Report

From January 27 to January 31, 2020, the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association sent a delegation of two parliamentarians to Strasbourg, France, to participate in the first part of the 2020 Ordinary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). The delegates were the Hon. Gwen Boniface, and the Hon. Claude Carignan, Senators. The delegation was accompanied by Association Secretary, Ms. Josée Thérien.

PARTICIPATION IN THE FIRST PART OF THE 2020 ORDINARY SESSION OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

From January 27 to 31, the delegation participated in the first part-session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, for which Canada has observer status.

A.   Overview of the Agenda of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

During the first part-session a wide range of topics were debated in the Assembly and in its committees and political groups. The Assembly held debates on the following:

• Progress report of the Bureau and the Standing Committee;
• Observation of the early parliamentary elections in Belarus (17 November 2019);
• The functioning of democratic institutions in Poland;
• Threats to media freedom and journalists’ security in Europe;
• The protection of freedom of religion or belief in the workplace;
• Complementary joint procedure between the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly in response to a serious violation by a member State of its statutory obligations;
• Reported case of political prisoners in Azerbaijan;
• Urgent procedure debate: “International obligations concerning the repatriation of children from war zones;
• Current affairs debate: Recent developments in Libya and in the Middle-East: what consequences for Europe?
• Concerted action against human trafficking and the smuggling of migrants;
• Missing refugee migrant children in Europe;
• The progress of the Assembly’s monitoring procedure (January-December 2019);
• Democracy hacked? How to respond?;
• Organ transplant tourism;
• Combatting trafficking in human tissues and cells;
• Free debate.

The Assembly also heard from the following speakers:

• Mr. David Zalkaliani, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Georgia, President of the Committee of Ministers;
• Ms. Salome Zourabichvili, President of Georgia;
• Mr. Igor Dodon, President of the Republic of Moldova;
• Ms. Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

B.   Canadian Activities during the Session

1.   Overview

The members of the delegation actively participated in proceedings of the PACE, including plenary proceedings.

C.   Canadian Interventions in Assembly Debates

Senator Gwen Boniface and Senator Claude Carignan participated in Assembly debates during the first part-session, making four interventions in debates on a range of broad topics. Links to the delegates’ speeches are available on the PACE website. [1]

1.   Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Senators Claude Carignan and Senator Boniface each delivered a speech on “Threats to media freedom and journalists’ security in Europe”.

2.   Thursday, January 30, 2020

Senator Gwen Boniface delivered a speech on “Concerted action on human trafficking”.

3.   Friday, January 31, 2020

Senator Claude Carignan delivered a speech on “Democracy hacked? How to respond?”.

Respectfully submitted,

Mr. Scott Simms, M.P. Chair,
Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association