Report

A delegation from the Canadian Section of the Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas (FIPA) attended the Special Parliamentary Dialogue held prior to the 5th Summit of Heads of States and Governments of the Americas, at the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on April 16, 2009. The delegation was led by the Honourable Céline Hervieux-Payette, Senator, and was accompanied by Mr. Leif-Erik Aune, Association Secretary.

The theme of the Special Parliamentary Dialogue was “Engaging Parliaments in the Summits of the Americas Process” and the event brought together representatives from parliaments of some 45 countries, government representatives from Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Grenada, Haiti, Paraguay, the United States of America and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, as well as representatives from the Organization of American States and the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption. 

In a statement adopted at the end of the Special Parliamentary Dialogue, parliamentarians of the Americas called for “an increased parliamentary participation in the Summit Process as a means to ensure accountability and transparency.”  In the declaration, parliamentarians encouraged a partnership between the legislative and executive branches in the implementation of the Declaration of Commitment of Port of Spain and expressed their will to participate on a continual basis in the Summit of the Americas Process, through FIPA.

The Special Parliamentary Dialogue opened with addresses by the Honourable Stanford Callender, M.P., Representative of Trinidad and Tobago to the International Executive Committee of FIPA, Mr. Luiz Carlos Hauly, Member of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies and President of FIPA, the Honourable Barendra Sinanan, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Trinidad and Tobago, the Honourable Danny Montano, President of the Senate of Trinidad and Tobago, and His Excellency José Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the Organization of American States. The Honourable Paula Gopee Scoon, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago, presented the keynote address and stated that support from parliaments would be needed in order to legislate in areas such as arms trafficking and cybercrime.

Senator Hervieux-Payette moderated interventions by the participants, including Congressman Gregory Meeks, Member of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere of the United States House of Representatives.  Congressman Meekes’ attendance and intervention marked the return to FIPA participation by the United States Congress since the Forum’s inauguration in 2001.  The fruitful discussions underscored the importance placed on creating and preserving the permanent involvement of parliaments from the Americas in the Summit of the Americas process.

Mr. Hauly, praised the “open and honest” dialogue that “set an example of parliamentary democracy between the legislative and executive branches.”  Senate President Danny Montano called for parliaments to help governments set foreign policy and also to have a say over the conditions that are imposed on countries by development agencies.  OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza stressed the need to strengthen FIPA as an instrument of cooperation.

On Friday, April 17, Senator Hervieux-Payette met with Mr. Luis Carlos Hauly, President of FIPA, and members of the International Executive Committee of FIPA, to review the upcoming 6^th FIPA Plenary Assembly, which will be held from September 13-15, 2009.  The Executive Committee considered subject matter experts for the Plenary Working Groups as well as possible keynote speakers for the Opening Session of the Plenary Meeting.

The Canadian delegation would like to thank the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and High Commissioner Karen McDonald.  The delegation was strongly supported by Dr. Patrick Theriault, MD., Regional Medical Officer of the High Commission in Trinidad and Tobago.

Respectfully submitted,