No.
Evidence of meeting #4 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was million.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #4 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was million.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:30 p.m.
Bloc
Claude DeBellefeuille Bloc Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC
I would like to talk about computer expenses. I will have lots of questions for Mr. Bard, when my second turn comes around. There is something wrong with the way acquisitions are authorized for computer equipment. You are offering us equipment that is too expensive and which is all provided by the same company. There is no reason why we should be refused permission to install equipment of equal quality, that is less costly, but does not appear on your list. In times of economic crisis, everybody has to do their share. For example, I consider that $300 for a scanner is an outrageous price.
12:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
Let's save the example for the next round. That would be great.
Mr. Godin.
12:30 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Mr. Chairman, Mr. Milliken, Ms. O'Brien, I have a few questions for you. There was an incident on Parliament Hill. People climbed up onto the Parliament buildings. The RCMP has since improved security. We see there are more officers now in different locations. From which budget is the money to cover that coming?
12:30 p.m.
Clerk of the House of Commons, House of Commons
It comes out of the RCMP budget.
12:35 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Money does not grow on trees. The RCMP does not have a machine to print money. Does that money come from the government or the Department of Justice?
12:35 p.m.
Clerk of the House of Commons, House of Commons
I thought you were asking whether it was coming out of our budget or the RCMP's budget. It is the RCMP's budget. I have no doubt—
12:35 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
So, this would be coming out of the budget of the Department of Justice, or something like that.
12:35 p.m.
Clerk of the House of Commons, House of Commons
I believe the RCMP has its own budget, which is independent of the Department of Justice's budget. I have no doubt that this is causing some difficulty, but it is necessary all the same; we all saw what happened when there was inadequate staff.
12:35 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Are the repairs to the West Block and the Wellington Building being funded using money from these budgets?
12:35 p.m.
Clerk of the House of Commons, House of Commons
No, that does not come out of these budgets. We are pursuing our discussions with the Department of Public Works and Government Services with respect to the long-term plan for renovating the Parliamentary precinct.
I have to say that it is nevertheless quite frustrating. The fact that these are heritage buildings is causing problems. Delays have meant that this is now the worst time, in terms of the economy, to be requesting funding for a project of this magnitude.
However, as far as I know or according to what I have been told, there are still plans to close the West Block in September and move MPs to the Promenade Building at 151 Sparks Street. As regards committee rooms in the West Block, the Board of Internal Economy has agreed that they also be closed and that committee work be conducted elsewhere, so that renovations to the West Block can begin as soon as possible.
12:35 p.m.
Clerk of the House of Commons, House of Commons
No, that comes under the budget of Public Works and Government Services Canada.
12:35 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
It comes under the budget of Public Works and Government Services Canada.
12:35 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
I have been here for 13 years and we have been talking about this for 13 years. When they said it was going to take 15 years, I thought it was a joke, but it has almost been that long.
12:35 p.m.
A voice
Long-term vision.
12:35 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
I believe these buildings have to be repaired, whether they are heritage or not. The longer we wait, the more it is going to cost.
12:35 p.m.
Clerk of the House of Commons, House of Commons
This is the heritage of all Canadians. We all hope the money can be found to implement the plan.
12:35 p.m.
NDP
12:35 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Can you give me any further explanation regarding insurance for offices? Mr. Hoback talked about the office that had burned down. You say that some Members of Parliament have taken out insurance. What happens if an MP does not do that?
12:35 p.m.
Clerk of the House of Commons, House of Commons
Some Members may want to buy personal insurance if their office contains works of art or that sort of thing. Perhaps Ms. Kennedy could explain how things work when such a terrible thing occurs, like the fire that broke out in M. Dechert's office.