HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
MINUTES
A meeting of the House of Assembly Management Commission was held by video conference on Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 3:00 p.m.
Present were: Chair, Hon. Kevin Murphy, Hon. Geoff MacLellan, Ms Rafah DiCostanzo, Mr Brendan Maguire, Hon. Chuck Porter, Mr Allan MacMaster, Ms Karla MacFarlane, Ms Claudia Chender and Mr James Charlton, Chief Clerk.
Also present were Ms Deborah Lusby, Director of Administration, Office of the Speaker and Mr Gordon D. Hebb, QC, Chief Legislative Counsel.
- Minutes of January 22, 2020 meeting
It was moved by Hon. Geoff MacLellan and seconded by Hon. Chuck Porter that the minutes of the October 28, 2020 meeting be approved as circulated.
CARRIED
- House of Assembly Management Commission Audit Committee
Mr Charlton indicated that Section 15 of the House of Assembly Management Commission Act requires two members of the Commission to be selected by the Commission to be members of the Audit Committee. Hon. Labi Kousoulis as the Executive Council member on the Commission was selected by the Commission as one of the two members to serve on the Audit Committee. Hon. Labi Kousoulis resigned as an Executive Council member to be a leadership candidate and as a result was no longer a member of the Commission or a member of the Audit Committee. Thus, a motion was required to select a current Commission member to serve on the Audit Committee.
It was moved by Ms Rafah DiCostanzo and seconded by Hon. Chuck Porter that Hon. Geoff MacLellan be appointed pursuant to Section 15 of the House of Assembly Management Commission Act as a member of the Commission’s Audit Committee for the term commencing December 16, 2020, to continue until such time as he is replaced by the Commission.
CARRIED
- 2019-20 Audit Report
The Audit Report was circulated in advance of the meeting to the members of the House of Assembly Management Commission. Mr Charlton noted that the Auditor General issued two unmodified opinions in the report as follows: (a) that the House of Assembly’s expenditures are in compliance with the House of Assembly Management Commission policies and the policies of the Public Service for the year ending March 31, 2020, and (b) that the internal controls of the House of Assembly are operating effectively.
It was moved by Mr Allan MacMaster and seconded by Ms Rafah DiCostanzo that the Auditor General’s 2019-2020 Audit Report be accepted as presented.
CARRIED
- Appointment of 2020-21 Auditor
It was moved by Mr Allan MacMaster and seconded by Hon. Geoff MacLellan that, in accordance with the recommendation of the Audit Committee of the House of Assembly Management Commission made at their November 24, 2020 meeting, the Nova Scotia Auditor General be appointed pursuant to Section 22 of the House of Assembly Management Commission Act as auditor of the accounts of the House of Assembly for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021.
CARRIED
The meeting adjourned the meeting at 3:11 p.m.
These minutes were approved by the Management Commission on January 28, 2021.
Certified
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Speaker
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Chief Clerk
