The Joint Interparliamentary Council
met this day at 3:34 p.m., in room 356‑S of the Centre Block, the
Honourable David Tkachuk, Senator, presiding.
Representing the Senate: Hon. David Tkachuk,
Hon. Carolyn Stewart Olsen, and
Hon. Marie‑P. Charette-Poulin, Senators.
Representing the House of Commons:Denise Savoie, Harold Albrecht, Jamie Nicholls for Philip Toone
and Massimo Pacetti, MPs.
Others present: Hon. Andrée Champagne, Senator, Chair of the
Canadian Section of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie; Hon. Claudette Tardif,
Chair of the Canada‑France Interparliamentary Association,
Hon. Michel Rivard, Senator; Chris Alexander, MP;
Yvon Godin, MP; and David Tilson, MP, Chair of the Canada‑Europe
Parliamentary Association.
In attendance: From the International and Interparliamentary
Affairs Directorate:
Jeremy LeBlanc, Deputy Principal Clerk, Parliamentary Associations;
Gérald Lafrenière, Deputy Principal Clerk, Parliamentary Associations;
Elizabeth Rody, Chief of Protocol and Director of Events; and
Marie-Andrée Rainville, Manager, Resource Planning and Administration.
From the Senate: Julie Pilon, Manager, Financial Policy, Planning and
Corporate Reporting, Finance and Procurement Directorate.
From the House of Commons: Gilles Larocque, Senior Financial Advisor, Policy
and Financial Planning.
1.Approval of Minutes
On motion of Mr. Pacetti, the minutes
of the meeting of April 25, 2012 were approved.
2.Supplementary Budget Request (Canada-France)
Senator Claudette Tardif, Senator
Michel Rivard, Chris Alexander and Yvon Godin presented a request for
supplemental funding for the Canada-France Interparliamentary Association in
2012-2013.
3.Conferences: Annual Session of the Assemblée parlementaire de la
Francophonie (APF) and 11th Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic
Region (CPAR)
Hon. Andrée Champagne, Senator, Chair
of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée
parlementaire de la Francophonie, presented a request for Canada to host
the 40th Annual Session of the APF in Ottawa in July 2014 and answered
questions from JIC members.
David Tilson, MP, Chair of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association, presented a request for Canada to host the 11th Conference of
Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region in either Yellowknife or Ottawa, in
October 2014, and answered questions from JIC members.
At 4:36 p.m., the Council proceeded to
sit in camera.
4.Supplementary Budget Request (Canada-France)
After discussion, on motion of Mr. Albrecht, it was agreed, that the Canada-France
Interparliamentary Association be allotted an
additional $20,142 in 2012-2013 in order to fund its upcoming activities.
5.Conferences: Annual Session of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie
(APF) and 11th Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region (CPAR)
After discussion, on motion of Mr.
Albrecht, it was agreed, that the JIC recommend to the Standing Senate
Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and to the House
of Commons Board of Internal Economy:
That approval be granted to host the
40th Annual Session of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie in
Ottawa in July 2014;
That interim funding of
$60,000 be approved for 2013–2014 and of $315,000 for 2014–2015, for a
total of $375,000, and that said funding be split in the usual manner (30% from
the Senate, 70% from the House of Commons) between the Senate ($112,500)
and the House of Commons ($262,500); and
That any unspent approved budget from
fiscal year 2013-2014 can be paid in fiscal year 2014‑2015 and, if
needed, any additional funding will be requested, provided that the total
approved budget is not exceeded.
After discussion, on motion of Mr.
Albrecht, it was agreed, that the JIC recommend to the Senate Standing
Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and to the House of
Commons Board of Internal Economy:
That approval be granted to host the
11th Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region in either Yellowknife
or Ottawa in October 2014;
That funding of $50,000 for financial
year 2013-2014 and $174,750 for financial year 2014-2015 for a total of
$224,750, which would be shared using the usual formula (30% Senate, 70%
House of Commons) between the Senate ($67,425) and the House of
Commons ($157,325); and
That any unspent approved budget from
fiscal year 2013-2014 can be paid in fiscal year 2014‑2015 and, if
needed, any additional funding will be requested, provided that the total
approved budget is not exceeded.
On motion of Mr. Albrecht, it was
agreed, that the Co-Chairs write to the Chair of the Standing Senate Committee
on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the Chair of the House of
Commons Board of Internal Economy recommending that both internal economies
examine the detailed proposed budgets for both conferences to determine if the
total amounts recommended could be reduced by up to 15%.
6.Service Standards for Incoming Delegations
The Council resumed consideration of
proposed service standards for incoming delegations. After debate, it was
agreed to reconsider this issue at the next meeting.
At 5:13 p.m., the Council adjourned to
the call of the Co-Chairs.