Report

DELEGATION MEMBERS AND STAFF

From September 15-17, 2020, Francesco Sorbara, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of the Canada–United States Inter-Parliamentary Group (IPG), attended the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Basecamp event by video conference along with Members of Parliament Ziad Aboultaif, the Honourable Hedy Fry and the Honourable Michelle Rempel Garner. Members were supported by Mr. Brett Capwell, Advisor to the Canadian Section.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES

Founded in 1975, the NCSL is a bipartisan organization serving the legislators and legislative staff of the 50 U.S. states, as well as its commonwealths and territories. It provides research, technical assistance and a venue for the exchange of ideas on state issues. As well, it advocates state interests before the U.S. Congress and federal agencies.

The NCSL is governed by an executive committee and has nine standing committees on which legislators participate. These committees are the following:

• Budgets and Revenue Committee
• Communications, Financial Services and Interstate Commerce Committee
• Education Committee
• Health and Human Services Committee
• Labor and Economic Development Committee
• Law, Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee
• Natural Resources and Infrastructure Committee
• Redistricting and Elections Committee

As well, legislators may participate in the following nine NCSL task forces:

• Task Force on Agriculture
• Task Force on Cybersecurity
• Task Force on Energy Supply
• Task Force on Immigration and the States
• Task Force on Innovations in State Health Systems
• Task Force on Insurance
• Task Force on International Relations
• Task Force on Military and Veterans Affairs
• Task Force on State and Local Taxation

THE EVENT

Due to the impact of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic across North America, NCSL hosted its Basecamp event virtually from September 15-17, 2020. Presentations were made on a variety of subjects, many of which have relevance for Canada; delegates from the IPG’s Canadian Section benefitted from information that will inform their legislative work. The conference included the following concurrent subject matter-specific panels:

• U.S. Economic Outlook
• Amy Walter Looks Ahead to the November Election
• Election 2020: What’s at Stake in the States
• Taking Advantage of a Crisis: Cyberattacks in the COVID-19 Pandemic
• The State-Federal Clash Over the Energy Mix
• Strengthening State Legislatures
• The Future of Redistricting
• Elections: What to Expect When the Unexpected Happens
• Dr. Deborah Birx on COVID-19: The Path Forward
• Managing in Challenging Times
• Transportation: Predictions for 2021
• One Economy: Two Plans to Revitalize It
• Education at a Crossroads
• Addressing Racial Disparities in Health, Well-being and Economic Security
• The Virtual Workplace: Maintaining Teams and Networking
• Policing Perspectives: State Oversight and Community Engagement
• The Virtual Third House: Integrating Advocacy into the Legislature’s New Normal
• The Art of Negotiation
• Salute to Legislative Staff: From Trauma to Triumph – Building Resilience in Trying Times

In addition, a keynote address was given by actor Chris Evans on “Starting Point,” a civic engagement website designed to create a bipartisan channel of communication and connectivity between Americans and their elected officials.

Respectfully submitted,