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Board of Internal Economy meeting

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Meeting Minutes

Thursday, June 13, 2019

A meeting of the Board of Internal Economy of the House of Commons was held on Thursday, June 13, 2019, at 10:17 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

Other Members of Parliament Present: The Honourable Judy Sgro, P.C., M.P., Chair, Liaison Committee; Mrs. Kelly Block, M.P.

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; Robyn Daigle, Director, Members’ HR Services; Eric Janse, Clerk Assistant, Committees and Legislative Services Directorate; Ian McDonald, Principal Clerk, Committees and Legislative Services Directorate; Stéphan Aubé, Chief Information Officer; Patrick McDonell, Corporate Security Officer and Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms; José Cadorette, Manager, Business Resilience; Rob Wright, Assistant Deputy Minister, Parliamentary Precinct Branch, Public Services and Procurement Canada; Jennifer Garrett, Director General, Parliamentary Precinct Branch, Public Services and Procurement Canada; Susan Kulba, Senior Director, A&LTVP Program Management Directorate; Guillaume La Perrière Marcoux, Secretariat

At 10:19 a.m., the meeting started in camera.

Legal Matters

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


The Board considered a request for exception for reimbursement of legal fees incurred by a Member of Parliament and authorized the reimbursement of expenses incurred up to June 13, 2019, in the amount of $29,040.40, calculated at the rates approved by the Board for outside counsel and subject to the invoices being reviewed by the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel. The Board agreed that it could, at its discretion, require that these legal fees be reimbursed to the House of Commons if the allegations against the Member are substantiated at the conclusion of the matter.


At 10:32 a.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 10:51 a.m., the meeting resumed.


Employment and Staff Relations

The Board discussed a labour relations matter.


Allowances

As per past practice, the Board agreed that additional annual allowances for Opposition Party Leaders, Opposition House Leaders and Chief Whips of recognized parties continue to be paid during the dissolution period of the 42nd Parliament.


Internal Audit Report 2018

The Board took note of the Internal Audit Report 2018.


Legal Matters

The Board discussed a legal matter.


Security Matters

The Board discussed a security matter.


At 11:45 a.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 12:05 p.m., the meeting resumed in publiuc.


Minutes of Previous Meeting

The minutes of the meeting of May 30, 2019, as amended, were adopted and approved for tabling.


Business Arising from Previous Meetings

The Board noted correspondence distributed since its last meeting.


Update from the Members' Working Group on the LTVP

The Honourable Judy Sgro provided an update from the Members’ Working Group on the LTVP and, with Kelly Block, Rob Wright, Michel Patrice, Jennifer Garrett and Susan Kulba, answered questions.


The Board approved the following recommendations:


1. Proceed with the excavation contracting strategy for phase 2 of the Visitor Welcome Centre that includes the baseline of 22,000m2 NET underground expansion of Centre Block, with options that allow for the contract to be scalable down or up depending on decisions with respect to actual requirements; and

2. Proceed with hoarding on the front lawn with large monochromatic photos or illustrative drawings on the front face with ornamental black fencing for the remainder of the perimeter.


At 1:00 p.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 1:21 p.m., the meeting resumed.


Video Broadcasting and Webcasting for Committees

The Honourable Judy Sgro, Chair of the Liaison Committee, presented recommendations from the Committee seeking the Board’s approval for additional resources to support a proposed webcasting option for the 43rd Parliament.


The Board approved the following recommendations:


1. That the Speaker write to the House Leaders to recommend they seek the approval of the House for a new webcasting standard;

2. That approval be granted for temporary resources, in the amount of $1.5M, to support the retrofitting of five committee rooms for webcasting; and funding in the amount of $0.54M for 2020–2021 and subsequent years, and for the additional resources required to support four simultaneous webcasting streams; and

3. That the temporary funding be absorbed through any surpluses from the global envelope for standing committees available at the end of fiscal year 2019–2020.


2018-2019 Annual Report on Committee Activities and Expenditures

The Board took note of the 2018–2019 annual report entitled Committee Activities and Expenditures. In accordance with the provision of Standing Order 121(4), the Board agreed that the Speaker proceed with the tabling of the report in the House of Commons as soon as practicable.


Joint Interparliamentary Council — Parliamentary Associations'Activities and Expenditures

The Board took note of the 2018–2019 Parliamentary Associations’ Activities and Expenditures Annual Report.


Annual Report on the House of Commons Policy on Preventing and Addressing Harassment for 2018-2019

The Board took note of the Annual Report on the House of Commons Policy on Preventing and Addressing Harassment for 2018–2019 and Robyn Daigle answered questions.


Report to Canadians 2019

The Board took note of the Report to Canadians 2019 and agreed that the Speaker proceed with the tabling of the report in the House of Commons as soon as practicable.


The meeting was adjourned.

Charles Robert
Clerk of the Committee