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Board of Internal Economy meeting

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Meeting Minutes

Monday, June 18, 2012

A meeting of the Board of Internal Economy of the House of Commons was held on Monday, June 18, 2012 at 11:10 a.m., in Room 112-N, Centre Block.

In the Chair: The Honourable Andrew Scheer, Speaker of the House of Commons

Present: The Honourables Peter Van Loan, Gordon O'Connor and Rob Merrifield; Mr. Nathan Cullen; Mrs. Nycole Turmel and Ms. Judy Foote

Secretary to the Board: Audrey O'Brien, Clerk of the House of Commons

Also Present: Mark Watters, Chief Financial Officer; Stéphan Aubé, Chief Information Officer; Benoit Giroux, Director, Printing Services; Kathryn Butler Malette, Chief Human Resources Officer; and Suzanne Verville, Secretariat

Tabling of Minutes

The minutes of the meeting of May 28, 2012 were approved for tabling .

Minutes of Previous Meeting

The minutes of the meeting of June 11, 2012 were adopted.

Request for Exception

The Board did not approve an exception to the subsection 62(1) of the Members By-law requested by a Member.

Special Requirements for Members

After discussion, the Board agreed to recommendations to assist Members in carrying out their parliamentary functions .

2011-2012 Year-End Members', House Officers' and Presiding Officers' Expenditures Report

A report on expenditures incurred by or on behalf of Members of the House for fiscal year 2011-2012 was tabled with the Board for information.

Strategic Outlook – 41st Parliament

The Board approved the Strategic Outlook for the 41st Parliament and authorized the Speaker to proceed with its tabling in the House of Commons in September 2012.

Members' Allowances and Services

Advertising in Member's Printed Communications

The Board agreed to an interim application of subsection 29(1) of the Members By-law , more specifically on the aspect of “minor part of a communication”, until further consideration in the fall.

Ten Percenters

The Board discussed findings regarding the alleged misuse of ten percenters.

Alternative Smartphone Platforms

The Board agreed, at this time, to retain the current smartphone platform as the House of Commons corporate standard.

Language Training

The Board discussed the language training services administered by the House Administration in the context of recent cost transfers to the Member's Office Budget that it had approved, and agreed to discuss the matter further in the fall.

Savings in Other Personnel Costs

The Board discussed the strategy to reduce expenditures in the Other Personnel Costs budget as a result of decisions related to the Strategic Operational Review, and agreed to discuss it further in the fall.

Legal Matter

The Board approved payment of legal fees incurred to date and to be incurred by a Member in a complaint subject to the matter being resolved in the Member's favour, at the usual rates calculated at the House rates for legal counsel, subject to those fees being reviewed by the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel.

Administration

2011-2012 Year-End House of Commons' Financial Report

The 2011-2012 year-end financial report for the House of Commons was tabled with the Board for information.

2011-2012 Annual Report on Committee Activities and Expenditures

The Board noted the 2011-2012 Annual Report on Committee Activities and Expenditures to be tabled in the House.

Other Business

The Board took note of a letter sent by the Minister of Finance .

The meeting was adjourned.

Audrey O'Brien
Secretary to the Board