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

Senator Peter M. Boehm participated in a webinar organized by the OSCE PA entitled “Respecting Human Rights and Maintaining Democratic Control during States of Emergency". Following opening remarks by Ms. Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and Mr. Michael Abramowitz, President of Freedom House, Senator Boehm took the floor and shared the Canadian experience on maintaining democratic control and upholding human rights in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Hedy Fry, P.C., M.P., attended the very first virtual meeting of the AdHoc Committee on Migration on May 6, 2020. Dr. Fry discussed how the pandemic affected the migrants and refugee situation in Canada and participated in discussions with other members of the Committee.

Dr. Hedy Fry, P.C., M.P., attended the Parliamentary Assembly’s Bureau Meeting to represent the Canadian Delegation. The elected leaders of the OSCE PA met online for the annual spring Bureau meeting. The meeting commenced with a presentation from the OSCE Chair-in-Office, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, and the EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, Ambassador Janez Lenarcic. Others also reported on recent events. PA President George Tsereteli, Secretary General Roberto Montella, as well as reports by Chairs of Committees and OSCE PA Special Representatives made successive presentations. Finally, Treasurer Peter Juel-Jensen presented the Assembly’s proposed budget for the upcoming financial year for discussion and noted that efforts would be made to relieve the financial burden on parliaments that may be facing revenue shortfalls due to the economic impact of COVID-19.

Dr. Hedy Fry, P.C., M.P., attended a Parliamentary Assembly’s Bureau meeting to discuss future business. Given the uncertainty surrounding the global pandemic of COVID-19, Bureau members concluded that the Annual Session planned in Vancouver in July 2020 would need to be cancelled. Dr. Fry reiterated Canada’s wish to host an upcoming Annual Session of the OSCE PA but could not commit at this point to a future date.

Canadian delegates travelled to the 2020 Winter Meeting in Vienna, Austria to participate in three General Committees, as well as discussions pertaining to the planning of the 29th Annual Session in Vancouver, British Columbia in July 2020.

Canadian delegates travelled to Marrakesh, Morocco in order to participate at the 18th Autumn Meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly.

On the Invitation of the Ukrainian Parliament, Canadian delegates travelled Ukraine in order to participate on an Election Observation Mission for the 2019 Parliamentary Election.

Canadian delegates travelled to the City of Luxembourg in order to participate at the 28th Annual Session of the Parliamentary Assembly.

On the Invitation of the Ukrainian Parliament, Canadian delegates travelled Ukraine in order to participate on an Election Observation Mission for the Second Round of the 2019 Presidential Election.

On the Invitation of the Ukrainian Parliament, Canadian delegates travelled to Kyiv, Lviv and Kharkiv (Ukraine) in order to participate on an Election Observation Mission in the First Round of the 2019 Presidential Election.