LIAI Committee Meeting

The Liaison Committee met in camera at 1:01 p.m. this day, in Room 253-D, Centre Block, the Chair, Dean Allison, presiding.

The Chair gave a presentation on the financial status of the global envelope for committee activities and on the 2006-2007 post travel reports.

It was agreed, — That the following guidelines for the use of chartered aircraft be adopted:

“While the use of scheduled commercial flights is usually the most economical and logistically sound means of traveling into and out of large centres, the use of chartered aircraft is permitted under the following conditions:

• The destination is not serviced by commercial airlines (e.g. remote communities) and it is not possible or practical to travel by ground;

• The committee’s schedule of meetings and/or visits is incompatible with commercial flight schedules (due to time constraints, lack of flight availability, etc.); and

• When the use of chartered aircraft is more cost effective than scheduled commercial flights.

The size of aircraft is selected based on the following considerations:

• Number of passengers (and luggage*);

• Destination and length of runway at airport, length of flight and consequently speed of aircraft;

• Services available on board (e.g. facilities, meals)

*There is usually a luggage weight restriction for each passenger, especially on the smaller aircraft. The maximum allowable weight will be clearly communicated to all participants in advance of the trip and must be adhered to.

Only members of the Committee and designated committee staff may travel on chartered aircraft. Designated committee staff includes: committee clerks, analysts, interpreters, administration and logistics officers, and proceedings and verification officers.

The supplier will be selected on the basis of cost, availability, type of aircraft and past experience. Given the limited number of suppliers, it should be noted that committees may have to travel in an aircraft which is larger than required. Also, some committee trips benefit from a combination of commercial flights and charter aircraft, especially those where the first destination is a considerable distance from Ottawa (e.g., Vancouver).

The flight schedule for the chartered aircraft will be set to accommodate the Committee’s itinerary and not individual travel requirements. Participants who deviate from the Committee’s itinerary will be responsible for their own travel arrangements and for assuming the costs of those arrangements.“

It was agreed, — That the Standing Committee on Finance be granted an operational budget of $41,500 for its Pre-Budget Consultations.

It was agreed, — That the Standing Committee on Finance be granted a travel budget of $136,429 to travel to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec; Montréal, Quebec and Kingston, Ontario, to conduct Pre-Budget Consultations, in the Fall 2007.

It was agreed, — That the Standing Committee on Finance be granted a travel budget of $84,208 to travel to Iqaluit, Nunavut, to conduct Pre-Budget Consultations, in the Fall 2007.

It was agreed, — That the Standing Committee on Finance be granted a travel budget of $155,567 to travel to Victoria, British-Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Regina, Saskatchewan and Winnipeg, Manitoba, to conduct Pre-Budget Consultations, in the Fall 2007.

It was agreed, — That the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs be granted a travel budget of $136,019 to travel to Afghanistan, in relation to its study on Health Care Review, in the Fall 2007.

It was agreed, — That the Standing Committee on Public Accounts be granted a travel budget of $31,788 to travel to Victoria, British Columbia, to attend the Conference of the Canadian Association of Public Accounts Committees, from August 19 to 22, 2007.

It was agreed, — That the Standing Committee on Public Accounts be granted an operational budget of $1,000 for additional hospitality expenses.

The Committee resumed consideration of matters related to Committee business.

It was agreed, — That the issue of resourcing for the Standing Committee on Public Accounts be added to the agenda of the next meeting.

At 1:54 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.