Interparliamentary Activities and Reports

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association held the second of its CPA High-Level Roundtables with Commonwealth High Commissioners based in London and representatives of Overseas Territories. The newly appointed CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg spoke on the topic of the ‘Working Towards a Common Future’ ahead of #CHOGM2021 and the roundtable also heard from guest panellists, Ms. Yasmin Ratansi, M.P., Chair of CPA Canadian Branch and Her Excellency Rethabile Mokaeane, High Commissioner of Lesotho to the UK.

Meeting of the Network of Women Parliamentarians – October 6, 2020 In 2002, the Assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) created the Network of Women Parliamentarians to encourage women to participate more in political, economic, social and cultural life, both at a national level and across all francophone countries. Member of Parliament Marie-France Lalonde attended the videoconference meeting of the Network of Women Parliamentarians of the APF, held October 6, 2020. Parliamentarians from more than 20 APF branches participated. Ms. Lalonde, rapporteur for the Canadian Branch of the APF, presented the report of the Canadian Branch of the APF on cyberviolence against women and children, as well as a proposal for a report by the Canadian Branch on the economic empowerment of francophone women. Rapporteurs from the APF’s various committees and networks discussed study subjects and asked member branches to participate, particularly through answering a survey on their practices in those areas. In addition to these two issues, the parliamentarians discussed a future policy on preventing and addressing harassment within the APF, women’s role in the extractive industries, and women’s contribution to the fight against COVID 19. To conclude, members discussed subjects on the agenda for the Network’s next meeting.

The Honourable David McGuinty, P.C., M.P., President of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Executive Committee Vice-President for the Twelve Plus geopolitical Group (12+), led a delegation of parliamentarians composed of the Honourable Salma Ataullahjan, Senator, the Honourable Rob Black, senator, the Honourable Raymonde Saint-Germain, Senator, the Honourable Steven Blaney, P.C., M.P., Ms. Marilène Gill, M.P., Ms. Michelle Rempel Garner, M.P. and Mr. Sven Spengemann, M.P.

This meeting was called at the request of the chairs from the five Nordic IPU delegations (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) to discuss the IPU presidency.

Conference of Presidencies of the Americas Region – October 5, 2020 MPs Francis Drouin and Chris d’Entremont both participated in the Conference of Presidencies of the Americas Region of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) on October 5, 2020. The chargé de mission for the Americas Region reported on the past year’s activities and financial situation. Parliamentarians discussed possible steps to implement the APF’s strategic framework, including the possibility of creating an institutional sustainability plan for the organization. The Nova Scotia branch gave an update on preparations for the 36th Session of the Americas Regional Assembly, scheduled to take place in Halifax in August 2021.

The ParlAmericas parliamentary Network for Gender Equality discussed the theme “Designing Inclusive Futures in Partnership with Youth” through a series of online events for parliamentarians in the Americas and the Caribbean. Through the exchange of experiences and good legislative practices, this gathering fostered a dialogue on the importance of incorporating youth voices and action in parliamentary efforts for gender equality.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

Mr. Scott Simms, M.P., President, CAEU; the Hon. Percy E. Downe, Senator; the Hon. Larry Bagnell, P.C., M.P.; and Mr. Luc Berthold, M.P., 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, France), Mr. Javier Moreno Sánchez (Vice-Chair, Spain), Mr. Rasmus Andresen (Germany), and Mr. Ondrej Kovarík (Czechia). The main topics of discussion were the surge or “second wave” of COVID-19 cases and how governments in Europe and Canada are responding; the European Commission’s new proposed Pact on Migration and Asylum; the European Union’s proposed €1.8-trillion seven-year budget and pandemic recovery plan; the recent Speech from the Throne and the State of the European Union address; and the impact on the Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement of both Brexit and the Cypriot Parliament’s vote against the Agreement’s ratification. The videoconference call concluded with preliminary discussions about the annual interparliamentary meeting, which has been postponed from November 2020 to the spring of 2021 – at the earliest – as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Honourable David McGuinty, P.C.,M.P., President of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Executive Committee Vice-President for the Twelve Plus geopolitical Group (12+), the Honourable Salma Ataullahjan, Senator and President of the IPU Committee on Middle East Questions and Sven Spengemann, M.P. and member of the Bureau of the IPU Committee on Democracy and Human Rights, participated in a hybrid Steering Committee meeting of the 12+ Group on September 28, 2020. Members discussed important matters that will be on the agendas of the upcoming virtual meeting of the 12+ Group and the extraordinary virtual session of the IPU Governing Council.

The 12+ Group is a collective of 47 IPU member states that caucus together to discuss key issues that will be presented to the Governing Council of the IPU, the union’s main administrative and policy-making body.