Report

The Conference of Branch Chairs of the Americas Region of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) oversees the execution of the Regional Assembly’s decisions. These decisions seek to promote the French language and francophone culture among the member branches. The branch chairs met by videoconference on April 4, 2022. Mr. Francis Drouin, MP, participated in the meeting as Chair of the Canadian Branch of the APF. The chargé de mission for the Americas, Mr. Kent Smith (MLA, Nova Scotia) reported on the activities of the past year, which were obviously limited because of the pandemic.

Following the statement of revenues and expenses for the Americas Region budget, it was proposed that the Americas Region make a case for paying off the debt of the Haitian Branch due to its particular situation. Mr. Drouin expressed his support and a draft resolution to that effect will be sent to the APF Secretariat shortly.

On behalf of the Canadian Branch, Mr. Drouin expressed his desire for parliamentarians to continue to hold various positions of responsibility in the Americas Region. In that regard, he proposed the interim appointment of Mr. Sébastien Lemire, MP and new rapporteur for the young parliamentarians’ network, as chair of the network pending the results of Ontario’s provincial election.

Mr. Drouin then gave an update on recent Canadian parliamentary events. He noted the federal election of September 21, 2021, and highlighted the election of Chris d’Entremont, MP and former member of the Canadian Branch of the APF, as Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons. Mr. Drouin also informed the other branch chairs that the moratorium on international travel had been lifted as of April 1, 2022. He also noted that the federal budget was set to be tabled on April 7, 2022.

The chargé de mission informed the branch chairs of the new timeline for reviewing the statutes of the Americas Region and of a workshop that will be held at the next session of the Americas’ Regional Assembly in Edmonton from July 18 to 22, 2022.