Minutes

The Joint Interparliamentary Council met this day at 3:30 p.m., in camera, in room 356-S of the Centre Block, Mr. Joe Comartin, MP, presiding.

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

Representing the House of Commons:  Joe Comartin, Dave Mackenzie, Hon. Rob Merrifield, Nycole Turmel for Philip Toone, Massimo Pacetti, Randy Hoback and Gordon Brown, MPs.

Others present:

Chairs and Executive Committee Members of Parliamentary Associations:
Hon. Andrée Champagne, Senator (APF);
Hon. Pierre Claude Nolin, Senator (NATO PA);
Dean Allison, MP (OSCE);
Joe Preston, MP (CPA); and
Chris Charlton and Joe Daniel, MPs (IPU).

In attendance:

From the International and Interparliamentary Affairs Directorate: Jeremy LeBlanc, Deputy Principal Clerk, Parliamentary Associations; and Gérald Lafrenière, Deputy Principal Clerk, Parliamentary Exchanges.

From the Senate: Nicole Proulx, Director of Finance, Finance and Procurement Directorate.

From the House of Commons: Gilles Larocque, Senior Financial Advisor, Policy and Financial Planning.

1. Approval of Minutes:

On motion of Mr. Mackenzie, the minutes of the meeting of March 20, 2013 were approved.

2. CPA:

The Council considered a request from the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) for additional funding in fiscal year 2012-2013 to cover a shortfall incurred as a result of adjustments that had to be made to airline tickets at the last minute due to a winter storm.

After discussion, on motion of Senator Charette-Poulin, it was agreed that the Canadian Branch of the CPA be allotted an additional $13,700 in fiscal year 2012-2013 in order to cover the shortfall.

3. Budgets 2013-2014:

The Clerk provided an overview of information compiled on the international contributions paid by certain multilateral associations and answered questions from JIC members.

At 3:48 p.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 4:13 p.m., the meeting resumed.

4. Meeting with Association Chairs and Co-Chairs:

Dean Allison, MP, Director for the Canadian Delegation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA); Hon. Andrée Champagne, Senator, Chair of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF); Hon. Pierre Claude Nolin, Senator, Counsellor of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association (NATO PA); Joe Preston, MP, Chair of the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and Chris Charlton, MP, Vice-President of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) gave presentations on the international contributions paid by their respective associations and answered questions from JIC members.

At 4:59 p.m., the Council adjourned to the call of the Co-Chairs.

Eric Janse

Clerk