Minutes

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 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.

Colette Labrecque-Riel

Clerk