About

Established pursuant to Standing Order 107, the Liaison Committee is a permanent committee, but not a standing committee. It is composed ex officio of the Chairs of all the standing committees and the House Chairs of standing joint committees. Vice-Chairs of all committees and Members of the House of Commons who are Vice-Chairs of joint committees are automatically associate members of the Liaison Committee. ¹

The main responsibility of the Liaison Committee is to apportion funds to standing committees from the money allocated for that purpose by the Board of Internal Economy. Many of the routine operational expenses of committees are borne directly by the House of Commons administration. Standing committee budgets are drawn up on a project-by-project basis and each budget must be adopted by a committee before it is submitted to the Liaison Committee for approval. Although committees are provided with limited interim spending authority, they require approval of the Liaison Committee for any expenditure which exceeds the amount initially allocated, though certain project budgets are automatically approved. In addition to project funds, all requests for travel funds must be part of a separate budget request and must be approved by the Liaison Committee before a committee can travel. (A committee must also receive approval from the House of Commons before it is empowered to travel.) The Liaison Committee usually establishes a Subcommittee on Committee Budgets charged with apportioning the funds to the various standing committees. The Liaison Committee has a quorum of seven members and usually meets in camera to deliberate on administrative matters relating to the standing committee system.

1. The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs may also name other Associate Members from among other members from all parties. The Liaison Committee’s subcommittee members may be drawn from the list of Members and Associate Members of the Committee. Also, the Whip, or his or her designate, of any recognized party not having a member on the Liaison Committee, may take part in the proceedings of the Committee, but may not vote or move any motion, nor be part of any quorum (see Standing Order 107).