Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM)

On November 23, 2022, the Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), President of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PNCC), 2nd Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation, chaired a meeting of the PNCC’s Executive Committee. The meeting was also attended by: Surinamer Member of the National Assembly Radjendrekoemar Debie, the PNCC’s second Vice-President (South America); Costa Rican Deputy Oscar Izquierdo Sandí, the PNCC’s Vice-President (Central America); and Trinidadian Senator Anthony Vieira, the PNCC’s Vice-President (The Caribbean). Dessima Williams, President of Grenada’s Senate, attended the meeting as a guest. Senate President Williams is Special Adviser for the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals at the General Assembly of the United Nations, and has previously served as chair of the Alliance of Small Island Developing States.

With a focus on the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 27), which was held in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, Senator Galvez shared impressions concerning the Conference’s outcomes. Senate President Williams had also attended COP 27, and shared reflections about the conference.

Senator Vieira presented the objectives of ParlAmericas’ “Climate Change Parliamentary Staff Network” provided an update on its progress.

Finally, members of the Executive Committee discussed opportunities for, and provided examples of, parliamentary action relating to achievement of COP 27’s goals.

The 63rd Meeting of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors occurred virtually on November 8, 2022. Marc G. Serré, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), Member on ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors (North America) and Chair of the ParlAmericas Corporation, participated in the meeting.

Paraguayan Senator Blanca Ovelar, President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors, provided opening remarks and an update on ParlAmericas’ recent activities. During the discussion of corporate business, Mr. Serré presented information related to upcoming annual audits. The Board then discussed ParlAmericas’ forthcoming 19th Plenary Assembly and the 14th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality (PNGE). Finally, ParlAmericas’ International Secretariat provided an update concerning several ongoing initiatives and strategic plans related to the ParlAmericas Corporation.

The Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PPCC), 2^nd Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation, attended events on the margins of the 27th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 25) held on November 7 and 8, 2022, in Cairo, Egypt.

The 62nd meeting of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors occurred virtually on September 23, 2022. The honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PNCC), 2nd Vice-President on ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Treasurer of ParlAmericas Corporation, participated in the meeting.

Paraguayan Senator Blanca Ovelar, President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors, provided opening remarks and an update on ParlAmericas’ recent activities. Senator Galvez moderated a discussion about the adoption of the reports for the 60th and 61st meetings of the Board of Directors, the appointment and introduction of new Board members, and various aspects of corporate business, including financial reporting and budgetary decisions. Following the discussion, Senator Ovelar spoke about the IX Summit of the Americas hosted by the United States of America in June 2022. Finally, ParlAmericas’ International Secretariat provided an update about the upcoming 14th Gathering of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality (PNGE) and the 19th Plenary Assembly.

This inter-parliamentary dialogue provided a space for parliamentarians to exchange with subject matter experts and among themselves on strategies promoting parliamentary diplomacy on climate action within parliaments, aligned with existing international frameworks.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, 6th Gathering of ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change, by Videoconference, June 23 and July 5, 2022

This inter-parliamentary dialogue provided a space for parliamentarians to exchange with subject matter experts and among themselves on strategies promoting parliamentary diplomacy on climate action within parliaments, aligned with existing international frameworks.

On June 15, 2022, the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM) hosted a reception on Parliament Hill for Ambassadors and High Commissioners of ParlAmericas’ member countries. The following Speakers addressed the assembled diplomats:

• Marc G. Serré, M.P., Chair of CPAM;

• Randy Boissonnault, P.C., M.P., Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance;

• His Excellency Martin Alejandro Vidal Delgado, Ambassador of Uruguay and Dean of the Group of Latin America and the Caribbean; and

• Annabella Zavagno, ParlAmericas Deputy Director General.

M. Serré welcomed the guests and thanked the members of the diplomatic corps for their integral roles in maintaining the meaningful relationships between Canada and other ParlAmericas’ member countries. He also commented on the meetings that were held when the Canadian Section was at the IX Summit of the Americas, in Los Angeles, California earlier in June. Finally, a particular mention was made of the successful efforts during the Summit establish a formalized role for ParlAmericas in future summits.

On June 6 to 8, 2022, a parliamentary delegation of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM) attended a parliamentary gathering held on the occasion of the 9th Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, United States.