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Board of Internal Economy meeting

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Meeting Minutes

Thursday, May 23, 2024

A meeting of the Board of Internal Economy (Board) of the House of Commons was held on Thursday, May 23, 2024, at 11:04 a.m., in Room 225-A, West Block.

In the Chair: The Honourable Greg Fergus, Speaker of the House of Commons

Present: The Honourables Mona Fortier, Steven MacKinnon, Ruby Sahota, Andrew Scheer and Kerry-Lynne Findlay; Mr. Mark Gerretsen, Ms. Claude DeBellefeuille and Mr. Peter Julian

Secretary to the Board: Eric Janse, Clerk of the House of Commons

Also Present: Benoit Dicaire, Acting Chief Information Officer; Jean Philippe Brochu, Clerk Assistant, House Proceedings; Michel Bédard, Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel; Pat McDonell, Sergeant-at-Arms; Paul Mellon, Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms; Stéphan Aubé, Chief Executive Administrator; Jeffrey LeBlanc, Deputy Clerk, Procedure; Michelle Tittley, Secretariat

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

The minutes of the meeting of May 2, 2024, were approved for tabling.


BUSINESS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS

The Board took note of correspondence distributed since its last meeting and discussed travel-related expenses for attendance at national caucus meetings during, immediately preceding, or immediately following a party convention. The Board requested that the House Administration undertake an analysis of the current policy regarding attendance at national caucus meetings and return with options for its consideration at a future meeting.


CONSTITUENCY OFFICE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICE – PILOT FOR MEMBERS

Benoit Dicaire, Acting Chief Information Officer, provided an update on the state of the existing constituency office phone service and presented a proposal to initiate a 12-month pilot project to validate a new telecommunications solution for Members’ constituency offices and establish the approach for implementing the new solution nationwide, and answered questions.


The Board approved the following:

1. That the House Administration proceed with the pilot project and assess the feasibility of shortening the pilot to six months, with the House Administration coming back to the Board at the six-month mark with an update.

2. That the pilot participants include a proportional representation of parties in the House, i.e. 34 Members (including the 4 Members who participated in the proof of concept phase of the project) chosen by the party Whips and working with their offices to identify candidates to validate the HoC-managed and Member-managed service options (15 Members per option).

3. That existing authorities be used to fund the pilot. The cost per fiscal year is as follows:

• fiscal year 2024–2025: $152,022

• fiscal year 2025–2026: $65,153

The House Administration will also return to the Board at the end of the pilot project with the results and final recommendations.


At 11:59 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 12:01 p.m., the sitting resumed in camera.


PROPOSAL FOR A NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Jean-Philippe Brochu, Clerk Assistant, House Proceedings, requested the Board’s approval for the selection of the University of Ottawa as the new host organization to administer the Parliamentary Internship Programme (PIP) as of July 1, 2025, and for entering into any agreements required for the continuation of the PIP, and answered questions.

The Board approved the proposal.


PAYMENT OF LEGAL FEES OF A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT

The Board approved the payment of a legal fees of a Member of Parliament up to $15,000.00, at the Board rates, as an exception under the Legal Fees Policy of the Board of Internal Economy and subject to the invoices being reviewed by the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel.

The Board took note that the Administration is to return at a future meeting with recommendations on furthering legal support in relation to the security of Members and their employees.


SECURITY MATTERS

The Board agreed to extend the additional security measures for leaders of a recognized party as a pilot project to December 1, 2024, using the $1 million previously approved from existing authorities, and requested that the Sergeant-at-Arms return in the fall with an update and additional recommendations.


The meeting was adjourned at 1:01 p.m.

Eric Janse
Secretary to the Board of Internal Economy