The
parliamentary delegation of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée
parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF), which attended the APF Bureau
meeting in Dakar, Senegal, on July 4, 2010 and the XXXVI Session of the APF
also held in Dakar from July 5 to 8, 2010, has the honour to present its
report. The delegation was led by the Hon. Andrée Champagne, Senator and
President of the Canadian Branch, and included the following parliamentarians:
the Hon. Pierre De Bané, Senator; the Hon. Rose-Marie Losier-Cool,
Senator; the Hon. Michel Rivard, Senator; Bernard Généreux, MP; Shelly
Glover, MP; Peter Julian, MP; Louis Plamondon, MP; and Mario
Silva, MP. Accompanying the delegation were François Michaud, Branch
Association Secretary, and Jean-Luc Bourdages, analyst with the Library of
Parliament.
The
following branches were represented at the XXXVI session: Andorra, Belgium/Francophone
Community/Wallonia-Brussels, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Central African Economic and Monetary Union (CEMAC), Central African
Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea,
France, Gabon, Georgia, Haiti, Hungary, Jura, Laos, Lebanon, Luxemburg, Mali,
Mauritania, Monaco, Morocco, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,
Quebec, Romania, Senegal, Syrian Arab Republic, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia,
Valais, Val d'Aoste, Vaud and Vietnam.
Bureau
business
Senators Andrée
Champagne, Vice-President of the APF, Rose-Marie Losier-Cool, Chair
of the Women’s Parliamentary Network, and Senator Pierre De Bané, Chair
of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee, attended the Bureau meeting.
The APF Bureau
meeting was held in Dakar on July 4, 2010, and chaired by Yvon Vallières,
President of the Quebec National Assembly and President of the APF.
Opening
of Bureau meeting
Yvon
Vallières opened the meeting by welcoming
delegates. He highlighted the significance of holding the APF meeting in Dakar:
50 years ago, Senegal became an independent nation; it is also the birthplace
of Léopold Sédar Senghor, the first president of the
Republic of Senegal and one of the founders of the Francophonie.
Mamadou
Seck, Speaker of Senegal’s National Assembly,
welcomed everyone to Senegal and stated how pleased and proud he was to host
the APF delegations.
After
adopting the agenda and the minutes from the meetings held in Chad on February
2 and 3, 2010, Jacques Legendre, Senator (France) and APF Parliamentary
Secretary General,notified Bureau members of the request from the Greek
Parliament to become a full member of the APF. This request will be reviewed at
the upcoming meeting in compliance with the APF by-law.
The Parliamentary
Secretary General tabled his activity report. This comprehensive report covered
such subjects as APF participation in international meetings, the activities of
the general secretariat, interparliamentary cooperation programs, the APF’s
role of promoting democracy and various internal matters.
Committee
business
André
Schneider, Deputy (France) and Chair of the
Political Committee, presented his committee’s report. Didier Berberat,
State Councillor (Switzerland), presented the report for the Education,
Communication and Cultural Affairs Committee, which he chairs, and the report
of the Parliamentary Network to Fight HIV/AIDS, which falls under his
committee. The Hon. Senator Pierre De Bané (Canada), Chair of the
Parliamentary Affairs Committee, reported on the work done by the committee.
Lastly, Mahama Sawadogo, Member of the National Assembly (Senegal) and
Chair of the Cooperation and Development Committee, presented his report.
Reports
from regional chargés de mission
Jean-Marc
Lalonde, MPP (Ontario) and chargé de mission for
the America Region, reported on the Region’s activities. Bongnessan Arsène
Yé, Member (Burkina Faso) and chargé de mission, presented the report for
the Africa Region, and Kukéo Akhamontry, Member (Laos) and chargé de
mission, presented on behalf of the Asia-Pacific region. Jean-Paul Wahl,Member Belgium/Francophone Community/Wallonia-Brussels and the chargé de
mission for the Europe Region, also presented his region’s report.
Follow-up
on the work of the Women’s Parliamentary Network
The Hon. Rose-Marie
Losier-Cool, Senator (Canada) and Chair of the Network, congratulated
Senegal’s National Assembly on recently passing legislation to introduce total
male-female parity in all institutions that have a fully or partially elected
membership. Senator Losier-Cool presented her report on activities.
Treasurer’s
report on the 2009 financial statements and the amended 2010 budget
Michel
Wolter, Member (Luxembourg) and Treasurer,presented
his report. Following discussion, the Bureau approved the 2009 financial
statements and the amended 2010 budget.
Interparliamentary
cooperation programs
Jacques
Legendre, Parliamentary
Secretary General, stated that the Noria program, designed primarily to help
upgrade parliamentary information systems in legislatures in the southern
hemisphere, is one of the APF’s major cooperative activities involving member
parliaments.
Bureau
members also discussed the future of the Francophone youth parliament. The Hon.
Pierre De Bané (Canada) pointed out that the youth parliament had been
approved and promoted by the heads of state and of government of the
Francophonie. He also noted that the Secretary General of the Organisation
internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) has recognized the APF as the
legitimate body to implement the program.
Review of
UNAIDS memorandum of understanding
Didier
Berberat, State Councillor
(Switzerland) and chair of the Education, Communication and Cultural Affairs
Committee,explained that in keeping with the mandate he had been given
at the Bureau meeting in N’Djamena, the General Secretariat and UNAIDS had
reached a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which was distributed to Bureau
members. The Bureau approved the MOU between the APF and UNAIDS and it will be
tabled at the Plenary Session.
Order of
the Pleiades
The Bureau
met as a Council of the Order and adopted the list of nominations submitted by
several branches, including the Canadian Branch.
For more
details on this meeting, please visit:
http://www.apf.francophonie.org/IMG/pdf/2010_Bureau_Dakar_CR_provisoire.pdf
(in French only)
Network
of Women Parliamentarians
The APF
Network of Women Parliamentarians met in Dakar on July 5, 2010. The Hon. Rose-Marie
Losier-Cool (Canada) chaired the meeting.
Following
approval of the draft agenda and minutes from the meeting held in Paris on July
3, 2009, Senator Losier-Cool delivered her report as chair.
She
congratulated the men and women of the Senegalese parliament on recently
passing legislation to introduce total male-female parity in all institutions
that have a fully or partially elected membership. She
also said that it was a great pleasure for the Women’s Network to be welcomed
to a parliament that values women’s political involvement. The Senator stated
that she would ask one of the women members of the Senegalese parliament to say
a few words on this major achievement.
Professor Albert
Lourde, rector of Senghor University in Alexandria, spoke on whether
women’s rights are truly universal.
Stéphanie
Vallée, MNA (Québec) and
Network rapporteur, presented her follow-up report on human trafficking. The
report and resolution were adopted unanimously.
Geneviève
Colot, Deputy(France)
and Network rapporteur, presented her report on violence against women and
children. It was adopted unanimously.
Amissetou
Affo Djobo Oloude, Member(Benin) and rapporteur, presented her draft follow-up report on
women refugees and a draft resolution on the subject. The resolution passed
unanimously.
Stéphanie
Vallée presented her preliminary report on
monitoring the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms
of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
Francine
John Calame, National Councillor(Switzerland), described CEDAW implementation in her country, and Néné
Marième Kane, Member(Senegal), presented the recent legislation
introducing full male-female parity.
Farida
Ilimi, Member (Algeria) and representative of the
Pan-African Parliament, discussed women’s political involvement in Africa.
France
Gélinas, MPP(Ontario),
presented her report on making the term “droits de l’homme” gender neutral. Her
report was adopted and Ms. Gélinas was authorized to continue her research.
For more
information on this meeting, please visit:
http://www.apf.francophonie.org/IMG/pdf/2010_femmes_Dakar_CR.pdf
(in French only)
Parliamentary
Affairs Committee
The Hon. Pierre
De Bané, Senator (Canada), chaired the meeting of the Parliamentary Affairs
Committee held in Dakar on July 6 and 7, 2010.
Mr. De
Bané mentioned what a pleasure it is to be in Dakar, a country that has
been a major supporter of the international Francophone movement and has given
the world a model and leader: Léopold Sedar Senghor.
Following
adoption of the minutes and the record of decisions from the Marrakech meeting,
Senator De Bané delivered the chairman’s report.
Alain
Berset, State Councillor
(Switzerland),presented an analysis of financial and economic crises in
an era of globalization. The financial crisis has directly or indirectly
affected nearly every country in the world. It has been followed by a social
crisis, given the rise in unemployment, and by a crisis in public finances as
we have seen in Greece. He noted that those responsible for these crises are
not necessarily the ones who will foot the bill.
Sylvie
Roy, MNA (Quebec), reported
on public access to parliamentary information. The draft resolution on freedom
of the parliamentary press was adopted.
Martine
Bondo, Senator (Gabon), reported on political party
financing. The draft resolution on this issue was adopted.
Michèle
André, Senator (France), presented a document
concerning Francophone legislatures, and parliamentary procedures and
practices.
Committee
members reviewed the follow-up reports on interparliamentary cooperation
programs: election observation missions, parliamentary seminars and
internships, the Noria program, the Francophone youth parliament and the
national youth parliament.
For more
information on this meeting, please visit:
http://www.apf.francophonie.org/IMG/pdf/2010_cap_reunionDakar_crprovisoire.pdf
(in French only)
Political
Committee
A meeting of
the Political Committee was held in Dakar on July 6 and 7, 2010, chaired by André
Schneider, Deputy (France).
Following
adoption of the minutes and the record of decisions from the Marrakech meeting,
Mr.Schneider delivered the chairman’s report.
Paulette Oyane-Ondo, Member (Gabon), reported on the APF contribution to Bamako +10.Christine Desouches, special advisory to the OIF Secretary
General, commented on the report.
Henri-François
Gautrin, MNA (Quebec), presented a report on
protecting human rights and freedoms in the context of the fight against
terrorism. The report and draft resolution were adopted.
Michel
Rivard, Senator (Canada), presented a report on
conflicts and natural resources on behalf of Bernard Patry, MP. This
issue involves many complexities and sensitivities, and has a direct impact on
the daily lives of millions of people, many of whom live in Francophone
countries. For example, when the rights of people living near or working at
natural resource development sites are infringed, the result can be civil
discontent and conflict as well as violent confrontations between various
factions, often within the country’s interior or in border areas. The main
resources and industries involved in these conflicts are oil, mining (diamonds,
gold, tin, and coltan) and forestry, but can include agriculture as well (cocoa
and coffee).
The UN
Secretary General for human rights and multinationals are very interested in
this issue. Wherever natural resource extraction projects are carried out,
governments and the national and multinational companies involved have a
responsibility to implement and comply with the appropriate governance
mechanisms.
The Canadian
mining industry is very active beyond our borders, and there are many companies
developing some of the largest deposits around the world, particularly in
African and South America. Two private member’s bills have been introduced in
the House of Commons regarding the corporate social responsibility of Canadian
extraction companies working abroad.
The
committee adopted the preliminary report.
Paulette
Oyane-Ondo, Member (Gabon), presented a report on
political situations in the Francophone world. Resolutions were passed
concerning the following countries: Ivory Coast, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Niger, the Comoro Islands, the Community of
Sahelo-Saharan States and the Near East.
Françoise
Fassiaux-Looten, Member (Belgium/Francophone
Community/Wallonia-Brussels), presented a report on demographic challenges in
the 21st century.
For more
information on this meeting, please visit:
http://www.apf.francophonie.org/IMG/pdf/2010_compol_Compterendu_Dakar.pdf
(in French only)
Cooperation
and Development Committee
The
Cooperation and Development Committee met in Dakar on July 6 and 7, 2010, under
the chairmanship of Mahama Sawadogo, Member (Burkina Faso).
Following
adoption of the agenda and minutes from the Rome meeting, Mr. Sawadogo delivered
his report as chair.
Jean
Pierre Dufau, Deputy (France), presented a report
on economic intelligence. Committee members passed the draft resolution on
economic intelligence.
Louis
Plamondon, MP (Canada), presented the follow-up
report on the Ouagadougou Summit and described the background to this issue, which
the committee deals with on an ongoing basis. At the 2004 summit, the OIF was
mandated to implement decisions supporting sustainable development in the
French-speaking world. The OIF included these decisions in its 10-year
strategic framework and its multi-year programming. The Committee is
particularly interested in one aspect of the planning, Mission D – Developing
cooperation to promote sustainable development and solidarity. Mission D is headed by the OIF’s Institut de
l’énergie et de l’environnement de la Francophonie (IEPF), based in Quebec
City.
After four
years of programming (2006-2009) for Mission D, the IEPF began implementing OIF
objectives and activities, in a manner consistent with the expectations of the
Committee and the APF.
Mr. Plamondon
emphasized that programming for 2010-2013 is completely consistent with the
first four-year programming cycle for Mission D and is intended to build on and
consolidate the accomplishments made from 2006 to 2009. However, the second
programming cycle will have a reduced budget, and the OIF anticipates
allocating 18,292,000 euros rather than the 22,624,000 euros
allocated during the first cycle.
Mr. Plamondon’s
report explored issues such as biodiversity; ways to enhance the synergy
between parliamentarians, governments and non-governmental organizations to
maximize the Francophonie’s contributions to sustainable development; the
political visibility of the IEPF’s activities; and the National Sustainable
Development Strategies.
Mr. Plamondon
concluded by stating that the committee must continue its work based on the
discussions and resolutions from its July 2008 meeting in Quebec City and on
the IEPF objectives so that it can situate its activities within the context of
the new 2010 four-year programming cycle.
Mahama
Sawadogo, Member (Burkina Faso), and Germain
Chevarie, MNA (Quebec), presented a follow-up report on trade negotiations
conducted under the auspices of the World Trade Organization.
Amissétou
Affo Djobo, Member (Benin), presented a report on
economic governance.
Education,
Communication and Cultural Affairs Committee
The
Education, Communication and Cultural Affairs Committee held its meeting in
Dakar from July 6 to 7, 2010, chaired by Didier Berberat, State
Councillor (Switzerland).
Following
adoption of the agenda and the minutes from the meeting held in Hoi An, the
Chair gave the floor to Alberto Cerise, Councillor (Val d’Aoste) and
chair of the education sub-committee.
Albert
Lourde, Rector of Senghor University in Alexandria,
made a presentation on the university. Mr. Lourde pointed out that the
French-language institution is well adapted to the needs of Africa.
Étienne
Orémil, President of the Association des
professeurs de français en Haïti (APROF), made a presentation. The association had received the APF’s Senghor-Césaire award in
2010.
Mr. Cerise
returned the floor to Mr. Berberat following the presentations and
discussions.
Mr.
Berberat presented his activity report.
Dr. Omar
Ndoye, Member (Senegal) and committee rapporteur for HIV/AIDS issues,
presented his activity report.
Dr. Ndoye
presented a report on the shortage of skilled workers and how people with
expertise in battling HIV/AIDS are leaving Africa. His resolution was passed as
amended by Peter Julian, MP (Canada).
Henriette
Martinez, Deputy (France), reported on whether
culture and economics are adversarial or complementary in the Francophonie.
Georgica Severin, Senator (Romania), presented a
follow-up report on the French language in international institutions.
As part of
his report on the protection of intellectual rights in the Francophonie,
Joël Bourdin, Senator (France), presented preliminary information on the
role of the Francophonie in the digitization of literary works.
Bertrand
St-Arnaud, MNA (Quebec), briefed the committee on
his follow-up report on the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the
Diversity of Cultural Expressions and the Parliamentary Conference on the
Diversity of Cultural Expressions.
Christian
Dupont, Member (Belgium/Francophone
Community/Wallonia-Brussels), reported on discussions held as part of the
European regional meeting on education systems.
For more
information on this meeting, please visit:
http://apf-francophonie.org/IMG/pdf/2010_cecac_cr_dakar.pdf
(in French only)
Plenary
Session
The APF held
a plenary session in Dakar from July 6 to 8, 2010.
Yvon
Vallières, President of the Quebec National
Assembly and President of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie,
chaired the two days of discussions.
Some 300
participants representing more than 50 countries attended the opening ceremony,
a historic event attended by Abdoulaye Wade, President of the Republic
of Senegal, and his predecessor, Abdou Diouf.
After
lifting the suspension of the Mauritanian Branch, the APF began the plenary
session by hearing from Abdou Diouf, Secretary General of the
Francophonie, who answered parliamentarians’ questions. The Hon. Andrée
Champagne, speaking on behalf of the Canadian Branch, asked about the use
of French in international diplomacy.
During the
plenary session, participants took part in a general discussion on the status
of parliamentary democracy among Francophone nations, 50 years after African
nations celebrated their independence and 10 years after Bamako. The Hon.
Andrée Champagne, representing the Canadian Branch, participated in these
discussions and commented that Canada will certainly continue to follow
Africa’s progress toward democracy and prosperity very closely. She pointed out
that, as the World Cup showed, a new Africa is emerging, one that is more
connected to the world while still remaining true to its traditions.
The plenary
featured a current issue session on Haiti in which the Hon. Andrée Champagne
participated on behalf of the Canadian Branch.
The
Assemblée adopted the activity report by Jacques Legendre, Senator
(France) and APF Parliamentary
Secretary General, and the financial report by Michel Wolter, Member
(Luxemburg) and APR treasurer, concerning the 2009 financial statements and the
amended 2010 budget.
The
Assemblée passed draft reports and resolutions tabled on behalf of standing
committees and the Network of Women Parliamentarians:
vPolitical Committee
ØResolution on the protection of rights and
freedoms in the context of the fight against terrorism
ØResolution on the situation in the Near East
ØResolutions on the political situations in the
Francophone world
vEducation, Communication and Cultural Affairs
Committee
ØRestoration of resources for the Global Fund to
Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; access to drugs; and travel restrictions
on persons with HIV.
ØResolution on the lack of French at the XVIII
international conference on HIV
ØResolution: The shortage
of skilled workers and the exodus of people with expertise in battling HIV/AIDS
ØResolution on student internships for
health-care students from Haiti
ØResolution on the need for greater cooperation
throughout the Francophonie regarding multilingualism and the use of French in
international organizations
vParliamentary Affairs Committee
ØResolution on the future of APF youth programs
ØResolution on parliamentary press freedom in the
Francophone world
ØResolution on political party financing
vCooperation and Development Committee
ØResolution on economic intelligence
ØResolution on development financing
ØResolution on the food crisis in Niger
vNetwork of Women Parliamentarians
ØResolution on human trafficking and the fight
against human trafficking in the Francophone world
ØResolution on women refugees
ØResolution on Haitian women
The
resolutions and transcripts of the speeches are available on the APF website:
http://apf-francophonie.org/spip.php?rubrique119 (in French only)
The
Assemblée took formal note of the activity reports of the regional chargés de
mission and authorized ratification of a framework agreement with UNAIDS.
The Hon. Pierre
De Bané, Senator (Canada), gave notice that he will ask the Bureau to
examine the issue of funding for the Francophonie internationally.
Outside the
session, the Hon. Andrée Champagne, Senator and President of the Canadian
Branch, met with Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade; and the Hon. Rose-Marie
Losier-Cool, Senator (Canada), was interviewed by the Senegal television
network Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise.
Delegates
from the Canadian Branch of the APF would like to express their sincere thanks
to Jean-Pierre Bolduc, Canada’s Ambassador to Senegal, for his
generosity, availability and tremendous professionalism.
Through its
participation in this annual meeting, the Canadian Branch was able to achieve
its objectives of meeting its international obligations; representing the
Canadian Branch’s budget interests; participating in discussions with the OIF
Secretary General; obtaining approval for nominations for the Order of the
Pleiades; strengthening international ties; and representing Branch interests.
Respectfully submitted,
Hon. Andrée Champagne, Senator
Chair of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF)