HANSARD

NOVA SCOTIA HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY MANAGEMENT COMMISSION

Tuesday, November 13, 2018 Committee Room

Printed and Published by Nova Scotia Hansard Reporting Services

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY MANAGEMENT COMMISSION

Hon. Kevin Murphy (Chairman) Hon. Geoff MacLellan Hon. Labi Kousoulis

Ms. Suzanne Lohnes-Croft Mr. Gordon Wilson

Hon. Christopher d’Entremont Mr. Tim Halman

Hon. David Wilson

Mr. Neil Ferguson, Chief Clerk of the House of Assembly (Non-Voting Member)

[Mr. Ben Jessome replaced Mr. Gordon Wilson]

In Attendance:

Speaker’s Office Adviser Ms. Deborah Lusby Director of Administration Office of the Speaker

Ms. Annette Boucher Assistant Clerk House of Assembly

Mr. Gordon Hebb Chief Legislative Counsel

HALIFAX, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2018 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY MANAGEMENT COMMISSION

11:00 A.M.

CHAIRMAN

Hon. Kevin Murphy

MR. CHAIRMAN: Good morning everybody. We’ll call the meeting to order. For purposes of the record we’ll quickly go around the table, beginning with Chief Clerk Ferguson. If you are here as a substitute, please say you are here substituting for whoever.

[The commission members introduced themselves.]

MR. CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much. Everybody got the package in advance so we will move right into the agenda.

Item No. 1 is the approval of the minutes from June 12, 2018. Mr. Ferguson.

MR. NEIL FERGUSON: Mr. Chairman, I have reviewed them and I didn’t see any errors, so a motion to approve them would then be in order.

MR. CHAIRMAN: Moved by Mr. d’Entremont, seconded by Mr. Halman. Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.

The motion is carried.

Item No. 2, business arising from the minutes. Ms. Lusby.

MS. DEBORAH LUSBY: Number 4 in the minutes was MLA apartment rent review. A report on MLA rental rates was completed by myself and circulated to the House Leaders for their review and discussion. At this point, I haven’t received any further direction.

MR. CHAIRMAN: Mr. d’Entremont.

HON. CHRISTOPHER D’ENTREMONT: Thanks for that information. We just haven’t had a chance to really sit down and discuss it yet. I’m sure that maybe by the next meeting, we’ll have a clear idea of what we think.

MS. LUSBY: Great. Also, if I could add to that - No. 5 in the minutes, on barrier- free compliance. As instructed from the last House of Assembly Management Commission meeting, a letter was sent to Ms. Paon advising her to investigate the options to provide paved access to the accessible ramp.

No work has been done to date. However, Ms. Paon did indicate in an email that she understands she has until June 20, 2019, to complete the work. We will continue to follow up with her.

MR. CHAIRMAN: Okay, thank you very much. Any other discussion?

Hearing none, we’ll move on to Item No. 3, appointment of the member of the Audit Committee as chair of the committee, pursuant to Section 16 of the House of Assembly Management Commission Act. Ms. Boucher.

MS. ANNETTE BOUCHER: Mr. Chairman, the House of Assembly Management Commission Act requires the commission to appoint a chairman from the members of the Audit Committee - a chairman of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee met, and Gordon Moore, who is one of the new lay members, has agreed that if he were appointed by the Management Commission, he would take on the role of chairman of the Audit Committee. I have a resolution if one of the members of the Audit Committee would like to put it forward.

MR. CHAIRMAN: Mr. Kousoulis.

HON. LABI KOUSOULIS: Be it resolved that Gordon D. Moore, a member of the Audit Committee of the House of Assembly Management Commission, be appointed Chair of the Audit Committee pursuant to Section 16 of the House of Assembly Management Commission Act.

MR. CHAIRMAN: Seconded by Mr. d’Entremont.

Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay. The motion is carried.

Item No. 4 is the appointment of the auditor for fiscal 2018-19. Mr. Kousoulis.

MR. KOUSOULIS: Be it resolved that upon the recommendation of the Audit Committee of the House of Assembly Management Commission made at their meeting of September 11, 2018, the Nova Scotia Auditor General be appointed as auditor of the accounts of the House of Assembly for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, pursuant to Section 22 of the House of Assembly Management Commission Act.

MR. CHAIRMAN: Seconded by Mr. MacLellan.

Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay. The motion is carried.

Item No. 5 - the financials. Ms. Lusby.

MS. LUSBY: Included in your package are two reports. One is the fourth quarter for 2017-18, which was last updated on July 12, 2018. You had a preliminary report, I believe, at the House of Assembly Management Commission of June 12th, so this is the final fourth quarter report. We have to wait until 90 days after year end, which is the end of June, before we can finalize this information.

Also included in the financials is the second quarter report as of September 30, 2018. The first and second quarter are reflected in that one report. If you have any questions on any of this information, contact me any time.

MR. CHAIRMAN: Any questions or discussion? Can we get a motion? No motion required for this. Okay, that’s both points on the financials.

Item No. 6, the House of Assembly Management Commission Regulations proposed amendments. Ms. Boucher.

MS. BOUCHER: Mr. Chairman, being circulated now are amendments. The first is an amendment to the Management Commission Regulations, and the second is to Directive No. 1.

The first amendment, and I think everyone will have received it by now, is with regard to amending clause 21(1)(i) of the Regulations to allow the reimbursement of expenses related to interpretation, translation, or other services required to communicate with a constituent. If members have a constituent who presents to their office or otherwise who requires the assistance of interpretation or translation for the MLA to be able to communicate with the person, that would be an expense that would be reimbursable. That is the first amendment.

The second deals with Directive #1 to the House of Assembly Management Commission Regulations. You will recall that there are two directives, and those are amended every now and then to give further clarity on how to interpret the regulations. The

amendment would be adding a clause (o), after clause (n) which is entitled, “Computer equipment under clause 23(1)(c) that cost greater than $50.00” to state “audio visual or other equipment to be used to enhance and improve constituency community presentations given by the member” so that if a member is required to use that kind of equipment to facilitate a large meeting, they can have access to it.

[11:15 a.m.]

The second one is adding another clause after clause (o) as a stand-alone paragraph that reads as follows: “Members are encouraged to consider renting rather than purchasing any item listed at clause (a) to (o) above, if renting would result in a cost-saving.” So if you needed a piece of equipment just on a one-time basis and it would result in a cost-saving by renting it as opposed to purchasing, members are encouraged to rent.

Mr. Chairman, I would recommend that if these are acceptable, there might be a motion for the first one for the Management Commission Regulation amendment, and then a second for the directive, and if there are questions on that.

MR. CHAIRMAN: Is there discussion? Mr. MacLellan.

HON. GEOFF MACLELLAN: Is there a ceiling on the amount? Is there a top level - so if it’s a projector or rental of that sort of audio visual and speakers and such for a public meeting? Is there any kind of top limit - just inside our budget framework?

MS. LUSBY: No, just within your budget. MR. MACLELLAN: Okay.

MR. CHAIRMAN: Are there any further questions? Can we have a motion on the first amendment? Moved by Mr. MacLellan. Seconded by Mr. d’Entremont.

Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay. The motion is carried.

We’ll get a motion on the second amendment - Mr. d’Entremont. Seconded by Mr. MacLellan.

Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay. The motion is carried.

Thank you. Item No. 7 - the Electoral Boundaries Commission budget. Ms. Lusby.

MS. LUSBY: At the last meeting, since the Electoral Boundaries Commission had already commenced its work but we didn’t have a budget finalized yet, it was agreed that the Electoral Boundaries Commission could undertake expenses and that they would be covered by the Speaker’s Office, and subsequently reimbursed by the Treasury Board.

So I have included a budget. It looks like this. The first column is showing the year to date expenditures - almost $100,000 spent to date. The second column is the remaining balance out of the budget. The third column is the original budget, and the fourth is the current forecast, which is the most important column at this point.

We have done some moving around within the budget envelope of the $450,000, but haven’t made any reductions yet. There are still expenses to come in relating to the interim report, which is due on November 30th and probably in December we can start making more educated forecast adjustments.

MR. CHAIRMAN: Are there any questions or discussion? All good? We need a motion to pass this budget. Moved by Mr. MacLellan, seconded by Mr. Kousoulis.

Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay. The motion is carried.

Are there any other topics for discussion? With that, we will declare the meeting adjourned.

[The commission adjourned at 11:19 a.m.]