Minutes

The Joint Interparliamentary Council met in camera this day at 9:03 a.m., in a hybrid format, the Hon. Raymonde Saint-Germain, Senator, and Chris d’Entremont, M.P., presiding.

Representing the Senate:  Hon. Pierre J. Dalphond, Hon. Percy E. Downe and Hon. Raymonde Saint-Germain.

Representing the House of Commons: Michael Cooper, Chris d’Entremont, Marilène Gill, Marie-France Lalonde for Francis Drouin, Lindsay Mathyssen, Hon. David McGuinty, Lianne Rood, Ruby Sahota, Marc Serré.

In attendance:

From the International and Interparliamentary Affairs Directorate:

Marie-Ève Belzile, Principal Clerk, Parliamentary Exchanges and Protocol;
Julie Geoffrion, Deputy Principal Clerk, Parliamentary Associations, Conferences and Logistics;
Andrew Lauzon, Acting Deputy Principal Clerk, Parliamentary Associations;
Caroline Belley, Manager, Resource Planning and Administration.

From the Senate:
Stéphanie Giroux, Financial Advisor, Finance and Procurement Directorate.

From the House of Commons:
Samuel Maheu, Financial Management Advisor, Financial Planning.

From the Library of Parliament:
Frédéric Forge, Acting Senior Director, Economics, Resources and International Affairs Division;
Laura Barnett, Senior Manager, Human Rights, Immigration and Citizenship;
Nicole Sweeney, Senior Manager, International Affairs.

Approval of Minutes:

It was agreed, – That the minutes of the meeting of March 31, 2023, be adopted.

2. Support for parliamentarians in international roles:

The Council discussed the support offered to parliamentarians who assume international roles within multilateral associations.

It was agreed, – That, whenever a Canadian parliamentarian has been granted authorization by the association’s executive committee to assume an international role within one of the multilateral associations, the Council will consider requests for supplementary funding to help cover any travel costs that were not included in the association’s annual budget submission, as well as requests for an exemption to the rule regarding the number of staff who may travel with delegations so that the parliamentarian may be accompanied by a member of the staff when traveling alone during their mandate.

3. Reports of the Subcommittee on the Review of Parliamentary Associations:

The Council resumed consideration of the Subcommittee’s reports.

It was agreed, – That the Joint Interparliamentary Council conduct a survey of parliamentarians to explore the reasons why women and members of other underrepresented groups may choose not to apply for association membership or delegation spots.

It was agreed, – That the Joint Interparliamentary Council conduct an annual statistical audit of gender representation on executive committees and delegations and make the results of this audit available to all associations, whips, facilitators and liaisons.

4. Association budgets:

The Council considered requests for supplementary funding from the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (CAPF) and the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU)

It was agreed, – That CAPF be granted an additional sum of $111,000 for the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

It was agreed, – That UIPU be granted an additional sum of $78,000 for the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

5. Surplus from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference:

The Co-Chairs informed the Council that a surplus remained from the contribution provided by the Senate and the House of Commons to the Canadian Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference that was held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in August 2022.

The Council considered options for the federal portion of the unused contribution.

It was agreed, – That the Council seek permission from the Senate Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the Board of Internal Economy of the House of Commons to use the federal portion of the surplus from the 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in August 2022, to pay for the annual contribution of the Canadian Branch to the Canadian Region of the CPA and to use the savings generated to finance other association activities.

6. Revised Financial Management and Policy Guide for Parliamentary Associations:

The Clerk presented a draft of the revised Financial Management and Policy Guide for Parliamentary Associations and provided an overview of the most significant changes.

It was agreed, – That the draft be shared with Council members for their review and that it be discussed at the next meeting.

Decisions made by the Co-Chairs:

The Co-Chairs informed the Council that they had considered a request from the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) for an exception to the rule regarding the number of staff who may accompany delegations and agreed to authorize a staff member to accompany the Chair of the Association to the 29th Assembly of the Africa region of the APF, being held in Niamey, Niger, from May 16 to 18, 2023, and to the meeting of the Group of Francophone Ambassadors, being held in New York, United States, on June 9, 2023.

At 10:59 p.m., the Council adjourned to the call of the Co-Chairs.

Jeremy LeBlanc

Clerk