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This is the 10th meeting of the Board of Internal Economy in the 44th Parliament.

We're going to start with the minutes of the previous meeting, number one.

Are there any questions about the first item in the minutes of the previous meeting? No? Everything is in place.

We'll continue with number two.

This is business arising from the previous meeting. Are there any questions or comments on this? No? Good.

Let's move on to the third item: the Special Committee on the Canada-People's Republic of China. The speaker will be Ian McDonald, the clerk assistant.

Mr. McDonald, I'll let you take it from here.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

You have before you the request for an interim budget for the Special Committee on the Canada-People's Republic of China. This is the normal practice, which is to make a budget request whenever the House decides to create a special committee. The budget is set at $50,000 only for the start of the committee's work. After that, if the committee wants to travel, conduct other work, or incur more expenses, it must submit another budget request to the Board of Internal Economy.

Are there any other questions?

Mr. Brassard, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. McDonald, the House order allowed for a travel authority for this committee. I just want to make sure that the proper rules will be in place, including having the approval of this body if there is a need for this committee to travel.

Is that still part of your understanding?

Absolutely.

Through you, Mr. Speaker, the $50,000 is really a start-up budget in case the committee incurs any expenses. If they need more than $50,000—if they want to travel or if they want to hire professional services—then all of those requests would have to come back to the board.

That's wonderful.

Thank you, sir.

Very good.

Are there any other questions?

Very good, so we're okay with the recommendation of the $50,000?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

Hon. Anthony Rota: Very good.

We'll go on to number four, members' advertising and hospitality expenses.

The presenter will be Monsieur St George, chief financial officer, and Monsieur Fernandez.

I am pleased to be here today to seek approval from the Board of Internal Economy to update certain provisions of the advertising and hospitality expense policies.

The first item relates to the current policy, which provides that advertising costs incurred at third-party events cannot exceed $500 per event. This limit has not been revised since it was established in April 2014. On the other hand, MPs' office budgets are increased annually in line with the consumer price index. Therefore, the administration recommends that the Board of Internal Economy increase the limit for advertising to $660, in line with increases in members' office budgets since April 1, 2015. In addition, it requests that the Board of Internal Economy authorize that the chief financial officer may review the limit on an annual basis in the future and amend it as necessary. The chief financial officer will then inform the Board of Internal Economy of any changes to the limit.

The second item relates to tickets for events.

Under the current policy, members may claim the cost of a ticket for a community event, inclusive of a meal. In recent years an increasing number of organizations have started to charge an entry fee for their activities and organized virtual events without meals. The administration recommends that the board approve a policy change to allow the reimbursement of event tickets regardless of a meal.

Also for your information, on April 1, 2022, the maximum rate for tickets increased from $125 to $140. The chief financial officer would review this rate, along with the advertising limit, on an annual basis and adjust it accordingly.

Mr. Speaker, this concludes my presentation and I would be pleased to answer any questions you may have.

Are there any questions or comments?

Yes, Mr. Brassard.

Just for clarification's sake on two issues, on the issue of charitable tax donations, if a member is to receive a charitable tax donation, the actual cost of the ticket would not be reimbursed. That remains in effect?

That is correct.

Okay.

And political fundraising events are not eligible for these types of expenses?

That is correct.