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Board of Internal Economy meeting

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Meeting Minutes

Monday, June 20, 2011

A meeting of the Board of Internal Economy of the House of Commons was held on Monday, June 20, 2011 at 11:30 a.m., in Room 112-N, Centre Block.

In the Chair: The Honourable Andrew Scheer, Speaker of the House of Commons

Present: The Honourables Peter Van Loan, Gordon O'Connor and Rob Merrifield; Mr. Thomas Mulcair; Ms. Chris Charlton and Judy Foote

Secretary to the Board: Audrey O'Brien, Clerk of the House of Commons

Also Present: Rob Walsh, Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel; Valle Gomez Sims, Acting Chief Financial Officer; Louis Bard, Chief Information Officer; Kathryn Butler Malette, Chief Human Resources Officer; and Suzanne Verville, Secretariat

Tabling of Minutes

The minutes of the meetings of March 3 and 7, 2011 were approved for tabling .

Minutes of Previous Meetings

The minutes of the meeting of June 13, 2011 were adopted.

Members' Allowances and Services

Exceptions to the Travel Policy

The Board approved exceptions to the Members' travel policy to address situations where the Member's primary residence is not in the constituency. The Board requested that further direction be given following an in depth-analysis of the situation of all new Members.

Road Travel by Personal Vehicle

The Board approved a series of travel policy modernizations, effective August 1, 2011. The Board requested further information regarding one of the recommendations.

Printed Communications by Members

The Board took note of the application of its recent decisions regarding Members' printing entitlements and paper allocation. The Board requested that this issue be considered again in the fall.

Purchase of an Apple iPad and/or RIM Playbook

The Board considered the policies related to the acquisition of tablet devices, and approved certain changes to permit them to be purchased, operated and managed outside the House of Commons infrastructure, effective June 22, 2011. The Board also approved, effective September 2011 and under certain conditions, to offer House of Commons messaging services on these iPad/PlayBook devices.

Administration

House Parking Regime

The Board approved the establishment, effective January 1, 2012, of a new parking regime where parking is provided and, in the case of employees of Members or of the House Administration, reported as a taxable benefit in accordance with the Income Tax Act .

2010-2011 Year-End House of Commons' Financial Report

The 2010-2011 year-end financial report for the House of Commons was tabled with the Board for information.

2010-2011 Year-End Members' House Officers' and Presiding Officers' Expenditures Report

A report on expenditures incurred by or on behalf of Members of the House for fiscal year 2010-2011 was tabled with the Board for information.

2010-2011 Annual Report on Committee Activities and Expenditures

The Board noted the 2010-2011 Annual Report on Committee Activities and Expenditures to be tabled in the House.

The meeting was adjourned.

Audrey O'Brien
Secretary to the Board