REPORT

Six members of the Canada–Europe Parliamentary Association (CAEU) participated in the first part of the 2022 Ordinary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which took place from 24 to 28 January 2022. This first 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 the Honourable Lucie Moncion, Senator; the Honourable David Wells, Senator; Stéphane Bergeron, Member of Parliament (MP); Don Davies, MP; Salma Zahid, MP; and Larry Brock, MP. The delegation was supported by the association secretary, Jessica Kulka, and its analysts, Madalina Chesoi and B. J. Siekierski.

Participation in the First Part of the 2022 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 first part of the Ordinary Session from 24 to 28 January 2022.

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

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

· examination of credentials of representatives and substitutes;

· progress report by the Bureau and the Standing Committee (30 September 2021–21 January 2022);

· gender equality in the functioning of the Assembly;

· election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights;

· activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (21 January 2022);

· President’s activities (January–December 2021);

· observation of the presidential and early parliamentary elections in Bulgaria (14 November 2021);

· observation of the parliamentary elections in the Kyrgyz Republic (28 November 2021);

· the right to be heard: child participation, a right to be heard, a foundation for democratic societies;

· inaction on climate change – a violation of children’s rights;

· European Union Pact on Migration and Asylum: a human rights perspective;

· combating rising hate against LGBTI people in Europe;

· alleged violations of the rights of LGBTI people in the Southern Caucasus;

· parliamentary question to the Chairperson-in-Office of the Committee of Ministers;

· the role of the media in times of crisis;

· football governance: business and values;

· sports policies in times of crisis;

· challenge, on substantive grounds, of the still unratified credentials of the parliamentary delegation of the Russian Federation;

· poisoning of Alexei Navalny;

· beating COVID-19 with public health measures;

· ending enforced disappearances on the territory of the Council of Europe;

· current affairs debate: recent challenges to security in Europe: what role for the Council of Europe?;

· the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe;

· the functioning of democratic institutions in Armenia;

· progress of the Assembly’s monitoring procedure (January–December 2021); and

· activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (28 January 2022).

The Assembly also heard from the following speakers:

· Ylva Johansson, European Commissioner for Home Affairs;

· Helena Dalli, European Commissioner for Equality;

· Željko Komšić, Chairperson of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina;

· Marija Burić, Secretary General of the Council of Europe;

· Benedetto Della Vedova, Undersecretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation of Italy; and

· Giovanni Infantino, President of the FIFA, International Federation of Association Football.

Canadian Activities During the Session

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

Canadian Interventions in Assembly Debates Senator Lucie Moncion, MP Don Davies, MP Stéphane Bergeron, and MP Salma Zahid participated in the Assembly’s debates. They made four interventions during the debates and tabled four speeches addressing a range of topics. The links to the delegates’ speeches are on the PACE website.[1]

Senator Lucie Moncion spoke during the joint debate entitled “The right to be heard: child participation, a foundation for democratic societies/Inaction on climate change – a violation of children’s rights.” MP Don Davies was unable to speak, but tabled a speech on this topic. Senator Moncion and MP Salma Zahid spoke during the debate entitled “European Union Pact on Migration and Asylum: a human rights perspective.”

Tuesday, 25 January 2022

MP Stéphane Bergeron and Senator Lucie Moncion were unable to speak during the debate entitled “The role of the media in times of crisis,” but tabled their speeches.

Wednesday, 26 January 2022

MP Stéphane Bergeron spoke during the debate entitled “Poisoning of Alexei Navalny.”

Thursday, 27 January 2022

MP Stéphane Bergeron was unable to speak during the debate entitled “The functioning of democratic institutions in Armenia,” but tabled his speech.”

Respectfully submitted,

Mr. Francesco Sorbara, M.P.

President

Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association