Interparliamentary Activities and Reports

On 10 December 2020, the Canada–Japan Inter-Parliamentary Group (CAJP) and the Japan-Canada Diet Friendship League held a virtual meeting. The meeting was led by the CAJP’s Co-Chairs, Senator Jim Munson and Mr. Terry Sheehan, M.P., who – respectively – delivered opening and closing statements. Senator Victor Oh, Senator Yuen Pau Woo, Ms. Monique Pauzé, M.P., Ms. Yasmin Ratansi, M.P. and Mr. Ramesh Sangha, M.P. made introductory remarks on specific topics or exchanged views with their Japanese counterparts. Participants discussed a range of topics, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges posed by relations with China, expected relations with the United States under the incoming Biden administration, and parliamentarians’ role in their country’s domestic and foreign policy priorities. In particular, they highlighted that Canada and Japan are like-minded countries that can collaborate on several issues, including through such multilateral institutions as the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, the G7 and the G20. As well, they noted the pandemic’s impacts on mental health, including on suicide rates, and identified some of the challenges associated with holding the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo during a global pandemic. Concerning trade in the Asia-Pacific region, they spoke about the potential for extending the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership to additional members. Finally, their discussions also focused on the importance of encouraging global efforts to meet the Paris Agreement’s targets.

Members of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU) were invited to participate in the Third Expert Roundtable on the Common Principles for Support to Parliaments co-organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Parliament of Uganda. The roundtable took place virtually on December 9, 2020 and featured presentations by several experts and parliamentarians from around the world who engage in parliamentary monitoring and evaluation. Participants raised several aspects of parliamentary monitoring and evaluation, notably its relationship with accountability, public trust, and the importance of buy-in on the part of all stakeholders.

The Working Group of the Network of Women Parliamentarians of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) is mandated to develop a policy to prevent and manage harassment within the APF. The Working Group met by videoconference on 8 December 2020. Marie France Lalonde, Member of Parliament, attended the meeting on behalf of the Canadian Branch of the APF. At this meeting, the Chair of the Network of Women Parliamentarians of the APF, Maryse Gaudreault (Member of the Legislative Assembly, Quebec), presented the draft policy framework to the Working Group. Penelope Dune, an expert on anti-harassment policies at the Council of Europe, also made a presentation on anti-harassment initiatives at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Finally, the parliamentarians went over a draft common definition of harassment.

Members of the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region met to discuss the content of the Declaration to be adopted at the next Conference, the date of the next committee meeting, and possible formats for the Conference in April.

On December 3, 2020, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the European Parliament co-hosted a discussion on international trade policies that could help to mitigate the global economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event brought together approximately 50 participants, including parliamentarians and representatives from various international organizations. The webinar featured presentations by Mr. Duarte Pacheco, president of the IPU; Ms. Pamela Coke-Hamilton, executive director of the International Trade Centre; Ms. Kathleen Van Brempt, member of the European Parliament; and Mr. Juan Antonio Coloma, member of the Senate of Chile.

Speakers emphasized that international trade should remain a key focus of economic development policies in a post-COVID-19 global economy. In addition, they highlighted various aspects of international trade and economic policies that could be considered by countries and parliamentarians to ensure a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient global economic recovery. Participants discussed the importance of reinvigorating multilateral trade negotiations and strengthening the dispute-settlement mechanism of the World Trade Organization, as well as the need to ensure free and fair trade in health goods and access to COVID-19 vaccines. In addition, they discussed the role that trade policies can play in reducing poverty, fighting climate change, promoting labor rights, and facilitating the participation of developing countries in the global economy.

Mr. Scott Simms, M.P., President, CAEU; the Hon. Peter Boehm, Senator; the Hon. Percy Downe, Senator; the Hon. Larry Bagnell, M.P.; the Hon. Wayne Easter, M.P., Mr. Stéphane Bergeron, M.P. and Ms. Yvonne Jones, M.P., participated in a videoconference call with the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Canada (D-CA). D-CA participants included Ms. Stéphanie Yon-Courtin (Chair, France), Mr. Javier Moreno Sánchez (Vice-Chair, Spain), Mr. Rasmus Andresen (Germany), Ms. Saskia Bricmont (Belgium) and Mr. Ondrej Kovarík (Czechia). The meeting began with a summary of the recent United States (U.S.) presidential election by the Hon. Wayne Easter, M.P., Co-Chair of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group. Other topics of discussion included counter-terrorism and the regulation of online platforms, the European Union’s (EU) proposed Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, the development of vaccines against COVID-19 and the need for transparent public procurement. Participants also discussed the impact of the U.S. election on Canada and the EU’s bilateral and multilateral relations with that country, notably with respect to trade and climate change. Finally, they also discussed the forthcoming European Digital Services Act and other initiatives to fight terrorism and violent extremism online. It was suggested that the next meeting between the CAEU and D-CA include discussions of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (the “Iran nuclear deal”), Brexit and the new trade agreement between the United Kingdom and Canada.

The newly elected members of the Bermuda House of Assembly participated in the post-election seminar, which is the oldest program run by the CPA. This was a virtual seminar and was attended by representatives from throughout the Commonwealth. The newly elected Members of the House of Assembly, chosen to represent Bermuda’s approx. 64,000 citizens, join the Parliament in a year that marks 400 years after it first sat at St Peter’s Church in St George in 1620. The CPA Post-Election Seminar programme offers elected Members of Parliament the opportunity to examine the core elements of democratic governance and to explore examples of best practice from across the Commonwealth. Hon. Yuen Pau Woo, Senator, Member of the Executive Committee, was invited to be a panellist. He presented an overview of a parliamentary committee system, including examples of best practice from the Senate of Canada.