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Board of Internal Economy meeting

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Meeting Minutes

Thursday, October 4, 2018

A meeting of the Board of Internal Economy of the House of Commons was held on Thursday, October 4, 2018, at 11:17 a.m., in Room 237-C, Centre Block.

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

Present: The Honourables Bardish Chagger, Dominic LeBlanc, Mark Holland and Candice Bergen; Mr. Mark Strahl; Ms. Ruth Ellen Brosseau

Secretary to the Board: Charles Robert, Clerk of the House of Commons

Also Present: Michel Patrice, Deputy Clerk, Administration; Daniel Paquette, Chief Financial Officer; Stéphan Aubé, Chief Information Officer; Susan Kulba, Senior Director, A&LTVP Program Management Directorate; Benoit Giroux, Chief Operations Officer, Parliamentary Precinct Operations; Pierre Parent, Chief Human Resources Officer; Philippe Dufresne, Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel; Guillaume La Perrière Marcoux, Secretariat

New Member of the Board

Pursuant to subsections 50(2) and 50(5) of the Parliament of Canada Act, the Hon. Mark Holland was recently sworn in as a member of the Board (September 27, 2018).


Minutes of Previous Meeting

The minutes of the meeting of June 14, 2018, were adopted and approved for tabling.


Business Arising from Previous Meetings

The Board noted correspondence distributed since its last meeting.


Parliamentary Precinct Long Term Vision and Plan

Michel Patrice updated the Board on the status of the West Block rehabilitation and Visitor Welcome Centre Phase 1, and answered questions. It was noted that the buildings will be fully operational and functional when the House returns in January.


2018–2019 Quaterly Financial Report (Q1)

Daniel Paquette presented the House of Commons’ financial results for the first quarter of 2018–2019 (as at June 30, 2018) along with comparative information relating to the first quarter of the previous fiscal year and, with Stéphan Aubé and Benoit Giroux, answered questions.


At 11:37 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 11:41 a.m., the sitting resumed in camera.


IN CAMERA


Parliamentary Precinct Long Term Vision and Plan

The current status of the West Block rehabilitation in terms of security was discussed.


Legal Matters

Review of Harassment Investigation Findings

The Board considered the findings of both the Final Investigation Report and the Report of the Appeal Panel concerning allegations made against Mr. Darshan Kang, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview, under the House of Commons Policy on Preventing and Addressing Harassment (“Harassment Policy”).

The findings of the Final Investigation Report, which were confirmed by the Appeal Panel, were that some of the allegations made against Mr. Kang constituted sexual harassment under the Harassment Policy.

The Board approved that the following measures be undertaken immediately, and will consider whether any further measures are required at a later date:

• The Member will be required to participate in House Administration-led conciliation to determine whether an agreement can be reached on appropriate remedial measures to address the findings of sexual harassment;

• The Member will also be required to participate in an individual training program on sexual harassment prevention and awareness, and to reimburse the associated cost at his personal expense; and

• The House Administration will report back to the Board on the outcome of the conciliation, at which time it will determine if any further administrative, financial or disciplinary measures are necessary.


Payment of Legal Fees

The Board approved the payment of legal fees of a Member of Parliament up to March 1, 2018, calculated at the rates approved by the Board for legal counsel, and subject to the invoices being reviewed by the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel.

Use of House Resources

The Board agreed that the House Administration would provide periodic reminders to Members of Parliament about their obligations under the Members By-law with respect to the use of House resources.


Economic Increase for the Senior Management Group

In alignment with the economic increase granted by the Treasury Board to its senior managers, the Board approved an economic increase for the House of Commons’ Senior Management Group, effective April 1, for each respective fiscal year as follows:

• retroactive increase to base pay of 0.75% for 2014–2015 and 2015–2016; and

• increase to base pay of 1.25% for 2016–2017 and 2017–2018, and provision of a wage adjustment of 1% for 2016–2017.


In alignment with a 2018 arbitral award rendered for the lawyers within the core public administration, including those at the Department of Justice, the Board approved the following economic increases and wage adjustment for the Law Group:

• effective April 1, 2014: 1.25% salary increase;

• effective April 1, 2015: 1.25% salary increase;

• effective April 1, 2016: 1.00% wage adjustment;

• effective April 1, 2016: 1.25% salary increase; and

• effective April 1, 2017: 1.25% salary increase.


The meeting was adjourned.

Charles Robert
Secretary to the Board of Internal Economy