House of Assembly Management Commission

Minutes

January 31, 2024

A meeting of the House of Assembly Management Commission was held in the Committee Room of One Government Place on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, at 4:00 p.m.

Present were: Hon. Karla MacFarlane, Chair; Nolan Young; Hon. Kim Masland; Hon. Allan MacMaster; Danielle Barkhouse; Hon. Derek Mombourquette; Hon Kelly Regan (substituting for Hon. Keith Irving); Susan Leblanc; and James Charlton, Chief Clerk and Secretary to the Management Commission.

Also present were Matthew Timmons, Director of Operations and Administration, Gordon D. Hebb, kc, Chief Legislative Counsel

The Management Commission met in camera from 4:00 p.m. to 4:39 p.m. to discuss constituency office security. No decisions were made while the Commission met in camera. Following the in camera discussion, the Chair called the public portion of the meeting to order at 4:42 p.m.

1)         Minutes of January 24, 2024, meeting

It was moved by Ms. Barkhouse and seconded by Mr. Young that the minutes of the January 24, 2024, meeting be approved as circulated.

CARRIED

2)            Constituency Office Security

It was moved by Ms. Regan and seconded by Ms. Leblanc that the Management Commission allocate additional funding to hire a supporting staff person in each constituency office.

A discussion ensued with Messrs. Mombourquette and Young, Mses. Leblanc, Barkhouse and Regan, the Chair, Mr. MacMaster, and the Chief Clerk participating.

A recorded vote on the motion was called.

YES                                                                 NO

Susan Leblanc                                                  Hon. Kim Masland

Hon. Kelly Regan                                            Danielle Barkhouse

Hon. Derek Mombourquette                           Hon. Allan MacMaster

                                                                        Nolan Young

DEFEATED

Discussion on the matter of constituency office security continued with Mr. Mombourquette and the Director of Operations and Administration participating.

It was moved by Mr. Mombourquette and seconded by Ms. Regan that staff investigate and come back to Management Commission with a recommendation for budget outside of the current MLA constituency office budgets to cover the costs associated with ensuring security measures can be implemented at constituency offices.

It was then moved by Ms. Barkhouse and seconded by Mr. Young that the above motion by Mr. Mombourquette be amended to be that staff report on the pricing for panic buttons and cameras for constituency offices.

A discussion ensued with Ms. Regan, Mr. MacMaster, the Director of Operations and Administration, Ms. Barkhouse, and Mr. Mombourquette participating.

Following a short recess, Ms. Barkhouse withdrew her amendment to Mr. Mombourquette’s motion with the unanimous consent of the Management Commission. Mr. Mombourquette then withdrew his motion with the unanimous consent of the Management Commission.

It was moved by Mr. Mombourquette and seconded by Mr. MacMaster that staff investigate increasing the amount claimable for constituency office start-up costs above the $2,550 maximum set out in subsection 18(6) of the House of Assembly Management Commission Regulations to ensure there is enough money to cover the cost of installing security measures.

CARRIED

The agenda being concluded, the meeting adjourned at 5:36 p.m.

 

Certified approved by the House of Assembly Management Commission on May 22, 2024.

 

________________________

James Charlton
Chief Clerk and Secretary to the
House of Assembly Management Commission