Minutes

The Joint Interparliamentary Council met this day at 3:30 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, Dave Mackenzie, Hon. Rob Merrifield, Sadia Groguhé, Frank Valeriote and Gordon Brown, MPs.

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. Mackenzie, the minutes of the meeting of March 5, 2014, were approved.

2. Budgets 2014-2015:

The Chair provided an overview of an option for the potential distribution of available funds to the various parliamentary associations. A discussion ensued.

At 3:55 p.m, the meeting was suspended.

At 5:01 p.m., the meeting resumed.

After debate, it was agreed that the operational budgets for each association in 2014-2015 be as follows:

3. Staff accompanying delegations of single parliamentarians:

The Chair drew to the Council’s attention a letter received from the Chair of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) regarding three requests to have a single parliamentarian accompanied by a staff member on an outgoing activity.  The requests concerned the meetings of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee, the Cooperation and Development Committee and the Political Committee of the APF being held in Vietnam, Togo and Gabon, respectively, in April 2014.  The Co-Chairs had agreed to all three requests, having evaluated the nature of each activity and the limited support that would be provided to the parliamentarians upon arrival at the meetings.

It was agreed that the decision of the Co-Chairs be ratified.

The Council resumed consideration of the request of the APF to review the JIC’s decision that states ‘That no staff member accompany delegations composed of a single parliamentarian unless the JIC has granted approval following a request from a given association’.

After debate, on motion of Ms. Groguhé, it was agreed that, in considering requests for exemption to the rule that no staff member accompany delegations composed of a single parliamentarian, the JIC will agree to such requests in the future if the following criteria have been met: the parliamentarian is travelling alone as a delegation of one, there will be no support for the individual upon arrival at the meeting or conference in question, and the activity is taking place outside of Canada.

4. Other Business:

The Clerk drew to the Council’s attention the adoption of a motion by the Executive Committee of the Canada-United-States Inter-Parliamentary Group to allow the Marine Chamber of Commerce to host a reception during the Annual Meeting of the Group.  The participation of a third-party group in the activities of an Association and the wording of section 3.3 of the Financial Management and Policy Guide for Parliamentary Associations was raised.

After debate, it was agreed that the reception could take place, provided that the Association does not provide any support to the event, including sending invitations or promoting the reception as part of the official program for the Annual Meeting.

At 5:30 p.m., the Council adjourned to the call of the Co-Chairs.

Eric Janse

Clerk