Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM)

To be eligible to vote at the AGM the deadline for membership for this association is seven days before the meeting.

On 15 June 2023, Member of Parliament Marc Serré, chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, met with her Excellency Adriana Solano Laclé, Ambassador of the Republic of Costa Rica in Canada. They discussed the activities of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas and topics of common interest in the Americas, as well as opportunities for collaboration.

On 15 June 2023, the Honourable René Cormier, Senator, Second Vice-President of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network (OPN), attended the Virtual Parliamentary Exchange on Artificial Intelligence and Digital Rights, organized by the OPN. The event brought together parliamentarians from the Americas and the Caribbean to discuss the impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) on legislatures and their citizens.

Speaker of Trinidad and Tobago’s House of Representatives and Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors, the Honourable Bridgid Annisette-George, provided opening remarks. She stressed that given the rapid development of technology, it is crucial that parliamentarians in the Americas and the Caribbean be coordinated in their approach to governing AI-related matters.

Attendees participated in a panel discussion entitled, “the inclusive governance of artificial intelligence: Priorities for legislative work.” The discussion was co-moderated by Member of the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia and Vice-President for South America of the OPN, the Honourable Catherine Juvinao, and Member of the Chamber of Deputies of Argentina, Margarita Stolbizer. The panellists were Ambassador Washington Abdala, Uruguay’s Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS) and Chair of the OAS Permanent Council; Senator Kenneth Pugh, chair of the committees on Ethics and Transparency and National Defense of the Senate of Chile; and Cecilia Danesi, researcher at the Institute for European Studies and Human Rights

Panelists and participants agreed that parliamentarians from the Americas and the Caribbean should be involved in international dialogues on AI regulation. As a rapidly evolving form of technology, panelists discussed the urgent need for legislatures to keep pace with developments in AI and to pass legislation that criminalizes AI-related offences (i.e., online phishing and fraud).

During the event, Luz Mary Alpízar (Costa Rica), Vice-President for Central America of the ParlAmericas OPN, presented a new OPN endeavour—the Digital Caucus, a parliamentary working group committed to developing legislative proposals on AI regulation using multidimensional approach. Parliamentarians that wish to endorse this endeavour were invited to sign the Statement of parliamentarians from the Americas and the Caribbean on Artificial Intelligence.

Plastic pollution can alter habitats and natural processes, reducing ecosystems' ability to adapt to climate change, affecting millions of people's livelihoods, food production capabilities and social well-being at large. Building on the momentum of the United Nations resolution adopted in March 2022 to end plastic pollution and forge an international legally binding agreement by 2024, this meeting explored how this global plastic treaty can help parliaments in creating legislation and support new collaborative complementary actions to reduce plastic production and foster a circular plastics economy.

The 7th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network (OPN) aimed to analyze the impact of the digital transformation on democratic systems, considering not only the opportunities and challenges that have emerged in recent years due to the widespread use of the internet and ICTs, but also how initiatives for transparent and accountable digital governance can be implemented within the paradigm of open parliament.

The social impact of these transformations was also addressed, especially in relation to the empowerment of women within the framework of an inclusive digital governance that recognizes the critical importance of their meaningful participation in the digital ecosystem as an essential condition for more robust and solid democracies.

On 21 March 2023, two Canadian parliamentarians participated virtually in the 64th ParlAmericas Board of Directors Meeting. The participants were Marc Serré, MP, Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, Canada’s representative on ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Chair of the ParlAmericas Corporation Board of Directors; and Senator Rosa Galvez, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation.

The International Secretariat provided introductory remarks, followed by an update from Paraguayan Senator Blanca Ovelar, President of ParlAmericas. Mr. Serré acted as a moderator and guided participants through the agenda. The Board approved the report from the 63rd Board of Directors meeting and Senator Galvez presented the organization’s proposed budget for 2023–2024, which was approved along with the 2023–2024 workplan. The Board discussed business related to the ParlAmericas corporation. Finally, the International Secretariat provided an update on current work and priorities, as well as details related to the upcoming 7th Gathering of the Open Parliament Network, planned for April 2023.

The 19th Plenary Assembly was dedicated to exploring the importance of parliamentary engagement in the inter-American system and the need for parliamentary insights on the issues of hemispheric importance discussed in these spaces.

The 14th Gathering of the Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality, entitled Legislative Perspectives for Inclusive Economic Growth: Investing in the Care Economy, provided a space for parliamentary delegates and subject matter experts to exchange reflections and good practices on legislative initiatives related to care work and the economy.

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.

A high-level dialogue was held virtually on June 1st, 2022, on the theme ''Promoting multilateralism through parliamentary diplomacy''. It provided an opportunity for parliamentarians of the Americas and the Caribbean, prior to the 9th Summit of the Americas, to discuss the importance of the role of legislative powers in the Summit processes with a view to advancing multilateralism, regional integration, and the promotion of human rights and democracy.

The 61st Meeting of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors occurred virtually on May 17, 2022. Three Canadian parliamentarians participated:

• Marc G. Serré, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), Member of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors (North America) and Chair of the ParlAmericas Corporation;

• The Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of CPAM, President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PNCC), 2nd Vice-President on ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Treasurer of ParlAmericas Corporation;

• The Honourable Mobina S. B. Jaffer, Senator, Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Gender Equality (PNGE) (North America); and

• Randy Hoback, M.P., Member of CPAM and Member of the ParlAmericas Corporation.

Representative Bridgid Annisette-George, Speaker of Trinidad and Tobago’s House of Representatives and Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors, provided opening remarks and an update on ParlAmericas’ recent and upcoming activities; particular mention was made of ParlAmericas’ participation in the upcoming 9th Summit of the Americas.

Two representatives of the Organization of American States (OAS), Francisco Guerrero Aguirre, Secretary for Strengthening Democracy, and Maria Celina Conte, Director of the Summits of the Americas Secretariat, spoke to the members of the Board about the 9th Summit of the Americas and its events. As well, they stressed the importance of democracy and of integrating social justice considerations into all pandemic-response initiatives. Finally, the members of the board discussed ParlAmericas’ participation at the upcoming Summit of the Americas.

On March 29, 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 Executive Committee. Senator Galvez welcomed the participants and gave the floor to Costa Rican MLA Paola Vega Rodríguez, who announced the end of her term as MLA and therefore as PNCC Vice-President.

The following members of the Executive Committee attended the meeting: Senator Raúl Bolaños-Cacho Cué of Mexico, Vice-President (North America); MNA Radjendrekoemar Debie of Suriname, Second Vice-President (South America); and Senator Anthony Vieira of Trinidad and Tobago, Vice-President (The Caribbean).

In the first part of the meeting, the representative of the International Secretariat of ParlAmericas presented the work plan for fiscal year 2022–23. The goal to build a PNCC Staff Network, similar to that of the other two ParlAmericas Networks, was also announced.

In the second part, Senator Galvez encouraged Executive Committee members to share any updates on the environmental work they have been leading in their own parliaments. She concluded by talking about her own parliamentary initiatives as well as those of the Canadian government.

In the third part, Executive Committee members heard presentations on climate change issues. Senator Gladys González of Argentina and Camila Gramkow, Economic Affairs Officer at the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, gave a presentation on the Parliamentary Observatory on Climate Change and Just Transition. Nahuel Arenas, Deputy Chief of the United Nations Regional Office for Disaster Risk Reduction for the Americas and the Caribbean, spoke about tools parliamentarians can use to help their countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, including disaster risk reduction.

The 6th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network (OPN) included three virtual sessions that took place on March 9, 15 and 22, 2022. During the sessions, dialogues were held between parliamentarians, parliamentary staff, and civil society and youth representatives on key considerations for a robust public integrity strategy, recognizing its importance not only in preventing and fighting corruption, but as one of the fundamental pillars on which political, economic, and social systems are built.

On 16 March 2022, the Executive Committee Meeting of the ParlAmericas Board met virtually. Along with the chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, Marc Serré, the following Members of Parliament were present: Richard Cannings, Randy Hoback, Stephanie Kusie, Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Jamie Schmale, Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné. Senators René Cormier, Rosa Galvez, and Michael L. MacDonald also attended.

Executive Committee members discussed priorities for the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas. They reviewed the budget for 2022–2023 then discussed a number of thematic issues, operational considerations, and future activities for the section.

The 6th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network (OPN) included three virtual sessions that took place on March 9, 15 and 22, 2022. During the sessions, dialogues were held between parliamentarians, parliamentary staff, and civil society and youth representatives on key considerations for a robust public integrity strategy, recognizing its importance not only in preventing and fighting corruption, but as one of the fundamental pillars on which political, economic, and social systems are built.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

The 60th Meeting of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors occurred virtually on March 11, 2022. Two Canadian parliamentarians participated:

• Marc G. Serré, M,P., Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), Member of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors (North America) and Chair of the ParlAmericas Corporation; and

• 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.

Paraguayan Senator Blanca Ovelar, President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors, provided opening remarks and an update on ParlAmericas’ recent and upcoming activities, such as participation at the 9th Summit of the Americas. Members of the Board of Directors approved the 2022–23 work plan for ParlAmericas, and conducted business; the business items included the Board’s Annual General Meeting and discussion of items relating to ParlAmericas’ budget and financing. ParlAmericas’ International Secretariat provided an overview of newly approved funding, and upcoming projects and events. Finally, Board members discussed details relating to the 6th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network (OPN) which took take place virtually on March 9, 15 and 22, 2022.

The 6th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network (OPN) included three virtual sessions that took place on March 9, 15 and 22, 2022. During the sessions, dialogues were held between parliamentarians, parliamentary staff, and civil society and youth representatives on key considerations for a robust public integrity strategy, recognizing its importance not only in preventing and fighting corruption, but as one of the fundamental pillars on which political, economic, and social systems are built.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

The 59th Meeting of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors took place virtually on January 28, 2022. Two Canadian parliamentarians participated:

• Marc G. Serré, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), Member of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Chair of the ParlAmericas Corporation; and

• The Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of CPAM, President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PPCC), 2nd Vice-President on the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation.

Mexican Senator Verónica Camino Farjat, 2nd Vice-President on the Board of Directors and President of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality (PNGE), provided opening remarks and an update on ParlAmericas’ December 2021 activities. Members of the Board approved the 2021 audited financial statements and received information from ParlAmericas’ International Secretariat about funding and the upcoming priorities for ParlAmericas’ three thematic networks. Finally, members of the Board discussed details relating to the upcoming 6th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network (OPN).

On 18 January 2022, the First Meeting among Members of the Executive Committees of ParlAmericas’ Networks occurred virtually. Canadian Senators René Cormier and Rosa Galvez participated.

Members of the three Executive Committees of the ParlAmericas networks for gender equality, climate change and open parliament met to plan future work and inter-network collaboration. Paraguayan Senator Blanca Ovelar, President of ParlAmericas, provided opening remarks, followed by the presidents of the three networks, who presented their respective networks’ priorities. Senator Galvez, who is President of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PNCC), as well as Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), second Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation, outlined the priorities for the Parliamentary Network on Climate Change. These priorities included addressing challenges related to water resources, deforestation, and the melting of the cryosphere. She also spoke about the value of collaborating and of finding synergies across the three thematic areas. The discussions continued with members discussing ways in which the networks could continue to strengthen collaboration with one another.

The plenary session of the 18th Plenary Assembly of ParlAmericas offered a space for member parliaments to present the various legislative initiatives that their Parliament has been undertaking with the contribution of civil society and youth, to rebuild the social contract. Likewise, the declaration was read and the results of the election for positions on the ParlAmericas Board of Directors were announced, as well as the host Parliament for the next 19th Plenary Assembly.

On December 3, 2021, two Canadian parliamentarians participated virtually in the 58th Meeting of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors. The participants were: Marc G. Serré, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), Member of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors (North America) and Chair of the ParlAmericas Corporation; and the Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of CPAM, President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PPCC), 2nd Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation.

The meeting was chaired by Bridgid Annisette-George, Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Speaker of Trinidad and Tobago’s House of Representatives. Speaker Annisette-George provided updates on ParlAmericas’ recent and upcoming activities, and welcomed two new Board members: Claudel Francis, Speaker of St. Lucia’s Senate; and Veronica Camino Farjat, a member of Mexico’s Senate and President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality (PNGE). During the discussion of corporate business, Mr. Serré provided the report of the Corporate Board of Directors, and, as Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation, Senator Galvez explained the annual audit.

Speaker Annisette-George summarized the first two sessions of ParlAmericas’ 18th Plenary Assembly, which had been held virtually in recent weeks, and reviewed the draft declaration on the topic of “rebuilding the social contract” which the participants approved at the final plenary session the following week. ParlAmericas’ International Secretariat then provided information about the upcoming Board of Director elections on December 10, 2021.

Finally, Javiera Vega, from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, made a presentation to Board members about how parliamentarians in Latin America and the Caribbean are working to combat hunger through the Parliamentary Front Against Hunger.

In recent years the hemisphere has been witnessing growing social discontent, which has manifested in social mobilizations and protests in several countries as well as general citizen distrust of institutions. In addition, the health and socioeconomic crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the already glaring inequalities in the Americas and the Caribbean. In the face of this complex panorama, civil society and youth organizations have challenged governing institutions with demands that insist on the rebuilding of the social contract.

This session offered parliamentarians the opportunity to hold dialogue with representatives of civil society and youth about their visions, expectations, and proposals to rebuild the social contract under democratic and inclusive paradigms.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

The health and socio-economic crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the already notorious inequalities existing in the hemisphere, has deepened citizen distrust in institutions, and has given rise to growing social discontent, which has manifested in various ways including social mobilization and widespread protests across the region.

Recognizing the complexity of these issues, the interparliamentary dialogue session offered a space for discussion, prospective analysis, and exchange of good legislative practices regarding the role of parliaments and the opportunities they face in rebuilding the social contract. This discussion aimed to highlight the need to endorse democratic principles, restore public trust in institutions, advance the public policies that are required to overcome the difficult socio-economic crisis in the hemisphere, and discuss the regional integration initiatives required to undergo the post-pandemic recovery processes.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

On September 13, 22 and October 4, 2021, a delegation of Canadian parliamentarians participated in the 13th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Network on Gender Equality (PNGE). The three online events were conducted in ParlAmericas’ official languages: English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. The 13th Gathering of the PNGE explored the ways in which strengthening social supports and services can contribute to addressing the root causes of gender inequality and other forms of social vulnerability, building on conversations spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic on enhancing social protection systems. The question of data was a crosscutting focus of the Gathering, with particular attention to the availability and use of disaggregated data to address the differentiated needs of women and vulnerable groups during the pandemic. The Gathering provided spaces for knowledge-sharing on good practices for more systematic collection of disaggregated data with a view to preventing the gaps in social protection during future crises and to ensuring an overall strengthening of the social safety net. The Honourable Mobina S. B. Jaffer, Senator, was elected as Vice-President (North America) on the Executive Committee of the PNGE.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

On September 24, 2021, two Canadian parliamentarians participated in the 57th Meeting of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors:

• Marc G. Serré, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), Member of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors (North America) and Chair of the ParlAmericas Corporation; and

• The Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of CPAM, President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PPCC), 2nd Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation.

Board members approved the minutes of their previous meeting, following which Mr. Serré reported on the business of the ParlAmericas Corporation Board of Directors and Senator Galvez presented the ParlAmericas Corporation’s financial report. Blanca Ovelar, Senator, President of the Board of Directors, then led a discussion about ParlAmericas’ annual workplan and Alisha Todd, Executive Director of ParlAmericas’ International Secretariat, provided a progress update. Board members then reviewed the draft declaration to be presented at the 13th Gathering of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Gender Equality (PNGE). Finally, members of the Board considered ParlAmericas’ future activities, noting the upcoming 18th Plenary Assembly planned for November and December 2021.

On September 13, 22 and October 4, 2021, a delegation of Canadian parliamentarians participated in the 13th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Network on Gender Equality (PNGE). The three online events were conducted in ParlAmericas’ official languages: English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. The 13th Gathering of the PNGE explored the ways in which strengthening social supports and services can contribute to addressing the root causes of gender inequality and other forms of social vulnerability, building on conversations spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic on enhancing social protection systems. The question of data was a crosscutting focus of the Gathering, with particular attention to the availability and use of disaggregated data to address the differentiated needs of women and vulnerable groups during the pandemic. The Gathering provided spaces for knowledge-sharing on good practices for more systematic collection of disaggregated data with a view to preventing the gaps in social protection during future crises and to ensuring an overall strengthening of the social safety net. The Honourable Mobina S. B. Jaffer, Senator, was elected as Vice-President (North America) on the Executive Committee of the PNGE.

On September17, 2021, 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 of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation, chaired a meeting of the PNCC’s Executive Committee. Senator Galvez provided welcoming remarks and other members of the Executive Committee introduced themselves.

The following Executive Committee members attended the meeting: Costa Rican Deputy Paola Vega Rodríguez, the PNCC’s Vice-President (Central America); Ecuadoran Assembly Member Luis Bruno Segovia Mejía, the PNCC’s First Vice-President (South America); Surinamer Member of Parliament Radjendrekoemar Debie, the PNCC’s Second Vice-President (South America); and Trinidadian Senator Anthony Vieira, the PNCC’s Vice-President (The Caribbean).

ParlAmericas’ International Secretariat outlined planned and possible activities for the PNCC during the remainder of 2021–22, and, following a discussion about these activities, Executive Committee members provided updates on their legislature’s recent activities relating to the environment and climate change. Finally, they reviewed their priority themes and actions for the coming months.

On September 13, 22 and October 4, 2021, a delegation of Canadian parliamentarians participated in the 13th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Network on Gender Equality (PNGE). The three online events were conducted in ParlAmericas’ official languages: English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. The 13th Gathering of the PNGE explored the ways in which strengthening social supports and services can contribute to addressing the root causes of gender inequality and other forms of social vulnerability, building on conversations spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic on enhancing social protection systems. The question of data was a crosscutting focus of the Gathering, with particular attention to the availability and use of disaggregated data to address the differentiated needs of women and vulnerable groups during the pandemic. The Gathering provided spaces for knowledge-sharing on good practices for more systematic collection of disaggregated data with a view to preventing the gaps in social protection during future crises and to ensuring an overall strengthening of the social safety net. The Honourable Mobina S. B. Jaffer, Senator, was elected as Vice-President (North America) on the Executive Committee of the PNGE.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

On August 18, 2021, the following members of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM) participated in a virtual meeting organized by CPAM and ParlAmericas’ International Secretariat to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Canada and Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama:

• Marc G. Serré, M.P., Chair of CPAM, Member on ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors (North America) and Chair of the ParlAmericas Corporation;

• The Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of CPAM, President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PPCC), 2nd Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation;

• The Honourable Mobina S. B. Jaffer, Senator;

• The Honourable Marilou McPhedran, Senator; and

• The Honourable Marie-Françoise Mégie, Senator.

Parliamentarians and ambassadors from Canada and the Central American countries noted above met to celebrate key achievements over the past six decades of diplomatic relations and interparliamentary cooperation.

Mr. Serré and María Inés Solís Quirós, Member of Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly and representative on ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors (Central America), provided welcoming remarks.

Senator Galvez then moderated a panel comprising presentations by parliamentary delegations from Canada, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. In highlighting common priorities for Canada and Central American countries, a number of presenters spoke about the importance of interparliamentary cooperation in such areas as trade, gender equality and climate action. Senator Jaffer noted the benefits of open and transparent parliaments, and emphasized the role of interparliamentary cooperation in achieving this transparency in all of ParlAmericas’ member countries.

Finally, Fernando Arce, Member of Panama’s National Assembly and one of Central America’s representatives on ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors, and Her Excellency Sofia Cerrato, Ambassador of Honduras to Canada and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Canada, provided closing remarks. They underscored the success of collaborations among Canada and Central American countries over the last 60 years.

The plenary session provided a space for parliamentarians of the Americas and the Caribbean to discuss how legislatures are working to support their country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement, while ensuring national climate plans are gender responsive, involve different sectors of society, and are effectively communicated with the public. A declaration was adopted and elections for the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PNCC) Executive Committee took place.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

On June 21, 2021, three Canadian parliamentarians participated in the 56th Meeting of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors:

• Marc G. Serré, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), Member of the ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors (North America) and Chair of the ParlAmericas Corporation;
• The Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of CPAM and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation; and
• Randy Hoback, M.P., Member of CPAM and Member of the ParlAmericas Corporation.

ParlAmericas’ President, Paraguayan Senator Blanca Ovelar, highlighted ParlAmericas’ activities since March 2021 and answered questions posed by members of the Board of Directors. ParlAmericas’ International Secretariat provided a financial update, following which members reviewed the draft declaration to be presented at the 5th Gathering of the Parliamentary Network on Climate Change’s (PNCC) plenary session. During a discussion about elections for the PNCC, Senator Galvez indicated her intention to seek to become the network’s president.

This session provided a space for parliamentarians and civil society and youth representatives to dialogue and learn from each other on practices to improve communication and citizen participation in parliamentary work around climate objectives. Discussions focused on strategies to provide a space for the diverse perspectives that should be considered to ensure that climate strategies help alleviate social inequalities, as well as concrete measures that can be implemented to ensure climate legislation and policies don’t contribute to these inequalities.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

This inter-parliamentary dialogue provided a space for parliamentarians and parliamentary staff to exchange with subject matter experts and among themselves on strategies for parliaments to inclusively drive climate action and ensure that short and long-term climate plans are developed with an intersectional lens, to promote a just transition and lead to decent and clean work for all.

On May 19, 2021, the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM) received a briefing from the Honourable Karina Gould, P.C., M.P., Minister of International Development, and officials from Global Affairs Canada (GAC) on the topic of the COVAX Initiative. The GAC officials were Joshua Tabah, Director General, Global Issues and Development, Health and Nutrition, and Karen Mollica, Director, Central America and Caribbean, Strategic Planning, Operations and Policy Division. Attending the briefing from the Senate were the Honourable Senators Robert Black, René Cormier, Julie Miville-Dechêne, and Mobina S. B. Jaffer. Participating from the House of Commons were Marc G. Serré M.P., Chair of CPAM, Richard Cannings, M.P., Julie Dzerowicz, M.P., Vice-Chair of CPAM, John McKay, M.P. and Patrick Weiler, M.P.

Minister Gould spoke about the Government of Canada’s support to the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT Accelerator) since its establishment in April 2020. She indicated that the ACT Accelerator works to develop vaccines, tests and treatments for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, and to distribute these tools fairly around the world; the section of the ACT Accelerator dedicated to vaccine distribution is known as “COVAX.”

According to Minister Gould, along with the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, Canada is one of the leading donors to the COVAX Initiative. She added that Canada will consider directing excess vaccine doses that it may acquire to the ACT Accelerator in the future but only after Canada is due to receive more vaccine doses than it can use, and the country is “not there yet.”

Minister Gould also noted that, in addition to the Government of Canada’s contributions to COVAX, Canada has provided Latin American countries with more than $10 million during the COVID-19 pandemic through various organizations, including the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), with this funding aimed at providing personal protective equipment.

GAC officials provided responses to the questions posed by participants. In describing the current status of the COVAX Initiative, Mr. Tabah noted that 12 million World Health Organization–approved vaccine doses have been delivered to more than 100 countries. He underscored that those countries include 31 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, which have a shortage of doses, and commented that some of those countries lack “vaccine confidence,” with some groups and individuals spreading information about the vaccines that is misleading or inaccurate.

As well, Mr. Tabah mentioned that one of COVAX’s primary goals is to help end the pandemic’s acute phase by providing every country in the world with fair and equitable access to vaccine doses. He indicated that, because of the complex and thorough process by which doses are allocated, countries are generally confident about the fairness of the process. According to him, COVAX aims to deliver 2 billion doses through the initiative, with all participating countries receiving enough doses to vaccinate 20% of their populations in 2021; the primary focus is health care workers and those most vulnerable to the illness, such as the elderly. He explained that when countries commit to redirect surplus vaccine doses to COVAX, significant advance notice is very helpful because of legal and logistical complexities; for example, once insurance-related and other documents are completed, the vaccine doses must be transported directly from the production facility to the destination country to ensure their security.

On May 7, 2021, the Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM) and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation, virtually participated in the 55th Meeting of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors.

Francisco Guerrero Aguirre, the Organization of American States’ (OAS’s) Secretary for Strengthening Democracy, spoke to Board members about the OAS’s work during the COVID-19 pandemic and answered their questions.

The Board of Directors then ratified ParlAmericas’ Policy and Code of Conduct Preventing Sexual Harassment, Exploitation and Abuse. The policy and code apply to ParlAmericas’ staff, members of the Board of Directors, consultants, volunteers and participants in ParlAmericas’ activities. They also apply to entities, and their employees and individuals, that have entered into partnerships or agreements with ParlAmericas in order to carry out joint projects.

Finally, members of the Board of Directors considered ParlAmericas’ possible future actions.

The Sub-committee on Open Parliament held its fourth virtual meeting and discussed its objectives and activities.

The plenary session provided a space for parliamentarians of the Americas and the Caribbean to discuss legislative proposals and open parliament initiatives to address disinformation. Parliaments reported on the progress achieved to implement the commitments they presented at the previous Gathering of the Open Parliament Network. They also presented new commitments that they intend to implement over the next year. A final declaration was adopted and the elections for the Executive Committee took place.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

The meeting allowed parliamentary staff of the Americas and the Caribbean to exchange experiences and good practices related to parliamentary openness.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

On March 22, 2021, two Canadian parliamentarians participated in the 54th meeting of the ParlAmericas Board of Directors:

• The Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of (CPAM) and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation Board of Directors;

• Marc Serré, MP, Chair of CPAM, Canada’s representative on the ParlAmericas Board of Directors and Chair of the ParlAmericas Corporation Board of Directors.

Marc Serré chaired the portion of the meeting held during the Annual General Assembly of the ParlAmericas Corporation Board of Directors. At the meeting, the 2021 ParlAmericas Corporation Board of Directors slate and the budgets for the 2021 and 2022 fiscal years were adopted. The Board approved ParlAmericas’ annual work plan and discussed the ParlAmericas sexual exploitation, harassment and abuse prevention policy that ParlAmericas is developing. Finally, some participants provided an overview of recent ParlAmericas work-related activities in their countries.

The working session provided a space for parliamentarians, parliamentary staff and civil society representatives of the Americas and the Caribbean to discuss the tactics and strategies utilized to distribute disinformation today and provide recommendations for parliamentarians’ consideration in their efforts to combat this phenomenon.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

The working session provided a space for parliamentarians, parliamentary staff and civil society representatives of the Americas and the Caribbean to discuss the tactics and strategies utilized to distribute disinformation today and provide recommendations for parliamentarians’ consideration in their efforts to combat this phenomenon.

The Sub-Committee on Open Parliament held its third virtual meeting and discussed the development of a Canadian Open Parliament Action Plan.

The Sub-committee on Open Parliament held its second virtual meeting and discussed its objectives and activities.

On January 29, 2021, three Canadian parliamentarians attended the 53rd Meeting of the Board of Directors of ParlAmericas:

• The Honourable Senator Rosa Galvez, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM) and Treasurer of the Board of ParlAmericas Corporation;

• Marc Serré, Member of Parliament, Chair of CPAM, Canada’s representative on the ParlAmericas Board of Directors and Chair of the Board of ParlAmericas Corporation; and

• Randy Hoback, Member of Parliament, Member of CPAM and Member of the Board of ParlAmericas Corporation.

At this meeting, Mr. Serré led the discussion regarding the decisions to be made by the ParlAmericas Corporation Board. During this discussion, Senator Galvez presented the 2020 ParlAmericas audited Financial Statements, which were approved.

The 53rd Meeting of the Board of Directors enabled members to approve the calendar of activities for 2021 and to discuss the events to be organized for ParlAmericas’ 20th anniversary. The meeting concluded with an exchange of information on recent initiatives related to ParlAmericas’ work spearheaded by various parliaments or legislators in their respective countries. In this regard, Senator Galvez and Mr. Serré presented the activities of CPAM’s Sub-committee on Open Parliament.

The Sub-committee on Open Parliament held a virtual meeting to establish its Executive Committee and discussed its objectives and activities.

Circular Economy – Sustainable approaches to build back better from the COVID-19 pandemic

The 17th Plenary Assembly of ParlAmericas provided an opportunity to share on the different measures that parliaments have taken or can take to implement sustainable and equitable production systems, considering the forthcoming economic packages for the reconstruction of our economies post COVID-19 pandemic, and to progressively meet the 2030 sustainable development agenda. The working sessions on November 16, 2020 (English and French) and November 20 (Spanish and Portuguese) facilitated an exchange of good parliamentary practices for the implementation of this agenda in the parliaments of the hemisphere. Each country delegation presented a statement related to the event theme at the plenary session of November 27, 2020. The plenary assembly concluded with the reading of the final declaration and the Board of Directors elections.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

ParlAmericas is run by parliamentarians for parliamentarians, with a Board of Directors composed of 21 legislators, representing 17 countries from North, South, Central America and the Caribbean. The Board, elected by the Plenary Assembly, provides governance direction for the organization and sets out the organization’s strategy. The Board of Directors is headed by the Chair, who is elected every two years and supported by a technical secretariat, located in Ottawa. Canadian MP Marc G. Serré is Canada's representative on the Board of Directors.

The 52nd meeting of the ParlAmericas Board of Directors provided an opportunity for Board members to receive an update on upcoming activities in 2020-2021 and the financial situation of the organization. In addition, Board Members considered the draft declaration on the circular economy that was submitted to representatives of ParlAmericas member countries registered at the closing session of the 17th Plenary Assembly on November 27, 2020. The Board also considered nominations received to fill the vacancies on the Board.

Circular Economy – Sustainable approaches to build back better from the COVID-19 pandemic

The 17th Plenary Assembly of ParlAmericas provided an opportunity to share on the different measures that parliaments have taken or can take to implement sustainable and equitable production systems, considering the forthcoming economic packages for the reconstruction of our economies post COVID-19 pandemic, and to progressively meet the 2030 sustainable development agenda. The working sessions on November 16, 2020 (English and French) and November 20 (Spanish and Portuguese) facilitated an exchange of good parliamentary practices for the implementation of this agenda in the parliaments of the hemisphere. Each country delegation presented a statement related to the event theme at the plenary session of November 27, 2020. The plenary assembly concluded with the reading of the final declaration and the Board of Directors elections.

On 13 November 2020, members of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas met virtually with officials from Global Affairs Canada (GAC) for a briefing on the political and public health situation in various countries in South America, Central America and the Caribbean. The Canadian Section was represented by Mr. Marc Serré, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Section, Senator Rosa Galvez, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section and Vice-President (North America) of ParlAmericas' Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PNCC), Ms. Julie Dzerowicz, M.P., Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section, Ms. Soraya Martinez Ferrada, M.P., Senator Marie-Françoise Mégie and Mr. Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay, M.P.

GAC officials provided information about the ways in which various countries in the western hemisphere are managing the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. They also outlined some of the Government of Canada's trade considerations and international development projects in countries in the hemisphere, and described the ways in which Canada has been applying a "COVID-19 lens" to assess how best to support countries as they address the pandemic while continuing to focus on previously identified priorities in each country, such as advancing the equality of women and men, or enhancing trade.

Officials from GAC and members of the Canadian Section discussed governance, trade, investment and environmental issues, as well as future actions that the Canadian Section could take in engaging with other parliamentarians in the western hemisphere.

On 30 October 2020, members of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas and of the diplomatic community representing the countries of Latin America held a virtual reception to recognize Latin American Heritage Month and to celebrate the contributions that members of Latin American communities have made to Canada.

Mr. Marc Serré, M.P., Chair of ParlAmericas’ Canadian Section, and Her Excellency Sofia Lastenia Cerrato Rodriguez, Ambassador of Honduras to Canada and Dean of the Latin America Group of Ambassadors, co-hosted the reception. Others attending from the Canadian Section were Senator Rosa Galvez, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section and Vice-President (North America) of ParlAmericas' Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PNCC), Ms. Julie Dzerowicz, M.P., Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section, Mr. Stéphane Bergeron, M.P., Ms. Stephanie Kusie, M.P., Ms. Soraya Martinez Ferrada and Mr. Robert Oliphant, M.P., all of whom made remarks to the participants.

Representatives of the following countries attended the reception: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay and Peru.

Mr. Serré outlined some of the activities in which the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas has been involved since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Senator Galvez highlighted that the pandemic has affected people differently, depending on such factors as age, gender and sector of employment. Some foreign participants expressed their gratitude for Canadian parliamentarians’ efforts to support their countries during the pandemic. Others discussed the strong ties between Canada and the countries in the western hemisphere, and said that they look forward to future opportunities to gather and to get to know each other better, ideally in person.

The ParlAmericas parliamentary Network for Gender Equality discussed the theme “Designing Inclusive Futures in Partnership with Youth” through a series of online events for parliamentarians in the Americas and the Caribbean. Through the exchange of experiences and good legislative practices, this gathering fostered a dialogue on the importance of incorporating youth voices and action in parliamentary efforts for gender equality.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

The ParlAmericas parliamentary Network for Gender Equality discussed the theme “Designing Inclusive Futures in Partnership with Youth” through a series of online events for parliamentarians in the Americas and the Caribbean. Through the exchange of experiences and good legislative practices, this gathering fostered a dialogue on the importance of incorporating youth voices and action in parliamentary efforts for gender equality.

On September 11th 2020, the Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, and Randy Hoback, M.P., counsellor of the Section, participated in the 51st meeting of the Board of Directors of ParlAmericas by videoconference. The topics discussed at the meeting included how the 17th ParlAmericas plenary assembly would be organized, elections for Board positions in November 2020, and other administrative business requiring the Board’s attention prior to the end of the ParlAmericas fiscal year on 30 September 2020. The meeting wrapped up with a round table, with the parliamentarians present reporting on the situation in their respective countries as regards the COVID-19 pandemic.

On July 22nd 2020, Mr. Marc Serré, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, and Senator Rosa Galvez, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas and Vice-President (North America) of ParlAmericas' PNCC, participated in a virtual meeting on the topic of “Gender-Responsiveness and Disaster Resilience during the COVID-19 Crisis.” Participants included parliamentarians, technical staff and representatives of civil society organizations from the Americas and the Caribbean.

Gale Rigobert, St. Lucia’s Minister for Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development, welcomed everyone to the meeting, following which Tonni Brodber, Acting Head of Office at the UN Women Multi-Country Office for the Caribbean, Andy Daniel, Speaker of St. Lucia’s House of Assembly, and Elizabeth Cabezas, President of ParlAmericas and a member of Ecuador’s National Assembly, provided opening remarks. Ms. Rigobert also moderated a session during which presentations on the topic of gender inequality in disaster and crisis situations were made by: Angie Dazé, Senior Policy Advisor at the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD); Kyana Bowen, Programme Officer at the UN Women Multi-Country Office for the Caribbean; and Elizabeth Riley, Acting Executive Director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).

Ms. Dazé explained that gender interacts with other factors – including age, disability, ethnicity and sexual orientation – to influence people's vulnerability to climate change and disasters. She outlined three components of a gender-responsive approach to building climate and disaster resilience: a recognition of gender differences in needs and capacities for managing climate and disaster risks; gender-equitable participation and influence in planning and decision-making processes; and gender-equitable access to financial servicese. Finally, Ms. Dazé presented some of the IISD's work relating to gender-responsiveness, climate change and disaster risk management.

Ms. Bowen described some ways in which disaster-preparedness planning and response can be gender-transformative, leading to lasting changes in gender norms. She noted that, when compared to most other parts of the world, the Caribbean is subject to more natural hazards, such as hurricanes, floods, sea level changes, drought and earthquakes. Ms. Bowen also discussed the ways in which planning for such hazards can be gender-transformative at the home, community, national and regional levels. Finally, she summarized some of the UN Women Multi-Country Office for the Caribbean's responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ms. Riley outlined various types of hazards that are common in the Caribbean region, including earthquakes, storm surges, flooding and volcanic eruptions. She underscored that the number of Atlantic hurricanes in 2020 is already higher than normal, and that – with the additional challenges resulting from the pandemic – countries face a complex, multi-hazard scenario that will make disaster response more difficult. Ms. Riley explained that, as an agency of the Caribbean Community, CDEMA supports countries in their efforts to mobilize and coordinate disaster relief, among other things. She described the impacts of climate change in the Caribbean region, and highlighted a rise in the intensity of tropical storms and the damage they cause. Ms. Riley also emphasized the importance of resilience, and stated that CDEMA considers gender to be a cross-cutting theme in all of its work. Finally, she commented on the number of cases of COVID-19 in the region and discussed ways in which the Caribbean could deal with hurricane season in the context of the pandemic.

Following the presentations, several participants spoke briefly about some resources that parliamentarians may wish to use when addressing issues of gender equality, climate change and disaster risk reduction. Jack Hardcastle, Program Assistant at the Secretariat to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), noted a climate change toolkit designed specifically for small island states that the CPA has published.

Speaker Daniel presented two publications: COVID-19: An Analysis of the Legislative Agenda and the Centering of Gender Equality in Legislative Responses, co-authored by ParlAmericas and Directorio Legislativo; and the Parliamentary Protocol for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation, authored by ParlAmericas.

Massimiliano Tozzi, Project Manager at the United Nations Development Programme, commented on the project “Enabling Gender-Responsive Disaster Recovery, Climate and Environmental Resilience in the Caribbean (EnGenDER).” He said that the project aims to ensure that actions relating to climate change and disaster risk reduction are informed by an analysis of gender inequalities, and are designed to alleviate existing inequalities.

Following a discussion in which participants shared their countries’ best practices regarding gender-responsiveness and disaster resilience, Ms. Brodber and Chester Humphrey, Vice-President (Caribbean) of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality and President of Grenada’s Senate, gave closing remarks.

On July 10th 2020, Senator Rosa Galvez, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas and Vice-President (North America) of ParlAmericas' Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PNCC), Ms. Julie Dzerowicz, M.P., Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, Ms. Stephanie Kusie, M.P. and Ms. Marie-France Lalonde, M.P. participated in a virtual meeting on the topic of “Build back better: A green and sustainable economic recovery.”

Diego Paulsen, President of Chile’s Chamber of Deputies, and Elizabeth Cabezas, President of ParlAmericas and a member of Ecuador’s National Assembly, provided welcoming remarks. Ana Belén Marín, President of ParlAmericas’ PNCC and a member of Ecuador’s National Assembly, moderated a session at which the following individuals made presentations: Leo Heileman, Regional Director of the Latin America and the Caribbean Office of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); Raúl Salazar, Head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean; and Brian O’Callaghan, a researcher at the University of Oxford’s Smith School for Enterprise and the Environment.

Mr. Heileman began by noting the high number of zoonotic diseases that have emerged in recent years, attributing their increased frequency to human impacts on the natural environment. In characterizing climate change as a larger crisis than COVID-19, he suggested that now is the time to "reactivate" the economy, generate “decent” work and try to meet the needs of the most vulnerable groups. Mr. Heileman outlined several areas that UNEP has identified as having the potential to help reactivate the economy while benefitting the climate. These include: rural, agricultural and ecosystem resilience; urban resilience; renewable energy and energy efficiency; and the transition to electric vehicles and e-mobility.

Mr. Salazar spoke about the double impact of COVID-19 and climate disasters – such as heavy rain, powerful tropical storms and droughts that are more intense, frequent and widespread – in numerous countries in the western hemisphere. In his view, governments must take an integrated, intersectional approach to risk management. He also described actions that could reduce vulnerability and enhance resilience in general, and outlined some roles for parliaments in applying disaster risk reduction approaches and supporting investments in climate change adaptation.

Mr. O’Callaghan summarized the results of his recent study on the possible benefits of a "clean" recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic; the study was based on a review of stimulus policies from the 2009 global financial crisis and a survey of more than 230 economists from the G20 countries. His study concluded that climate-related spending could enhance economic growth during the recovery from the pandemic. Mr. O’Callaghan emphasized the importance of using stimulus spending to achieve long-term climate objectives and not just short-term gross domestic product growth.

Paola Vega, Vice-President (Central America) of ParlAmericas’ PNCC Change and a member of Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly, gave closing remarks.

On June 22th 2020, eight parliamentarians from the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas and the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union attended an online briefing that the two associations co-hosted on the topic of the economic, political and humanitarian situation in Venezuela.

During the first panel, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) officials highlighted – among other topics – that the humanitarian situation in Venezuela was worsening and that, by June 2020, more than 5 million Venezuelans had left their home country and 7 million people within Venezuela needed humanitarian aid. They also noted the Government of Canada’s continued engagement with partners in Venezuela and internationally to find solutions to the situation in Venezuela, and the Government’s contribution of $27 million for humanitarian aid to support Venezuelan refugees and migrants.

During the second panel, Eduardo Stein – Joint Special Representative for Venezuelan refugees and migrants with the International Organization for Migration and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – mentioned that, of the 5.1 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants, 4.3 million are hosted in Latin American countries. According to him, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Venezuelan refugees and migrants have been highly vulnerable to discrimination and violence, and – as of June 2020 – about 70,000 Venezuelan refugees and migrants had returned to their home country. Ben Rowswell – President of the Canadian International Council and former Canadian Ambassador to Venezuela – stated that, although addressing the humanitarian situation is currently the most important issue in Venezuela, the international community must continue to request free and fair elections in that country in 2020.

Mr. Marc Serré, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas and the Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, participated in the 50th Board of Director’s Meeting of ParlAmericas by videoconference on June 16, 2020. During this meeting, Members discussed financial matters and were updated on the status of future ParlAmericas’ meetings in the context of COVID-19. Mr. Marc Serré is Canada’s representative on the Board. ParlAmericas is run by parliamentarians for parliamentarians, with a Board of Directors composed of 21 seats which currently represent 17 countries from North, South, Central America and the Caribbean.

On June 11th 2020, seven Canadian parliamentarians participated in a virtual meeting entitled “Sustainable Responses for a Post COVID-19 Economic Recovery” where four panellists spoke on how public policy and legislation could promote sustainable and inclusive post-pandemic economic recovery, particularly in the Caribbean region:

• Irwin LaRocque, Secretary General of the Caribbean Community, said that the response to the pandemic must take into account the effects of hurricane season in Caribbean countries.

• Diane Quarless, Director of the Economic Commission for the Latin American and Caribbean (ECLAC) Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean, highlighted the economic impact of the pandemic in the Caribbean, particularly on the tourism industry, which is an important source of income for many countries in the region. She also explained that the heavy indebtedness of Caribbean states, as well as their difficulty in obtaining official development assistance, foreign direct investment or concessional lending, limits the financial resources available to these countries to respond to the crisis caused by the pandemic.

• Monika Queisser, Head of the Social Policy Division of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, gave a global overview of the economic impact of COVID-19. She also shared data showing that more women than men have lost their jobs due to the pandemic.

• Therese Turner-Jones, General Manager of the Country Department Caribbean Group of the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), explained that the pandemic has had a significant impact on the lives of women in the Caribbean and that women must be part of the discussions and decisions involving the response to the pandemic.

During the question period, the Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, stressed that the way to measure economic recovery should not be based solely on GDP.

On June 5th 2020, the Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, moderated a virtual dialogue entitled “Legislating for Post COVID-19 Economic Recovery: Cooperative Dialogue between Presiding Officers of Parliaments of the Americas.” Presiding officers of 15 legislatures from across the Americas participated in the dialogue in Spanish.

Alicia Bárcena, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), gave the keynote address, highlighting how the pandemic has affected the economic situation in the Americas and Caribbean region and outlining proposals that could help mitigate its effects. She explained that ECLAC expects that, in 2020, the gross domestic product of the Americas and Caribbean region will fall by 5%, 12 million people will become unemployed, and the number of people living in poverty will increase by over 28 million in the region. She highlighted that certain population groups in the region are more likely to suffer as a result of the pandemic. For example, women make up the majority of workers in the informal labour force, they often have little in the way of savings, and they have to go outside the home to earn an income. In addition, many children and adolescents may not have access to online learning; it is estimated that only 20% have this option. Ms. Bárcena proposed the following options to respond to the economic crisis sparked by COVID-19 in the Americas and the Caribbean: establish an emergency basic income over a period of six months for people living in poverty; provide subsidies to companies based on the number of employees and the employer’s commitment to its employees; promote measures leading to a more egalitarian and environmentally sustainable economic structure; and implement universal healthcare. Ms. Bárcena highlighted the important role of parliaments in implementing these measures.

Following the keynote presentation, the presiding officers each presented the measures implemented in their countries to respond to the pandemic.

On May 8th 2020, the Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, participated in a virtual meeting in Spanish entitled “Legislative Actions for the Prevention of Violence against Women during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Four panellists spoke at the meeting:

• Yeliz Osman, Policy Specialist on Ending Violence Against Women at the UN Women Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, noted that it is too soon to reach conclusions on the impact of COVID-19 on violence against women, but emerging figures seem to indicate that it has increased during the pandemic. She explained that many countries in the Americas and the Caribbean recorded a 30-90% increase in calls to helplines for violence against women during the pandemic.

• Karina Arteaga, a member of the National Assembly of Ecuador, told parliamentarians in attendance about measures taken in Ecuador to counteract the high rates of gender-based violence. For example, the public prosecutor’s office activated an online service for victims of violence.

• Member of the Chilean Chamber of Deputies Marcela Sabat noted that government measures in Chile are aimed at expanding the capacity to receive complaints by offering the option of filing a complaint through WhatsApp or a web chat. Ms. Sabat said that women without access to the Internet or a smart phone can use the code phrase “Mascarilla 19” [Mask 19] to discreetly report violence during a visit to a pharmacy.

• Mexican Senator Verónica Camino indicated that Mexico has several legal instruments to prevent, address, punish and eradicate violence against women. She emphasized the importance of collecting and consulting data on violence against women to inform decision making and public policy formulation.

On May 8th, 2020, Mr. Marc Serré – Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas – participated in a webinar hosted by the Open Parliament e-Network, a global consortium comprising numerous international organizations, including ParlAmericas. The webinar’s topic was “Parliaments and Pandemics: Going virtual and staying open in the COVID-19 era.”

Other organizations participating in the webinar included Directorio Legislativo, the National Democratic Institute, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the Latin American Network for Legislative Transparency and Parliamentary Network Africa.

Discussions during the webinar focused on the importance of legislatures remaining open and transparent during a global crisis. Participants spoke about how keeping the public informed helps legislators fulfill their representation and oversight responsibilities.

On May 1st 2020, Mr. Marc Serré – Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas – participated in a meeting on the topic of “Virtual parliamentary sessions during the COVID-19 pandemic.” The virtual meeting was co-hosted by ParlAmericas and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA); it was chaired by Bahamian Senator Ranard Henfield, Vice-President (Caribbean) of ParlAmericas’ Open Parliament Network. Presiding officers, parliamentarians and clerks from 17 English-speaking legislatures in the Americas and the Caribbean participated in the meeting.

Participants heard presentations by: the Honourable Juan Watterson, Speaker of the Isle of Man’s House of Keys; Luiz Fernando Bandeira de Mello, Secretary-General of the Board of Brazil’s Senate; and Matthew Hamlyn, Strategic Director of the Chamber Business Team of the United Kingdom’s House of Commons. They discussed the technical and political challenges associated with implementing virtual sittings and committee meetings in their legislatures.

Jarvis Matiya, the CPA’s Acting Secretary-General, updated participants about the CPA’s responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the launch of the CPA Toolkit for Commonwealth Parliaments and Legislatures on the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic and delivering parliamentary democracy.

The Honourable Bridgid Annisette-George – Speaker of Trinidad and Tobago’s House of Representatives, ParlAmericas Board Member and a member of CPA’s International Executive Committee – delivered closing remarks.

On April 16th, 2020, Senator Rosa Galvez – Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas and Vice-President (North America) of ParlAmericas' Parliamentary Network on Climate Change – participated in ParlAmericas’ first meeting held since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in March 2020. This virtual meeting in Spanish was designed for Parliamentary staff. At the meeting, which was attended by legislators from 16 ParlAmericas countries, parliamentary officials shared their experiences in adapting their legislative procedures rapidly at the onset of the pandemic.

Participants heard presentations by: Gustavo Vasconcellos, Technology and Information Analyst in the Innovation and ICT Directorate of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies; Miguel Landeros, Secretary General of Chile’s Chamber of Deputies; and Claudio Prieto, General Coordinator of Technology and Information of Ecuador’s National Assembly. These panellists provided a detailed account of technical and procedural measures being implemented in their country to enable legislatures to meet virtually.

Room 505, Victoria Building

12:30 p.m.

To be eligible to vote at the AGM the deadline for membership for this association is 7 days before the meeting.

The Honourable Senator Rosa Galvez, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, attended events organized as part of the 25th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 25) held in Madrid, Spain. The Conference offered the opportunity to learn more about various climate change issues, promote parliamentarians’ role in implementing the December 2015 Paris Agreement, and present the activities of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change.

Parliamentarians from 21 legislative assemblies of the Americas and the Caribbean met for the 16th Plenary Assembly of ParlAmericas in Asunción, Paraguay. The theme of this annual meeting was “Accelerating Progress on Agenda 2030: Good Practices for Parliamentary Action.” The parliamentarians had an opportunity to share their respective regional experiences and discuss the challenges and progress made in implementing Agenda 2030 and achieving its 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

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 ParlAmericas parliamentary Network for Gender Equality is examining the theme, “Achieving balance in the world of work” through a series of panel sessions and workshops on reducing barriers to women’s economic empowerment.

Open parliaments aim to transform government culture to promote innovation and adapt policies and services to public needs. Open Parliament Day provides an opportunity for parliamentary delegations to exchange with peers and civil society actors on identifying sustainable, participative, and inclusive solutions to problems that impact citizens' daily lives.

The Canadian Section of ParlAmericas was in Brazil for a three-day bilateral visit. It started in Brasilia where the delegation established parliamentary ties with the newly elected congress and promoted ParlAmericas as a forum for hemispheric dialogue. Then, it went to São Paulo where it explored trade and investment opportunities for Canada.

The 4th Annual Gathering of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network aimed at analyzing the key features of corruption in the region, explore strategies and mechanisms to strengthen parliamentary oversight of legislative frameworks, and focus on developing concrete actions that can be taken by parliaments to foster a more open State.

Room 225-A, West Block

6:30 p.m.

To be eligible to vote at the AGM the deadline for membership for this association is 7 days before the meeting.

The Canadian Section of ParlAmericas visited Mexico City to develop ties with the newly elected Government and Congress.

The Canadian Section of ParlAmericas participated in the meeting on Transformational Leadership for Gender Equality in the Caribbean to learn more about the current initiatives in the region to advance women’s leadership and gender equality, and to develop strategies to mainstream this focus in national sustainable development efforts. Through a series of exchanges, the delegates forged strengthened partnerships, coordinated agendas, and contributed to these efforts at the regional level by providing input on a Draft CARICOM Regional Gender Equality Strategy.

The Canadian Section of ParlAmericas participated in the 10th Annual Consultative Assembly of Parliamentarians for the International Criminal Court and the Rule of Law and 40th Annual Forum for Parliamentarians for Global Action in Kiev, Ukraine. This meeting offered an occasion to discuss challenges faced by parliamentarians in attaining a universal system of justice at a domestic, regional and international levels centred on the Rome Statute, while understanding the independent mandate fulfilled by the International Criminal Court’s judicial organs.

The Honourable Bob Nault, P.C., M.P., President of ParlAmericas International and Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, lead Canadian parliamentarians in a meeting with Ms. Isabel Plá, Chile’s Minister of Women and Gender Equality, who is responsible for addressing all forms of gender discrimination in Chile.

The Canadian Section of ParlAmericas held its Annual reception at Centre Block on October 29, 2018 to enhance ties with ParlAmericas member country representatives in Ottawa.

Members of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas met with in a meeting with a delegation of Secretaries-designates from Mexico. The Secretaries-designates will assume their cabinet positions on December 1st, 2018, when President-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador is inaugurated. The Mexican delegation comprised the Secretaries-designate for: Foreign Affairs; Finance and Public Credit; Economy; the Environment and Natural Resources; Energy; the Interior; and Agriculture, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food.

A delegation representing the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas met with Panamanian parliamentarians and local stakeholders to enhance their knowledge about trade, climate change issues, security and other public policy issues. Additionally, delegates attended the 3rd Gathering of the Parliamentary Network on Climate Change. The role of national parliaments in international climate efforts, the challenges of transitioning to low-carbon economies and models for pricing carbon were discussed.

Parliamentarians from the national legislatures of the Americas and the Caribbean met for the 15th ParlAmericas Plenary Assembly in Victoria, B.C. This year’s Plenary Assembly had Promoting Inclusive Societies for Sustainable Development as its theme. Sessions focused on accessible and equitable labour markets, advancing Indigenous women’s leadership, and migration and integration.