House of Assembly Management Commission
Minutes
May 22, 2024
A meeting of the House of Assembly Management Commission was held in the Committee Room of One Government Place on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at 4:00 p.m.
Present were: Nolan Young, Acting Chair; John White (substituting for Hon. Kim Masland); Hon. Kent Smith (substituting for Hon. Allan MacMaster); Danielle Barkhouse; Hon. Derek Mombourquette; Fred Tilley (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, and Gordon D.
Hebb, kc, Chief Legislative
Counsel.
1) Minutes of the meeting of January 31, 2024
It was moved by Ms. Barkhouse and seconded by Mr. Smith that the minutes of the January 31, 2024, meeting be approved as circulated.
CARRIED
2) 2023-2024 Audit Report
The Chief Clerk noted that the 2023-2024 Audit Report was presented to the Audit Committee on May 15, 2024, and reviewed the opinions set out therein.
It was moved by Mr. Mombourquette and seconded by Mr. Tilley that the 2023-2024 Audit Report be accepted by the Management Commission as presented by the Chief Clerk.
CARRIED
3) Annual CPI adjustment
The Director of Operations and Administrations advised that, pursuant to subsection 52(1) of the House of Assembly Management Commission Regulations, the fixed amounts set out in the regulations (with limited exceptions) are increased on April 1st of each year by the increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Nova Scotia or the core CPI for Canada, whichever is lower. This increase is subject to the approval of the Management Commission. The CPI for Nova Scotia for the 2023-2024 fiscal year was 3.1% while the CPI for Canada for the same period was 2.7%. The Director advised that the 2.7% increase would amount to a budget increase of $129,271 across all members.
Mr. White advised that the members of the Government caucus would not support the adjustment.
It was moved by Mr. White and seconded by Ms. Barkhouse that that the increase on April 1, 2024, of the fixed amounts set out in the House of Assembly Management Commission Regulations by 2.7%, rounded to the nearest dollar, as provided for under subsection 52(1) of the Regulations be rejected.
CARRIED
4) Constituency office security
The Chief Clerk reminded the Management Commission of the motion passed on January 31, 2024, directing staff to 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 and advised that the start-up cost of acquiring a standard security package as recommended by Corporate Security would be approximately $5,250 including taxes.
A discussion ensued with Ms. Leblanc, Mr. Mombourquette, Ms. Barkhouse, the Director of Operations and Administration, and Mr. White participating.
It was moved by Ms. Leblanc and seconded by Mr. Mombourquette that the Management Commission direct staff to prepare draft regulations to permit a newly-elected member or a member who moves to a new constituency office to spend $5,200 in start-up costs on implementing security measures for the member s constituency office.
A discussion on the motion ensued with Messrs. Tilley and Mombourquette, Ms. Barkhouse, Mr. White, and Ms. Leblanc participating.
The question having been put and having resulted in a tie, the Acting Chair exercised a casting vote.
DEFEATED
5) 2023-24 financial reports 3rd quarter and preliminary year-end
The Director of Operations and Administration reviewed the 3rd quarter and preliminary year-end reports for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
The agenda being concluded, the meeting adjourned at 4:23 p.m.
Certified approved by the House of Assembly Management Commission on January 29, 2025.
________________________
James Charlton
Chief Clerk and Secretary to the
House of Assembly Management Commission
