We are fortunate to enjoy, in Canada, peace and freedom unparalleled in the world. Through our democratic institutions, we are able to express our values as a country and to shape its future. The Senate, as the upper house of the Parliament of Canada, is one institution through which Canadians interact with their representatives and are empowered as citizens.

We are privileged to serve in a unique location, both within our system of governance and in terms of the architectural beauty that surrounds us. The Senate is the only place where the three elements of Parliament are brought together - the Crown, the Senate and the House of Commons - as it is here that proposed laws of the land, having gained the support of both the Senate and the Commons, are given Royal Assent.

During the Confederation debates, the man who would become our first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, famously referred to the Senate as the "House which has sober second-thought." Through our efforts in the chamber and in committees, senators have continued to build upon this principle.

I hope this report on activities provides you, the reader, with a better sense of how the Senate serves Canadians. May the information contained herein demonstrate the deep commitment senators have to enhancing and improving Canada for the benefit of all its citizens.

Noël A. Kinsella
The Senate Speaker

The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration oversees all financial and administrative matters related to the Senate's operations.  It delivers the Senate's annual budget; approves the use of Senate resources by senators and their committees; and oversees the Senate Administration, a body of some 450 employees who provide the logistical and procedural expertise the Senate needs to operate.

The committee 15 members share responsibility to our fellow senators to ensure conditions that allow them to work effectively and efficiently. This entails supporting the service of our non-partisan Senate Administration staff with solid administrative policy.  Careful budgeting ensures that senators can carry out in-depth study, foster public debate and serve our constituents.

As well, the committee shares a more general responsibility to be scrupulous and careful with the use of public funds.  This dictates analyzing each expenditure and every policy to ensure that Senate operations are as efficient as possible.  To be accountable and ensure the Senate operates in a fiscally responsible manner is to be diligent and ever-mindful of the right of Canadians to a positive return on their investment in the Senate.

That return is represented in the pages of this report - in such results as provocative reports on mental health and security, fulsome debate over important legislation and senators' advocacy on a vast range of social issues.  Our committee is proud of the Senate's achievements and we hope you find, as you peruse this report, that we are serving Canadians well and responsibly.

George J. Furey, Q.C.
Chair, Standing Committee
on Internal Economy,
Budgets and Administration

In many ways, this report on activities demonstrates the pride that we in the Senate Administration take in the work we do. But more than that, it outlines how the Senate serves Canadians, and helps raise awareness and understanding of its essential role in our democratic system of government.

I am proud to say that the Senate's full and sensitive legislative slate of the past year brought out the best in the Administration. In assisting senators with their legislative duties, the Administration's employees demonstrated dedication, passion and commitment to excellence. It has been gratifying to observe their professionalism and ethical conduct during a busy and challenging session of Parliament. By serving with competence and impartiality and by fostering a climate of respect and probity, they not only managed to do what senators and Canadians expect of them - they succeeded in reinforcing their trust.

The face of the Senate Administration is changing. As you will read in this report's section on the Administration, our vision of a truly representative and inclusive workplace reflecting the diverse cultural mosaic and linguistic duality of Canadian society is becoming a reality. I can say with satisfaction that the adoption of innovative, flexible and effective strategies for integrating diversity into human resources programs has resulted in a richer and more vibrant organization.

I am grateful to all those who contribute to this development, betterment and continued excellence.

Paul C. Bélisle
Clerk of the Senate
and Clerk of the Parliaments