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Board of Internal Economy meeting

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Meeting Minutes

Thursday, May 12, 2016

A meeting of the Board of Internal Economy of the House of Commons was held on Thursday, May 12, 2016, at 11:15 a.m., in Room 340-S, Centre Block.

In the Chair: The Honourable Geoff Regan, Speaker of the House of Commons

Present: The Honourables Judy Foote, Dominic LeBlanc and Andrew Leslie; Messrs. Andrew Scheer, Gordon Brown and Peter Julian

Acting Secretary to the Board: Marc Bosc, Acting Clerk of the House of Commons

Also Present: Daniel Paquette, Chief Financial Officer; Philippe Dufresne, Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel; Stéphan Aubé, Chief Information Officer; Pierre Parent, Chief Human Resources Officer; Benoit Giroux, Director General, Parliamentary Precinct Operations; Patrick McDonell, Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms and Corporate Security Officer; Robin Kells, Secretariat

Minutes of Previous Meeting

The minutes of the meeting of April 21, 2016 were adopted and approved for tabling.

Request for Exception

The Board considered a request from a Member pertaining to various expenses related to the set-up of a constituency office . The Board granted an exception to allow certain expenditures on condition that detailed receipts are provided, and asked that asset policies be reviewed in the fall.

Security

The Board discussed and approved security measures pertaining to certain external suppliers.

Members’ Policies, Allowances and Services

Immersion Training

The Board discussed and reviewed changes to the immersion training program offered to Members of Parliament, their spouses and regular employees, including the cessation of operations at the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Immersion Centre, and asked that additional options be explored.

Annual Report on the House of Commons Policy on Preventing and Addressing Harassment 2015–2016

The Board discussed and reviewed the Annual Report on the House of Commons Policy on Preventing and Addressing and Harassment 2015–2016 , noting that it will be published in June along with other year-end reports.

Residences

Further to policy improvements made during the previous Parliament, the Board approved criteria to help Members determine which residence should be declared as their primary residence, as well as the requirement for the declared constituency residence to be in or near the Member’s constituency. Members are to review their residence declaration against the specified criteria and submit a new declaration if required.

The Board also approved the consequential amendments to the Members By-Law .

Members for Northern Constituencies – Budget Allocations

The Board discussed a request from six Members representing constituencies located in northern Canada who are seeking changes to their budgets allocations. In keeping with the previously approved increase to the Member’s Office Budget , the Board agreed to an increase of 20% to the Geographic Supplement, the Elector Supplement and the Schedule 3 Supplement, retroactively to April 1, 2016.

Transportation Expenses Chargeable to the Travel Points System and the Member’s Office Budget

The Board discussed the transportation expenses that are chargeable to the Travel Points System and the Member’s Office Budget.

Payment of Legal Fees

The Board discussed and approved the reimbursement of legal fees incurred by certain current and former Members. The Board also confirmed the circumstances and conditions under which the reimbursement of legal fees incurred by Members can take place. Information on the process for seeking reimbursement of legal fees will be provided to all Members in a forthcoming memorandum from the Speaker.

The meeting was adjourned.

Marc Bosc
Acting Secretary to the Board