The Joint Interparliamentary Council met this day at 3:46 p.m., in
room 356-S of the Centre Block, The Honourable Leo Housakos, Senator,
presiding.
Representing
the Senate: Leo Housakos and David Wells, Senators.
Representing
the House of Commons: Bruce Stanton, Andrew Leslie, Hon. Wayne
Easter, Scott Simms, Dave Mackenzie, Irene Mathyssen and Ginette Petitpas
Taylor, MPs.
Others present
Chairs and Co-Chairs of Parliamentary
Associations:
Victor Oh, Senator and Geng Tan, M.P.,
co-chairs of the Canada-China Legislative Association
Scott Simms, M.P., President of the
Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association
Hon. Heidy Fry, M.P., Director of the
Canadian Delegation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA)
Hon. Robert Nault, C.P., M.P., President of
the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas
Hon. Denis Paradis, C.P., M.P., President
of the Canada-France Interparliamentary Association
Joël LightBound, M.P., President of the Canadian
Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF)
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, M.P., President of
the Canadian Group of the
Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
Yasmin Ratansi,
M.P., President of the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary
Association (CPA)
In attendance: From the International
and Interparliamentary Affairs Directorate:
Patrice Martin, Deputy Principal Clerk, Parliamentary Associations;
Gérald Lafrenière, Principal Clerk, Parliamentary Exchanges and Protocol;
and
Gilles Larocque, Manager, Resource Planning and Administration
From the Senate:
Khatera Akbari,
Acting Manager, Financial Policy, Planning and Corporate Reporting.
From the House of Commons:
Stefany Rockburn,
Senior Financial Advisor, Policy and Financial Planning.
From the Library of Parliament:
Marcus Pistor,
Senior Director, Economics, Res. & Int. Affairs, Economics, Resources and
International Affairs Division
1.Approval of Minutes
On motion of Dave
Mackenzie, the minutes of the meeting of February 24, 2016 were
adopted.
2.Associations Budgets
(2016-2017) – Presentations by Association Chairs/Co-Chairs
Victor Oh, Senator
and Geng Tan, M.P., Co-Chairs of the Canada-China Legislative Association
presented the work and planned activities of the association, as well as their
related budget request for the 2016-2017 fiscal year, and answered questions.
Scott Simms, M.P.,
President of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association presented the work and planned activities
of the association, as well as their related budget request for the 2016-2017
fiscal year, and answered questions.
The Hon. Heidy
Fry, M.P., Director of the Canadian Delegation to the Organization for Security
and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) presented the work and planned activities
of the association, as well as their related budget request for the 2016-2017
fiscal year, and answered questions.
The Hon. Robert
Nault, C.P., M.P., President of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas presented
the work and planned activities of the association, as well as their related
budget request for the 2016-2017 fiscal year, and answered questions.
3.Request from CPA
Yasmin Ratansi,
M.P., President of the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary
Association presented a request for additional funds in the amount of $56 000 for an activity to begin
during the current fiscal year.
After discussion,
on motion of the Hon. Wayne Easter, it was agreed that the CPA be allotted an
additional $56,000 to allow the association to take part in activities outlined
in its budget for the present fiscal year and that the Clerk of the JIC, after
discussion with Financial officers and Associations’ secretaries, be authorized
to take the necessary funds from associations with expected surpluses for the current
fiscal year.
4.Associations Budgets
(2016-2017) – Presentations by Association Chairs/Co-Chairs
Joël LightBound,
M.P., President of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la
Francophonie (APF) presented the work and planned activities of the
association, as well as their related budget request for the 2016-2017 fiscal
year, and answered questions.
The Hon. Denis
Paradis, C.P., M.P., President of the Canada-France Interparliamentary
Association presented the work
and planned activities of the association, as well as their related budget
request for the 2016-2017 fiscal year, and answered questions.
Nathaniel
Erskine-Smith, M.P., President of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary
Union (IPU) presented the work
and planned activities of the association, as well as their related budget
request for the 2016-2017 fiscal year, and answered questions.
5.Review of
Parliament’s involvement with associations and recognized Interparliamentary
groups.
After discussion,
on motion of the Hon. Wayne Easter, it was agreed:
That, a
subcommittee, chaired by Scott Simms be appointed to review the structure,
governance and financial administration of parliamentary associations and to
consult with chairs of associations;
That Donald Plett,
Bruce Stanton and Irene Mathyssen be named to the subcommittee;
That the Council
not receive any requests for new associations until such time as the
subcommittee has reported on the issue; and
That the
subcommittee report its recommendations and findings to the Council no later
than March 1, 2017.
At 5:32 p.m., the Council adjourned to the call of the Co-Chairs.