Report

Four members of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association (CAEU) participated in the second part of the 2021 Ordinary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which took place on 19–22 April 2021. This second part was held in a hybrid format. Delegations were on site in Strasbourg, France, and others participated virtually. As a result of the Joint Interparliamentary Council’s moratorium on international travel, the Canadian delegation participated by videoconference. The Canadian delegation was composed of Scott Simms, M.P., President, CAEU; the Honourable Lucie Moncion, Senator; Stéphane Bergeron, M.P.; and Don Davies, M.P. The delegation was supported by the association secretary, Matthieu Boulianne, and its analysts, Madalina Chesoi and Billy Joe Siekierski.

PARTICIPATION IN THE SECOND PART OF THE 2021 ORDINARY SESSION OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

Consistent with Canada’s official observer status with the PACE, the delegation participated in the second part of the ordinary session on 19–22 April 2021.

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

During the second part, the Assembly, its committees and political groups held debates on various topics. The Assembly debated the following:

• Progress report of the Bureau and the Standing Committee;
• Preserving national minorities in Europe;
• Current affairs debate: COVID-19 passports or certificates: protection of fundamental rights and legal implications;
• The Assembly’s vision on the strategic priorities for the Council of Europe;
• Fighting fiscal injustice: the work of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) on taxation of digital economy;
• Current affairs debate: Armenian prisoners of war, other captives and displaced persons;
• Joint debate: Urgent need for electoral reform in Belarus and Human rights violations in Belarus require an international investigation;
• Discrimination against persons dealing with chronic and long-term illnesses;
• Post-monitoring dialogue with Montenegro;
• Debate under urgent procedure: The arrest and detention of Alexei Navalny in January 2021; and
• Debate under urgent procedure: The functioning of democratic institutions in Turkey.

The Assembly also heard from the following speakers:

• Maia Sandu, President of the Republic of Moldova;
• Angela Merkel, Federal Chancellor of Germany;
• Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary General of the Council of Europe;
• David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament;
• Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights; and
• Michael Roth, Minister of State for Europe at the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, Special Representative of the Federal Government for the German Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

B. Canadian activities during the session

1. Overview

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

2. Canadian interventions in Assembly debates

Senator Lucie Moncion and Members of Parliament Scott Simms, Stéphane Bergeron and Don Davies participated in the Assembly’s debates. They made seven interventions during the debates and tabled three speeches addressing a range of topics. The links to the delegates’ speeches are on the PACE website.[1]

Monday, April 19, 2021

Two Canadian delegates – Senator Lucie Moncion and M.P. Stéphane Bergeron – spoke during the debate entitled “Preserving national minorities in Europe.”

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Two Canadian delegates – Senator Lucie Moncion and M.P. Don Davies – spoke during the debate entitled “Fighting fiscal injustice: the work of the OECD on taxation of digital economy.”

M.P. Stéphane Bergeron and M.P. Don Davies were unable to speak during the current affairs debate entitled “Armenian prisoners of war, other captives and displaced persons,” but each tabled a speech.

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

M.P. Scott Simms spoke during the joint debate entitled “Urgent need for electoral reform in Belarus and Human rights violations in Belarus require an international investigation.”

Senator Lucie Moncion also gave a speech as part of the debate entitled “Discrimination against persons dealing with chronic and long-term illnesses.”

Thursday, April 22, 2021

M.P. Stéphane Bergeron spoke during the debate under urgent procedure entitled “The arrest and detention of Alexei Navalny in January 2021.”

M.P. Stéphane Bergeron was unable to speak during the last debate under urgent procedure entitled “The functioning of democratic institutions in Turkey,” but tabled a speech.

Respectfully submitted,


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