Report

The parliamentary delegation of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) that attended the APF Bureau meeting in N’Djamena, Chad, on February 2–4, 2010, has the honour to present its report.

The members of the delegation were the Hon. Rose-Marie Losier-Cool, Senator and Chair of the APF Network of Women Parliamentarians, and Mr. François Michaud, Association Secretary.

The following branches were represented in Chad: Aosta Valley, Belgium (Francophone community/Wallonia-Brussels), Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Egypt, France, Jura, Laos, Lebanon, Luxemburg, Ontario, Quebec, Senegal, Switzerland and Vietnam.

Special ceremony

To open the meeting, APF Chair Mr. Yvon Vallières (Quebec) requested that the group observe a moment of silence for victims of the Haiti earthquake. He then stated that he was taking steps to ensure the APF would play a role in the UN Haiti Conference in March 2010, so that democratic institutions were not left out.

The President of the National Assembly of Chad, Mr. Nassour Guélengdouksia Ouaïdou, welcomed all the participants and echoed Mr. Vallières’ comments about Haiti. He mentioned that Chad was a founding member of the APF and that he was very pleased to see the Bureau hold its meeting in N’Djamena. He reminded participants that Chad had had a difficult past, but that it was now on the right track. For example, Chad was engaged in direct negotiations with Sudan, without mediators.

APF business

After the members unanimously adopted the agenda and the minutes from the previous Bureau Meeting, the APF Chair asked the Parliamentary Secretary General to present his report.

The Parliamentary Secretary General, Senator Jacques Legendre (France), gave his activity report. Right away, he noted that “our Bureau is affected by the catastrophe in Haiti.” He also said that the fact that the Bureau was meeting in N’Djamena showed Chad that the values of la Francophonie were important and that the APF was supportive of Chad in its efforts to improve democracy.

The Parliamentary Secretary General presented an exhaustive report that addressed APF participation in international meetings, Secretariat General activities, interparliamentary co-operation programs, its role in monitoring democracy and various other internal business items.

A draft resolution on Haiti was moved, amended and adopted. It was decided that the APF would actively support Haiti and the Haitian Branch of the APF. The Parliamentary Secretary General answered a number of questions, including one from Senator Losier-Cool about how the APF would help Haiti.

Mr. Pierre-André Wiltzer (France), former Chair of the APF Political Committee and former Minister of Co-operation and Francophonie, presented his observations on the Francophone Youth Parliament’s external evaluation report. The report was prepared at the request of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) and the APF. Senator Losier-Cool contributed to the discussion that followed.

Committee business

Mr. André Schneider (France), Chair of the Political Affairs Committee, presented his committee’s activity report; Mr. Didier Berberat (Switzerland), Chair of the Education, Communication and Cultural Affairs Committee, presented his committee’s report; Ms. Michèle André (France), Vice-Chair of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee, presented her committee’s report in the unavoidable absence of the Chair, Senator Pierre de Bané. Lastly, Mr. Mahama Sawadogo (Burkina Faso), Chair of the Co-operation and Development Committee, presented his committee’s report.

Reports from the regional chargés de mission

The Chargé de mission for the Americas Region, Mr. Jean-Marc Lalonde (Ontario), presented the Americas Region activity report. He gave an update on the last Regional Assembly of the Americas, held in Halifax in September 2009. He summarized the topics discussed at the meeting, including the Canadian Branch presentation on linguistic duality at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games. A resolution had been adopted to remind the Vancouver Organizing Committee and all the public officials associated with hosting the Games of their duty to incorporate French into the Games.

Chargé de mission Mr. Bongnessan Arsène Yé (Burkina Faso) presented the African region’s report and Chargé de mission Mr. Koukèo Akhamountry (Laos) presented the Asia–Pacific Region’s report. Mr. Michel de Lamote (Francophone Communities of Belgium) presented the European Region’s report on behalf of the Chargé de mission.

Follow-up on the Network of Women Parliamentarians business

Senator Rose-Marie Losier-Cool, Chair of the Network of Women Parliamentarians, presented the Network’s activity report. Senator Losier-Cool talked about the Network’s last meeting in Paris in July 2009. The Network studied a number of topics at that time: the link between women’s health and women’s rights; the status of women refugees in the Francophone world; follow-up on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; and children’s rights: follow-up on the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, and children in armed conflict.

Senator Losier-Cool then announced the topics that would be addressed at the Network of Women Parliamentarians’ Steering Committee meeting in Ottawa in March 2010.

She also informed the Bureau that the Network had donated six computers and two printers to women parliamentarians in Togo as part of its co-operation program.

She concluded by providing more information on the practices established by the Network regarding the Annual Meeting and its recommendations and reports. She moved that in the future all subjects dealing directly with women, women’s rights, children’s rights and gender equality be handled by the Network, which will then write reports and make recommendations directly to the Assembly. Other topics will be the subject-matter of letters sent to the Chairs of the APF Committees, who will then be responsible for communicating with the Network Chair about any topics that should be handled jointly. After discussion, the motion was adopted unanimously.

Ordre de la Pléiade

The members unanimously agreed to amend the agenda and move on to the Ordre de la Pléiade. The Bureau adopted the list of recommendations made by a number of branches, including the Canadian Branch.

Budget presentation

Mr. Norbert Haupert (Luxembourg) presented the draft 2010 budget report on behalf of the Treasurer. Senator Losier-Cool spoke during the debate, emphasizing the importance of the Network of Women Parliamentarians, its significant results despite its low level of funding, and therefore how vital it was for the Network to receive adequate funding.

Studying political situations in various countries

The Bureau developed a position on political situations in the Francophone world that raised concerns among parliamentarians. The declarations addressed the following countries: Mauritania, Nigeria, Guinea, Madagascar, the Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Chad and Darfur. The Bureau also adopted a declaration on the situation in the Near East.

The resolutions adopted following debate are available on the APF website at www.apf.francophonie.org (in French only).

Miscellaneous matters

Mr. Yvon Vallières (Quebec), Chair of the APF, presented the Quebec Branch’s project regarding an international parliamentary conference on implementing the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. The conference would take place in Quebec City in February 2011.

That was followed by presentations and debates about the 36th Session in Dakar in July 2010, interparliamentary co-operation programs, election observation missions and the draft schedule of activities for 2010.

The Bureau also reiterated its support of the Bayard Presse magazine Planètes jeunes.

Mr. François Côté, General Secretary of Quebec’s National Assembly, presented the activity report of the Association des secrétaires généraux des Parlements francophones.

Lastly, the Canadian delegation thanked the Chadian Branch organizing committee for its outstanding work in difficult circumstances, permitting the Bureau to complete its business.

Respectfully submitted,