Skip to main content
;

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.

For an advanced search, use Publication Search tool.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the accessibility of this publication, please contact us at accessible@parl.gc.ca.

Previous day publication Next day publication

Meeting Minutes

Monday, March 24, 2014

A meeting of the Board of Internal Economy of the House of Commons was held on Monday, March 24, 2014 at 11:15 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, John Duncan, Rob Merrifield and Dominic LeBlanc; Mr. Philip Toone; Mrs. Nycole Turmel

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

Also Present: Stéphan Aubé, Chief Information Officer; Mark Watters, Chief Financial Officer; Robin Kells, Secretariat

Minutes of Previous Meeting

The minutes of the meeting of March 3, 2014 were adopted and approved for tabling.

Business Arising from Previous Meetings

The Board discussed correspondence distributed since its last meeting on March 3, 2014.

Appointment of the External Auditor

Following a competitive process, the Board approved the appointment of the firm Ernst & Young LLP as the external auditors of the financial records of the House of Commons.

Administration

Long Term Vision and Plan – Information Technology

The Board continued its discussion on the cost of sustaining the information technology assets acquired through the Long Term Vision and Plan and approved funding on a five-year basis starting in 2014-2015, provided that the House Administration will return to the Board on a yearly basis to refresh the five-year estimates and seek approval for the confirmed estimates for that year’s funding requirement.

Finances

Third-Quarter Financial Status Report for Fiscal Year 2013-2014

The Board took note of the 2013-2014 financial position of the House of Commons as at December 31, 2013.

Supplementary Estimates (A) for Fiscal Year 2014-2015

The Board approved the Supplementary Estimates (A) for 2014-2015 in the amount of $5,049,000.

Disclosure

In light of the motion passed in the House on March 5, 2014, calling “on the Board of Internal Economy to instruct the non-partisan professional administrative staff of the House of Commons to begin posting, on April 1, 2014, all travel expenses incurred under the Travel Point System as well as hospitality expenses of Members to the Parliament of Canada website in a manner similar to guidelines used by the government for proactive disclosure of ministerial expenses…”, the Board discussed different disclosure possibilities and agreed to continue to examine cost-effective enhancements at future meetings.

Members’ Travel

Corporate Flight Passes

After discussion, the Board approved the introduction of corporate flights passes once negotiations with the airlines have been finalized for House travellers using Members’ Travel Services, but will not insist on the mandatory use by Members of this travel provider.

In view of the significant cost savings that will be achieved through these passes, the Board also approved business class travel for Members, designated travellers and dependants for all flights over two hours (using either a regular or special point) if booked by AMEX, and using the new corporate flight passes.

Travellers who do not use Members’ Travel Services will remain subject to the current travel regime and will not be eligible to use business class while travelling on special points.

The Board also asked that the By-law be written accordingly and presented at the next Board meeting.

Use of House Resources

The Board discussed the use of House of Commons resources with respect to large-volume mailings and the establishment of offices outside the Parliamentary Precinct. The Board directed the Chair to refer to Elections Canada the matter of large-volume mailings in three ridings in which by-elections occurred to determine whether these mailings contravened election rules. Discussion will resume at the next meeting.

The meeting was adjourned.

Audrey O’Brien
Secretary to the Board