DRAFT MINUTES (UNPUBLISHED)

Transcription

1 DRAFT MINUTES (UNPUBLISHED) Legislative Assembly Management Committee Wednesday, December 19, :00 a.m. Douglas Fir Committee Room (Room 226) Parliament Buildings, Victoria, B.C. Members Present: Hon. Darryl Plecas, MLA (Speaker and Chair); Garry, MLA; Jagrup Brar, MLA; Hon. Mike, MLA; Sonia, MLA; Mary, MLA; Janet, MLA; Jackie, MLA Legislative Assembly Officials Present: Kate Ryan-Lloyd, Acting Clerk of the Legislative Assembly; Randy Ennis, Acting Sergeant-at-Arms; Hilary Woodward, Executive Financial Officer; Brian Urquhart, Director, Financial Services; Susan Sourial, Clerk Assistant, Committees and Interparliamentary Relations Others in Attendance: Carol Bellringer, Auditor General; Paul Nyquist, Office of the Auditor General 1. The Chair called the Committee to order at 9:04 a.m. 2. Resolved, that the Committee approve the agenda as circulated. (Jagrup Brar, MLA) 3. Resolved, that the Committee approve the minutes of December 6, (Jagrup Brar, MLA) 4. It was moved by Mary, MLA, that the Legislative Assembly Management Committee ask the Auditor General to conduct an examination under section 13 of the Auditor General Act (S.B.C. 2003, c. 2). 5. And debate arising thereon, Mary, MLA moved a proposed amendment: That the words subject to receipt of appropriate legal advice be added at the end of the motion. 6. The question being put on the amendment, it was defeated on the following division: Ayes (2) Nays (5) Brar

2 7. The question being put on the main motion, it was defeated on the following division: Ayes (2) Nays (5) Brar 8. Resolved, that on behalf of the Legislative Assembly Management Committee, the Acting Clerk seek legal advice with respect to the appropriateness and potential scope of an audit, forensic audit or examination under Section 13 of the Auditor General Act (S.B.C. 2003, c. 2), given the active police investigation, to ensure that any action taken by the Committee on that advice does not impede the ongoing investigation; and that this information be provided to the Committee at its January 21, 2019 meeting. (Hon. Mike, MLA) 9. The Committee reviewed the minutes of the meetings of the Finance and Audit Committee for February 21, 2018; March 6, 2018; April 12, 2018; June 26, 2018; October 4, 2018; October 18, 2018; October 25, 2018; November 1, 2018; November 6, 2018; November 8, 2018; November 22, 2018; and November 27, It was moved by Mary, MLA, that the Committee direct that no further staff, including consultants, be retained or hired by the Office of the Speaker without prior approval of the Legislative Assembly Management Committee. 11. And debate arising thereon, the question being put on the motion, it was defeated. 12. Resolved, that the Legislative Assembly Management Committee accept the minutes of the meetings of the Finance and Audit Committee. (Jagrup Brar, MLA) 13. It was moved by Mary, MLA, that the Committee require that the Speaker disclose any and all investigations or reviews conducted by his office that are not the subject of explicit restrictions imposed by the special prosecutors and the RCMP. 14. And debate arising thereon, the question being put on the motion, it was defeated. 15. It was moved by Mary, MLA, that the Speaker be required to confirm to the Auditor General and the Committee that no other officers of the Legislature have been or are currently being investigated by his office. 16. And debate arising thereon, the question being put on the motion, it was defeated. 17. The Committee reviewed the December 19, 2018 Report of the Finance and Audit Committee. 18. It was agreed that the Committee consider at a future meeting a report prepared by the Office of the Clerk regarding ministerial staff in constituency offices.

3 19. The Acting Clerk and the Executive Financial Officer provided Committee Members with an overview of the report and answered questions related to the Taxation of Member Allowances, the Quarterly Financial Updates for Q1 and Q2 of fiscal year 2018/19, and the proposed revisions to the Members Remuneration and Pensions Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 257). 20. Resolved, that the Committee approve the recommendations contained in the Finance and Audit Committee Report related to the Taxation of Member Allowances. (Jagrup Brar, MLA) 21. Resolved, that the Committee defer consideration of the Quarterly Financial Updates, Q1 and Q2 of fiscal year 2018/19. (Jackie, MLA) 22. Resolved, that the Committee approve the recommendations contained in the Finance and Audit Committee Report related to the Members Remuneration and Pensions Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 257). (Hon. Mike, MLA) 23. Resolved, that the Committee adopt the report of the Finance and Audit Committee dated December 19, 2018, as amended. (Jackie, MLA) 24. The Committee considered the Legislative Assembly s 2019/20 Vote 1 budget submission. 25. The Acting Clerk, the Executive Financial Officer, the Acting Sergeant-at-Arms and the Director of Financial Services provided an overview of the operational and capital budgets of the Legislative Assembly s 2019/20 Vote 1 budget submission and answered questions. 26. Resolved, that the Committee defer discussion regarding any funding provided to the Speaker as an Independent Member to the next meeting of the Committee, and that staff provide the Committee with additional information regarding the status of funding for Independent Speakers in other jurisdictions. (Jackie, MLA) 27. The Committee recessed from 11:07 a.m. to 11:24 a.m. 28. The Committee reviewed the Legislative Assembly financial Policy 7520 Caucus Funding. 29. It was moved by Sonia, MLA, that the Committee approve Policy 7520 Caucus Funding Leader s Office as presented in the Vote 1 budget supporting documents. 30. And debate arising thereon, Jackie, MLA, moved a proposed amendment: That Policy 7520 Caucus Funding Leader s Office be approved with an amendment to clause 5.01 regarding leased space with the following words removed: and +/- 53 square meters for the Leader of the Third Party. 31. The question being put on the amendment, it was carried. 32. Resolved, that clause 5.01 as noted within the current leased space in Policy 7520 Caucus Funding Leader s Office, be amended to remove the following words: and +/- 53 square meters for the Leader of the Third Party. The amended clause 5.01 shall read: The Legislative

4 Assembly s central budget will incur the cost of Leader s office space in Vancouver, defined as +/- 200 square meters for the Leader of the Official Opposition. (Jackie, MLA) 33. It was agreed that clause 5.01 regarding leased space, in Policy 7520 Caucus Funding Leader s Office, be reviewed by the Committee at a later date. 34. The Chair agreed to provide the Committee with a job description for Mr. Alan Mullen, employed in the Office of the Speaker. 35. It was moved by Mary, MLA, that the Committee require the disclosure of the retainer agreement and compensation for Mr. Wally Oppal, OBC, QC, and that the Speaker disclose the compensation paid to date to Mr. Oppal immediately, along with all written reports provided by Mr. Oppal. 36. The question being put on the motion, it was defeated. 37. It was moved by Mary, MLA, that no more than $25,000 in total compensation be paid to Mr. Oppal without prior approval by the Legislative Assembly Management Committee. 38. And debate arising thereon, the question being put on the motion, it was defeated. 39. The Chair agreed to provide the Committee with details related to the requests for research initiated by his constituency office at its January 21, 2019 meeting. 40. The Committee recessed from 1:15 p.m. to 1:23 p.m. 41. It was agreed that the proposed Capital Plan Project Number 53 as noted in 2019/20 Budget Submission Vote 1: Capital Projects Supporting Documents regarding chair lifts for the East and West Annexes, originally scheduled to begin in 2020/21, be undertaken in 2019/ It was moved by Hon. Mike, MLA, that the Committee approve the estimates of expenditure for fiscal year 2019/20 for the Legislative Assembly for Vote 1, as amended; and further that, The Speaker transmit the estimates of expenditure for fiscal year 2019/20 for the Legislative Assembly for Vote 1, as amended, to the Minister of Finance on behalf of the Committee. And debate arising thereon, the question being put on the motion, it was carried on the following division: Ayes (4) Nays (2)

5 43. Resolved, that the Committee approve the estimates of expenditure for fiscal year 2019/20 for the Legislative Assembly for Vote 1, as amended; and further that, The Speaker transmit the estimates of expenditure for fiscal year 2019/20 for the Legislative Assembly for Vote 1, as amended, to the Minister of Finance on behalf of the Committee. (Hon. Mike, MLA) 44. The Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair at 1:55 p.m. Honourable Darryl Plecas, MLA Speaker and Chair Kate Ryan-Lloyd Acting Clerk of the Legislative Assembly