Minutes

The Joint Interparliamentary Council met this day at 4:06 p.m., in camera, in room 356‑S of the Centre Block, the Honourable David Tkachuk, Senator, presiding.

Representing the Senate:  Hon. David Tkachuk, Marjory LeBreton, and Jim Munson, Senators.

Representing the House of Commons:  Joe Comartin, Philip Toone for Sadia Groguhé and Rodger Cuzner for Frank Valeriote, MPs.

Others present:

Chairs and Co-Chairs of Parliamentary Associations:

Joe Preston, M.P. (CPA).

In attendance:

From the International and Interparliamentary Affairs Directorate: Natalie Foster, Deputy Principal Clerk, Parliamentary Associations; Gérald Lafrenière, Deputy Principal Clerk, Parliamentary Exchanges; and Marie-Andrée Rainville, Manager, Resource Planning and Administration.

From the Senate: Sloan Mask, Financial Advisor, Planning and Corporate Reporting, Finance and Procurement Directorate.

From the House of Commons: Naim Bellemare, Senior Financial Advisor, Policy and Financial Planning.

1. Approval of Minutes:

On motion of Mr. Toone, the minutes of the meeting of May 14, 2014 were approved.

2. Budgets 2014-2015:

Joe Preston, MP, Chair of the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), presented a supplementary budget request for the 2014-2015 fiscal year and answered questions from JIC members.

After discussion, on motion of Mr. Toone, it was agreed that the Canadian Branch of the CPA be allotted an additional $25,000 in order to fund the upcoming international conference in Cameroon in October 2014.

It was noted that the additional funding would come from anticipated surpluses from other associations following financial forecasts later in the fiscal year.

3. Staff accompanying delegations of single parliamentarians – APF:

The Chair drew to the Council’s attention a letter received from the Acting Chair of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) regarding a request to have a single parliamentarian accompanied by a staff member on an outgoing activity.  The request concerned the 14th Summit of the Francophonie being held in Senegal in November 2014.

After discussion, and in light of the fact that the APF demonstrated its compliance with the three criteria required by the JIC to grant exemptions for such requests, on motion of Mr. Cuzner, the request was agreed to.

At 4:22 p.m., the Council adjourned to the call of the Co-Chairs.

Eric Janse

Clerk