Minutes

The Joint Interparliamentary Council met this day at 12:17 p.m., in Room 705 of the Victoria Building, the Honourable David Tkachuk, Senator, presiding.

Representing the Senate:  Hon. David Tkachuk, Carolyn Stewart Olsen, and Marie-P. Charette-Poulin, Senators.

Representing the House of Commons:  Joe Comartin, Harold Albrecht, Hon. Rob Merrifield and Philip Toone, MPs.

In attendance:

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

From the Senate: Naaz Askari, A/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; and André Simard, Senior Financial Advisor, Policy and Financial Planning.

1. Approval of Minutes:

At 12:18 p.m., the Council proceeded to sit in camera.

2. Supplementary Budget Requests (NATO, IPU and CPA):

The Council considered requests from the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association, the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) for additional funding.

After discussion, on motion of Mr. Merrifield, it was agreed that the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association be allotted an additional $66,000 in order to fund the upcoming activities of the association and that the two other requests be considered at the next Council meeting following presentations from the Chairs of the Canadian Group of the IPU and the Canadian Branch of the CPA.

At 12:36 p.m., the Council resumed sitting in public.

3. Composition of Executive Committees:

The Council discussed a provision of the model constitution for associations which suggests that parliamentarians should not be eligible to serve on more than one association’s executive committee.  The Deputy Principal Clerk, Parliamentary Associations, explained that few associations had included such a provision in their revised constitution and that, even in those associations where the provision exists, it has not been uniformly applied.  In addition, the wording of the model constitution is somewhat ambiguous and could be interpreted as either mandatory or permissive.

After discussion, on motion of Mr. Merrifield, it was agreed that the model constitution for associations be amended to prohibit parliamentarians from serving as Chair or Co-Chair of two different associations, but that the restriction against serving on more than one executive be lifted; and

That Co-Chairs write to the Chairs and Co-Chairs of all associations encouraging them to amend their constitutions to reflect this new provision.

4. Schedule of Future JIC Meetings:

In light of the possibility of Council meetings being interrupted by votes in the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoons, it was agreed to attempt to hold future meetings at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesdays.

At 12:45 p.m., the Council adjourned to the call of the Co-Chairs.

Eric Janse

Clerk