Interparliamentary Activities and Reports

On June 5th 2020, the Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, moderated a virtual dialogue entitled “Legislating for Post COVID-19 Economic Recovery: Cooperative Dialogue between Presiding Officers of Parliaments of the Americas.” Presiding officers of 15 legislatures from across the Americas participated in the dialogue in Spanish.

Alicia Bárcena, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), gave the keynote address, highlighting how the pandemic has affected the economic situation in the Americas and Caribbean region and outlining proposals that could help mitigate its effects. She explained that ECLAC expects that, in 2020, the gross domestic product of the Americas and Caribbean region will fall by 5%, 12 million people will become unemployed, and the number of people living in poverty will increase by over 28 million in the region. She highlighted that certain population groups in the region are more likely to suffer as a result of the pandemic. For example, women make up the majority of workers in the informal labour force, they often have little in the way of savings, and they have to go outside the home to earn an income. In addition, many children and adolescents may not have access to online learning; it is estimated that only 20% have this option. Ms. Bárcena proposed the following options to respond to the economic crisis sparked by COVID-19 in the Americas and the Caribbean: establish an emergency basic income over a period of six months for people living in poverty; provide subsidies to companies based on the number of employees and the employer’s commitment to its employees; promote measures leading to a more egalitarian and environmentally sustainable economic structure; and implement universal healthcare. Ms. Bárcena highlighted the important role of parliaments in implementing these measures.

Following the keynote presentation, the presiding officers each presented the measures implemented in their countries to respond to the pandemic.

The committee held a regular meeting on 4 June 2020 via videoconference. Members reported on the health and socio-economic effects of COVID-19 pandemic in the Arctic, the responses and common challenges of Arctic nations. Common challenges experienced across Arctic nations included: the downturn in tourism upon which a number of Arctic communities depend; COVID-19 border closures affecting the movement of Indigenous peoples living across national borders; measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 among seasonal workers arriving in the Arctic to work in fish processing and oil and gas sectors; and the anticipated increased frequency of forest fires in the Arctic over the summer of 2020. Members raised some of the themes related to the drafting of the Conference Statement to be adopted at the next biennial Conference. The Conference, which was originally to be held in Norway in September 2020, is currently postponed to Spring 2021.

The Honourable Scott Simms P.C., M.P., President, CAEU, participated in a videoconference call with the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Canada (D-CA). D-CA participants included Ms. Stéphanie Yon-Courtin (Chair), Mr. Javier Moreno Sánchez (Vice-Chair, Spain), Mr. Jan Olbrycht (Poland), Ms. Isabel Carvalhais (Portugal), Mr. Martin Schirdewan (Germany), Mr. Mislav Kolakušic (Croatia), and Mr. Javier Zarzalejos (Spain). The main topics of discussion were Canadian and European responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) – with a focus on its benefits for small and medium-sized enterprises – and fisheries in the context of the European Union’s ongoing negotiations with the United Kingdom over their future relationship. Discussions continued regarding the status of the annual interparliamentary meeting, which is scheduled to take place in Canada in November.