Minutes

The Joint Interparliamentary Council met this day at 3:45 p.m., in room 356-S of the Centre Block, Mr. Stanton, M.P., presiding.

Representing the Senate: Hon. Percy Downe and Hon. Donald Plett, Senators.

Representing the House of Commons: Dave Mackenzie, David McGuinty for Scott Simms, Hon. Pablo Rodriguez, Yasmin Ratansi for the Hon. Wayne Easter, Bruce Stanton and Filomena Tassi, MPs .

In attendance:

Executive Members of Parliamentary Associations: Senator Joseph A. Day and Mr. Geng Tan, M.P., Co-Chairs, Canada-China Legislative Association; Senator Paul J. Massicotte and Mr. Terry Sheehan, M.P., Co-Chairs, Canada-Japan Interparliamentary Group; Ms. Yasmin Ratansi, M.P., Chair, Canadian Section of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA); Mr. Frank Baylis, M.P., Chair, Canada-United Kingdom Interparliamentary Association.

From the International and Interparliamentary Affairs Directorate: Gérald Lafrenière, Principal Clerk, Parliamentary Exchanges and Protocol; Gilles Larocque, Manager, Resource Planning and Administration.

From the Senate: Denise Shean, Financial Advisor, Finance and Procurement Directorate.

From the House of Commons: Stefany Rockburn, Senior Financial Advisor, Policy and Financial Planning.

From the Library of Parliament: Marcus Pistor, Senior Director, Economics, Resources and International Affairs Division.

1. Associations Budgets 2017-2018 – Presentations by Association Chairs/Co-Chairs

Senator Day and Mr. Tan, M.P., Co-Chairs of the Canada-China Legislative Association, presented a short summary of the association’s accomplishments in fiscal year 2016-2017 as well as the association’s planned activities and related budget request for the 2017-2018 fiscal year, and answered questions. Senator Massicotte and Mr. Sheehan, M.P., Co-Chairs of the Canada-Japan Interparliamentary Group, presented a short summary of the association’s accomplishments in fiscal year 2016-2017 as well as the association’s planned activities and related budget request for the 2017-2018 fiscal year.

Senator Massicotte and Mr. Sheehan, M.P., Co-Chairs of the Canada-Japan Interparliamentary Group, presented a short summary of the association’s accomplishments in fiscal year 2016-2017 as well as the association’s planned activities and related budget request for the 2017-2018 fiscal year.

At 4:08 p.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 4:28 p.m., the meeting resumed.

Senator Massicotte and Mr. Sheehan, M.P., Co-Chairs of the Canada-Japan Interparliamentary Group, continued their presentation and answered questions.

Ms. Yasmin Ratansi, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Section of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), presented a short summary of the association’s accomplishments in fiscal year 2016-2017 as well as the association’s planned activities and related budget request for the 2017-2018 fiscal year, and answered questions.

Mr. Frank Baylis, M.P., Chair of the Canada-United Kingdom Interparliamentary Association, presented a short summary of the association’s accomplishments in fiscal year 2016-2017 as well as the association’s planned activities and related budget request for the 2017-2018 fiscal year, and answered questions.

2. Approval of Minutes

By unanimous consent, the minutes of the meeting of March 8, 2017 were adopted.

3. Other Business

It was agreed that the final report of the Subcommittee on the Review of Parliament’s Involvement with Associations and Recognized Interparliamentary Groups, following its conduct of a five-year review of parliamentary associations, be deemed tabled with the Council.

Given the changes in the schedule of the House of Commons on Wednesday and Thursday next week, it was agreed that no meeting of the Council be held.

At 5:35 p.m., the Council adjourned to the call of the Co-Chairs.

Danielle Labonté

Acting Clerk