Canadian Delegation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (SECO)

The Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) held a seminar on the issue of gender equality in electoral processes. The Honourable Dr. Hedy Fry, P.C., M.P., head of the Canadian delegation to the OSCE PA and OSCE PA Special Representative on Gender Issues, participated as a panellist. She highlighted some of the obstacles affecting the ability of women to enter, remain and assume leadership positions in politics, such as sexist stereotypes regarding the role of women in society, as well as gender-based violence against politicians. Among other points, she also spoke about the potential role of parliaments in promoting equal access to elected office, including by addressing the legal, social, and financial barriers that women face.

On 19 October 2022, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) held a virtual meeting about the war in Ukraine in the context of its Call for Action – Helsinki +50 initiative. The meeting was moderated by OSCE PA High-Level Expert Lamberto Zannier and included opening remarks by OSCE PA President Margareta Cederfelt. A keynote speech was delivered by Mr. Marco Pedrazzi, Professor of International Law, University of Milan. Mr. Pedrazzi spoke about the so-called referenda orchestrated by Russia in occupied Ukrainian territories in late September 2022 which he said violated international law and norms. A presentation was also made by Mr. Mykyta Poturaiev, Head of the Ukrainian Delegation to the OSCE PA, who stressed the need to counter Russian disinformation and called for additional sanctions on Russian officials.

During the open debate, a number of OSCE PA members, including several Ukrainian parliamentarians, spoke about the need for ongoing international support for the Ukrainian people. Participants also discussed Russian nuclear threats and emphasized the need to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime. The Canadian participants in the meeting were the Honourable Senator Marilou McPhedran and the Honourable Senator Hassan Yussuf.

On 7 September 2022, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) held a virtual meeting on the role of the OSCE in addressing the war in Ukraine and its consequences. The meeting included opening remarks by Ms. Margareta Cederfelt, OSCE PA President, and Mr. Roberto Montella, OSCE PA Secretary General. Presentations were then made by the following panellists: Mr. Kamil Aydin, Member of the Turkish Delegation to the OSCE PA; Mr. Mykyta Poturaiev, Head of Ukrainian Delegation to the OSCE PA; Dr. Daniela De Ridder, OSCE PA Special Representative on Eastern Europe; and Mr. Steve Cohen, OSCE PA Special Representative on Political Prisoners.

During the meeting, the panellists called for ongoing engagement by the OSCE PA and by parliamentarians within their national legislatures on the situation in Ukraine. Several OSCE PA members spoke during the open debate about the need to hold Russia accountable for war crimes committed in Ukraine, while others emphasized the role the OSCE PA could play in promoting dialogue. The Canadian parliamentarians who participated in the meeting were Mr. Luc Berthold, M.P., Mr. Earl Dreeshen, M.P., and Ms. Ya’ara Saks, M.P.

On 22 June 2022, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) held a virtual meeting to discuss the war in Ukraine. The meeting included presentations by Margareta Cederfelt, OSCE PA President, Ms. Tuula Yrjölä, Deputy Head of the OSCE Secretariat and Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre, and Mr. Mykyta Poturaiev, Head of the Ukrainian Delegation to the OSCE PA. The meeting also included an intervention by Dr. Alexandra Dienes, Senior Researcher, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung’s Regional Office for International Cooperation in Vienna, who discussed various scenarios for ending the war, as well as public polling in selected European countries regarding western policy responses to the war.

Following the presentations, 10 OSCE PA members took the floor to speak about the war in Ukraine and to debate options for international engagement. The Canadian parliamentarians who participated in the meeting were Senator Jean-Guy Dagenais, Senator Marilou McPhedran, Senator Julie Miville-Dechêne, Senator Lucie Moncion, and Ms. Valerie Bradford, Member of Parliament.

On 11 May 2022, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) held a virtual meeting to discuss the war in Ukraine. Following opening remarks by Ms. Margareta Cederfelt, OSCE PA President, and Mr. Roberto Montella, OSCE PA Secretary General, participants were addressed by Mr. Amin Awad, United Nations Crisis Coordinator for Ukraine, who discussed the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Ukraine. During the panel presentations, participants heard from Mr. Mykyta Poturaiev, Head of the Ukrainian Delegation to the OSCE PA, who called for parliamentary support for international investigations into alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine. That presentation was followed by remarks from Ambassador Henrik Villadsen, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, and Pascal Hundt, Representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

In the open debate that followed these presentations, more than 15 OSCE PA members took the floor to debate the situation in Ukraine. Dr. Hedy Fry spoke about the gender consequences of the war and called for strong and immediate action to hold Russia accountable for its military aggression, including new sanctions on Russian officials. Dr. Fry also urged members of the OSCE PA to consider suspending Russia and Belarus from the Assembly. The other Canadians to participate in the meeting were Senator Jean-Guy Dagenais, Senator Marilou McPhedran, Ms. Marie-France Lalonde, Member of Parliament (M.P.) and Ms. Ya’ara Saks, M.P.

The Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) and the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Ms. Teresa Ribeiro, co-hosted a webinar on the safety of women journalists online. The meeting included opening remarks by Ms. Teresa Ribeiro and Mr. Johan Büser, Rapporteur of the OSCE PA General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions. Presentations were then made by the following panellists: Ms. Barbara Trionfi, Executive Director of the International Press Institute, Ms. Paulina Gutierrez, Legal Officer at ARTICLE 19 and the Rt. Hon. John Whittingdale, head of the U.K. delegation to the OSCE PA.

The Honourable Dr. Hedy Fry, P.C., M.P., head of the Canadian delegation to the OSCE PA and the OSCE PA Special Representative on Gender Issues, delivered closing remarks. Among other points, she spoke about the consequences of violence against women journalists, including the ways by which it reduces diversity among journalists, undermines journalism and reduces trust in facts. She also highlighted some of the challenges associated with regulating online violence and identified the need for parliamentarians to work together to prevent gender-based violence online. Mr. Earl Dreeshen, M.P., also attended the event.

The Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) co-hosted a webinar on gender sensitive parliaments. The event served as an opportunity to officially launch ODIHR’s guide for parliaments on Realizing Gender Equality in Parliament. The Honourable Dr. Hedy Fry, P.C., M.P., head of the Canadian delegation to the OSCE PA and the OSCE PA Special Representative on Gender Issues, participated as a speaker. Among other points, she spoke about factors inhibiting women from entering politics, including violence against women politicians and the toxic environment that exists in some parliaments. She also highlighted the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the participation of women in the political sphere. Finally, she noted the importance of ensuring women with intersecting identity factors are represented in parliament. Ms. Andréanne Larouche, M.P., also attended the event.

On 23 March 2022, members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) met in the context of the Call for Action – Helsinki+50 Process to discuss the war in Ukraine. The meeting began with remarks by Ms. Margareta Cederfelt, President of the OSCE PA, and Mr. Roberto Montella, Secretary General of the OSCE PA. Participants were then addressed by Ms. Sereine Mauborgne, Head of French Delegation to the OSCE PA; Ambassador Kairat Abdrakhmanov, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities; Mr. Kyriakos Hadjiyianni, OSCE PA Special Representative on Civil Society Engagement; Mr. Konstantine Vardzelashvili, Head of Democratization Department, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights; and Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre and Deputy Head of the OSCE Secretariat. In the open debate that followed these presentations, more than 15 OSCE PA members intervened on the subject of the war in Ukraine. Senator Marilou McPhedran spoke on behalf of the Canadian delegation. In her remarks, Senator McPhedran reflected on the role that the international community – and the United Nations General Assembly in particular – must play to support the protection of civilians in Ukraine. The other Canadian parliamentarians to participate in the meeting were Senator Gwen Boniface, Senator Pierre Dalphond, Senator Amina Gerba, Senator Clément Gignac, and Yvonne Jones, Member of Parliament.

The Standing Committee of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) held an extraordinary meeting regarding the war in Ukraine. The meeting included presentations by Margareta Cederfelt, President of the OSCE PA, Roberto Montella, Secretary General of the OSCE PA, Yevheniia Kravchuk, Member of the Ukrainian delegation to the OSCE PA, and Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk, Ukrainian Ambassador to the OSCE. Participants were also addressed by former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who spoke about the humanitarian situation in Ukraine and appealed to OSCE PA participating States to hold Russia accountable for the perpetration of gross violations of human rights in Ukraine. In the open debate that followed these presentations, more than 30 members of the OSCE PA took the floor to make remarks. Ms. Ya’ara Saks, M.P., spoke on behalf of the Canadian delegation. Ms. Saks commended the bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people and said that Canada would continue to support international efforts to hold Russia accountable. The other Canadian parliamentarians to participate in the meeting were Senator Robert Black, Senator Gwen Boniface, Senator René Cormier, Senator Lucie Moncion, Luc Berthold, M.P., Earl Dreeshen, M.P., Dave Epp, M.P., James Maloney, M.P., Kristina Michaud, M.P., and Lianne Rood, M.P..