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Board of Internal Economy meeting

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Meeting Minutes

Thursday, June 10, 2021

A meeting of the Board of Internal Economy of the House of Commons was held on Thursday, June 10, 2021, at 11:09 a.m., in Room 035-B, West Block.

In the Chair: The Honourable Anthony Rota, Speaker of the House of Commons

Present: The Honourables Mark Holland, Dominic LeBlanc, Ginette Petitpas Taylor and Pablo Rodríguez; Mr. Gérard Deltell, Mr. Blake Richards, Ms. Claude DeBellefeuille and Mr. Peter Julian

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

Also Present: Bruce Stanton, Deputy Speaker and Chair, Working Group on the LTVP and the Centre Block Rehabilitation; Rob Wright, Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Parliamentary Infrastructure Branch, Public Services and Procurement Canada; Susan Kulba, Director General and Executive Architect, Real Property; Jennifer Garrett, Director General, Centre Block Program, Public Services and Procurement Canada; Michel Patrice, Deputy Clerk, Administration; Eric Janse, Clerk Assistant, Committees and Legislative Services Directorate; Stéphan Aubé, Chief Information Officer; Rebekah Kletke, Chief Operations Officer; Julie Allard, Director, Client Service Delivery; Philippe Dufresne, Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel; Michelle Laframboise, Chief Human Resources Officer; Guillaume LaPerrière-Marcoux, Secretariat

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

The minutes of the meeting of May 13, 2021, were approved for tabling.


BUSINESS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MEETING

The Board took note of documents distributed since its May 13 meeting. Eric Janse, Clerk Assistant, Committees and Legislative Services Directorate, provided clarifications about the use of pretests as well as audio headsets for committee witnesses participating in virtual proceedings.

Stéphan Aubé, Chief Information Officer, provided answers related to technical upgrades and identified the two maintenance windows planned for the summer. The first period, from June 30 to July 18, 2021, will focus on Chamber systems and committee rooms. The second period, from August 21 to September 13, 2021, will address updates to the Multimedia Operations Centre. The Administration will ensure that, in the case of an emergency, the ability of the House to sit or of a committee to meet will not be jeopardized.

The Board requested a report on employee turnover and retirement at the Administration.


PRINTING AND MAILING SERVICES – PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS

Rebekah Kletke, Chief Operations Officer, made a presentation explaining enhancements being implemented with respect to printing and mailing services. The Board approved the proposed enhancements.


At 11:44 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 12:25 p.m., the sitting resumed.


LTVP WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS

Bruce Stanton, Deputy Speaker and Chair of the Working Group on the LTVP and the Centre Block Rehabilitation, presented a report on the working group’s latest recommendations.

The Board approved the working group’s proposed approach for the tarping of Centre Block, the construction-site hoarding interpretive panels, and the Public Services and Procurement Canada public engagement strategy.


SPECIAL JOINT COMMITTEE ON MEDICAL ASSISTANCE IN DYING

Eric Janse, Clerk Assistant, Committees and Legislative Services Directorate, presented a proposal to obtain funding for the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying.

The Board approved an interim budget of $50,000 (for which the House is responsible for $35,000 and the Senate for $15,000) to be allocated from the 2021–2022 and/or 2022–2023 global budget envelopes for standing committees.


ANNUAL REPORT ON THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS WORKPLACE HARASSMENT AND VIOLENCE POLICY FOR 2020–2021

Michelle Laframboise, Chief Human Resources Officer, presented the Annual Report on the Members of the House of Commons Workplace Harassment and Violence Policy for 2020–2021 and answered questions.


At 12:48 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 12:51 p.m., the sitting resumed in camera.


LEGAL MATTERS

The Board approved the payment of legal fees of a former Member, 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.

The Board approved the payment of legal fees of a late Member in an amount of up to $24,000 as an exception under the Policy and subject to the invoices 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