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Board of Internal Economy meeting

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Meeting Minutes

Thursday, May 30, 2019

A meeting of the Board of Internal Economy of the House of Commons was held on Thursday, May 30, 2019, at 11:18 a.m., in Room 225-A, West Block.

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

Present: The Honourables Bardish Chagger, Mark Holland, Pablo Rodriguez and Candice Bergen; Messrs. Mark Strahl and Peter Julian

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

Also Present: Michel Patrice, Deputy Clerk, Administration; Philippe Dufresne, Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel; Daniel Paquette, Chief Financial Officer; Elaine Valiquette, Senior Director, Financial Planning, Resource Management and Corporate Policies; Patrick McDonnell, Corporate Security Officer and Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms; Marie-Claude Côté, Interim Director of Parliamentary Protective Services; Larry Brookson, OiC Ops, Parliamentary Protective Services; Robyn Daigle, Director, Members' HR Services; Christian Bourgeois, Deputy Director, Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms and Corporate Security Officer; Guillaume LaPerrière-Marcoux, Secretariat

New Member of the Board

Pursuant to subsections 50(2) and 50(5) of the Parliament of Canada Act, the Hon. Pablo Rodriguez was recently sworn in as a member of the Board (May 28, 2019).


Appointment of Board Spokesperson

Pursuant to Standing Order 37(2), Mr. Mark Holland was appointed to act as a spokesperson for the Board to replace the Hon. Dominic LeBlanc.


Minutes of Previous Meeting

The minutes of the meeting of May 2, 2019, were adopted and approved for tabling.


Business Arising from Previous Meetings

The Board noted correspondence distributed since its last meeting.


2018-2019 Year-End Financial Report

Daniel Paquette, Chief Financial Officer, presented the 2018–2019 Year-end Financial Report and answered questions.


The Board approved the inclusion of the carry-forward of $17,350,216 in the Supplementary Estimates for fiscal year 2019–2020.


At 11:32 a.m., in the absence of the Speaker, the Hon. Candice Bergen took the Chair.


Regulations Respecting the Non-Attendance of Members of Parliament by Reason of Maternity or Care for a New-Born or Newly-Adopted Child

Philippe Dufresne, Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel, presented information and proposals respecting the power to make regulations under section 59.1 of the Parliament of Canada Act (“POCA”) on the non-attendance of Members of Parliament by reason of maternity or care for a new-born or newly-adopted child and, with Robyn Daigle, Director, Members' HR Services, answered questions.


The Board considered and unanimously endorsed the following proposals and requested that they be brought to the attention of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs for its consideration:


Maternity (Pregnant Member)

• No deduction to be made to the sessional allowance of a pregnant Member who does not attend a sitting during the period of four weeks before the due date;

Care for a new-born child

• No deduction to be made to the sessional allowance of a Member who does not attend a sitting of the House during the period of 12 months from the date of birth of his or her new-born child; and

Care for a newly-adopted child

• No deduction to be made to the sessional allowance of a Member who does not attend a sitting of the House during the period of 12 months from the date of adoption or the date the child is placed with the Member for the purpose of adoption.

The Board was also supportive of having no deductions for the period of four weeks before the due date for a Member whose partner is pregnant.


At 12:10 p.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 12:15 p.m., the Speaker took the Chair and the meeting resumed in camera.


Security Matters

The Board discussed a security matter.


Legal Matters

The Board approved the payment of legal fees subject to the account being reviewed by the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel.


The meeting was adjourned.

Charles Robert
Secretary to the Board of Internal Economy