Interparliamentary Activities and Reports

During this conference, 500 Parliamentarians, parliamentary staff and decision makers from across the Commonwealth came together for professional development, supportive learning and the sharing of best practices to address the critical issues facing today's parliaments. The conference theme was: Adaptation, engagement, and evolution of parliaments in a rapidly changing Commonwealth.

The Canada-China Legislative Association (CACN) and the Canada-Japan Interparliamentary Group (CAJP) have participated in the 40th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in Bangkok, Thailand from August 25 to 30. As observers, the delegates engaged with Southeast Asian Nations on issues of economic, cultural, political and social nature. This was also an opportunity to network with representatives from other Asia-Pacific countries.

The APF’s 35th Regional Assembly of the Americas brings together all the branches in the Americas region. The Assembly provides branches with the opportunity to meet and share ideas on themes specific to La Francophonie. This year, the theme was the 50th anniversary of Canada’s Official Languages Act.

ParlAmericas supports parliamentary climate action through innovative programs, dialogues, and partnerships designed for parliamentarians of the Americas and the Caribbean to promote the highest political commitments for advancing legislative work on climate change mitigation and adaptation in the hemisphere.

The National Conference of State Legislatures is a bipartisan organization serving the legislators and legislative staff of the 50 U.S. states, as well as its commonwealths and territories. With its standing committees comprised of legislators and legislative staff, the NCSL provides research, technical assistance and a venue for the exchange of ideas on state issues.

The Eastern Regional Conference (ERC) is a regional association of state legislators from 13 states in the U.S. northeast and five Eastern Canadian provinces. By facilitating cooperation among its member jurisdictions, the ERC promotes multi-state and region-wide solutions to the problems and challenges facing state and provincial legislators.

The National Governors Association is the collective voice of U.S. governors from the 50 states, three territories and two commonwealths. It is also a public policy organization that represents the governors on Capitol Hill and before the U.S. Administration on federal issues that affect them, and that develops and implements solutions to public policy challenges.

The Midwestern Legislative Conference is a regional association of legislators from 11 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces. The purpose of the MLC is to foster regional intergovernmental cooperation in the U.S. Midwest through the joint consideration of common problems, the interchange of information and ideas, the sharing of knowledge and experience and, as appropriate, the pursuit of collaborative efforts to improve state government.

The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) is a statutory, bi-national public-private partnership comprising five U.S. states – Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington – and, in Canada, three provinces and two territories – Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories and Yukon.

PNWER’s annual summit provides Inter-Parliamentary Group members with the opportunity to discuss regional cross-border initiatives with state and provincial/territorial legislators, as well as engage with private and non-profit organizations that are working to strengthen economic relations between Canada and the United-States.