and requirements in the event of a national emergency impacting the National Capital Region.

Event Management Services

The Board was briefed on and approved updated event categories and room reservation definitions, as well as the introduction of a cost-recovery model to better adapt to the current business environment.

Internal Audit

The Board approved the Internal Audit Charter and the Internal Audit Plan for 2017–2018 to 2019–2020.

The meeting was adjourned.

Marc Bosc
Acting Secretary to the Board