Interparliamentary Activities and Reports

From July 5 to 9, 2021, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) headquarters hosted a conference on the Fourth Industrial Revolution (industry 4.0) entitled CPA Virtual Conference:

The 4th Industrial Revolution. Each day covered a different theme and consisted of panel sessions covering different topics. Presenters included parliamentarians, academics and industry experts. The objective of the conference was to challenge participants to think about how the Commonwealth, parliaments and democracies will evolve in the next 10, 50 or even 100 years.

The conference was attended by the following members of the Canadian Branch of the CPA: The Honourable Terry M. Mercer, Senator, Mr. Terry Duguid, M.P., and Ms. Brenda Shanahan, M.P.

The themes of the conference were:

• What is the 4th Industrial Revolution?

• The 4th Industrial Revolution and Environmental Stewardship

• Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Algorithms

• Big Data and Blockchain

• Cybersecurity and the Internet of Things

During a panel session (Regulating at Speed and Scale), the Honourable Terry M. Mercer, Senator, discussed the findings of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications’ study on automated vehicles, which were published in its 2018 report entitled Driving Change: Technology and the future of the automated vehicle.

MPs Cheryl Gallant (Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of the NATO PA) and Leona Alleslev participated in this virtual meeting, which included a panel discussion on Space and Security, a panel discussion on Biotechnology: Opportunities and Challenges, and a presentation by the Director of NATO’s Collaboration Support Office (CSO) on CSO’s role within NATO's Science and Technology Organization (STO) and STO cooperation with its partners. Discussion among the attending members followed.

Meeting of the Young Parliamentarians Network of APF – July 1, 2021 Kristina Michaud, MP, participated in the APF Young Parliamentarians Network meeting on July 1, 2021, by videoconference. Ms. Michaud presented the second draft of the Canadian Branch of the APF’s report on youth participation in parliamentary life. This new draft includes responses of some APF branches to the questionnaire on youth parliamentary participation prepared by the Canadian Branch. Ms. Michaud encouraged branches that had not yet responded to the questionnaire to do so, reiterating that the report would only be enhanced by additional perspectives from all corners of the Francophonie. During the meeting, the network heard from several speakers on various themes related to francophone youth. It heard from an expert from the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie on the Sahel youth radio project, a representative from the Inter-Parliamentary Union on its most recent report on youth representation in national parliaments, and from three young francophone entrepreneurs. The network also commented on the APF’s opinion to be given at the upcoming Summit of La Francophonie, and discussed themes the network could explore in the future.

The Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) Network of Women Parliamentarians was formed in 2002 to promote greater participation of women in political, economic, social and cultural life both at the national level and across the francophone world. On June 30, the APF’s Network of Women Parliamentarians met by videoconference. Marie-France Lalonde, Member of Parliament, attended on behalf of the Canadian Branch of the APF. As rapporteur, Ms. Lalonde presented the Canadian Branch’s report on the economic empowerment of francophone women. The rapporteurs from the APF’s various committees and networks conduct studies and ask the member branches to provide input on the topics chosen. Ms. Lalonde also proposed to organize a virtual conference on the same subject in the fall of 2021, which was approved. The parliamentarians discussed the potential new policy to prevent and address harassment in the APF, women’s role in extractive industries and their contribution to the fight against COVID-19. Members also debated future report topics for the Network. Ms. Lalonde suggested that the Canadian Branch help the New Caledonia Branch prepare a report proposal on discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people (LGBTI).

The Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU) was invited to participate in the UN Women’s Generation Equality Forum (the Forum) co-hosted by Mexico and France. Taking place online from June 30 to July 2, 2021, the Forum comprised a series of conferences that together constituted the largest global feminist gathering since the 1995 UN World Conference on Women in Beijing. The Hon. David McGuinty, PC, MP, Senator Marilou McPhedran, Ms. Lindsay Mathyssen, MP, and Mr. Sven Spengemann, MP were among the Canadian parliamentary delegates attending conferences at the Forum, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) side-event entitled Parliaments Act for Equal and a session on Feminist Movements and Leadership, which featured the IPU’s Secretary General and Canada’s Minister for International Development among the presenters. Senator McPhedran contributed to the discussion at the session on Feminist Movements and Leadership by highlighting the importance of stronger bridges between women parliamentarians and civil society, especially youth, and by showcasing the work of her youth advisory council, the Canadian Council of Young Feminists.

The Western Governors' Association includes the governors from 19 Western states, as well as from American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. The Canadian premiers from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba also participate in the WGA’s activities.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Office of Human Rights (ODIHR) hosted a webinar entitled ‘Gender responsive short-term visa policies: Overview of practices in the OSCE region and recommendations for improvement’. The event was organized to call attention to ODIHR’s policy brief on the topic and to allow for a discussion on best practices and on how to improve gender responsiveness in this area. The Honourable Hedy Fry, P.C., M.P., head of the Canadian Delegation to the OSCE PA and Special Representative on Gender Issues participated as a panelist. She noted that the policy brief contained several Canadian examples and shared more details about Canada’s visa policy, specifically about its temporary resident visas and permits. She also spoke about three Canadian visitor visa initiatives that address gender and about Canada’s commitment to Gender-based Analysis Plus.

Meeting of the APF Political Committee – June 29, 2021 The Honourable Dennis Dawson, Senator, virtually attended the meeting of the APF Political Committee on June 29, 2021. Senator Dawson proposed a topic for the Canadian Branch of the APF’s next report: the use of French in international organizations. The committee accepted his proposal and decided that the project would be conducted jointly with the Education, Communication and Cultural Affairs Committee. In this meeting, the committee examined the political situation in francophone countries with special attention to the Central African Republic, Mali and Chad. The Malian and Chadian branches were de facto suspended from the APF because of the recent dissolution of their national assemblies. The committee then heard presentations from invited international experts on artificial intelligence and the 20th anniversary of the Bamako Declaration, a key text of La Francophonie affirming the commitment to democracy, the rule of law and the defence of freedoms in the francophone world. Lastly, the committee was updated on the other reports being drafted on peacekeeping operations and the prerogatives of parliaments in emergency situations.

On June 29 and 30, 2021, a delegation from the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU) comprising the Hon. Kim Pate, Senator, Mr. Sven Spengemann, M.P., Ms. Heather McPherson, M.P., and Ms. Andréanne Larouche, M.P. attended a virtual workshop on human rights in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event was jointly organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. On the first day, Mr. Spengemann moderated a session on responses to the pandemic and respect for human rights. A subsequent session examined the role parliamentary committees can play in ensuring human rights are considered in pandemic response measures.

On the second day, Mr. Spengemann participated, as a panellist, in a session on how to address inequalities and structural discrimination. He noted that the most marginalized populations have been the hardest hit by COVID-19 and he highlighted recent work undertaken by committees of the Canadian House of Commons with respect to Indigenous peoples and gender equality. Mr. Spengemann emphasized that parliaments play an important role in strengthening domestic and international human rights commitments. The two-day event ended with a session on how to better connect parliaments and international human rights mechanisms during the post-pandemic recovery.

The workshop drew over 90 participants, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Michelle Bachelet. Accordingly, Canadian delegates had the opportunity to hear about the measures being taken elsewhere in the world to protect human rights during this unprecedented crisis.