The parliamentary delegation that represented the
Canadian Branch at the 29th Regional Assembly of the America Region of the
Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) and the Conference of
Branch Chairs (CBC) in Quebec City, Canada, on August 19 to 22, 2013, has the
honour of presenting its report.
The delegation from the Canadian Branch of the APF
was made up of the hon. Senator Andrée Champagne, PC, President of
the APF; the hon. Senator Paul McIntyre, Acting Chair of the
Canadian Branch; MP Robert Aubin, Vice‑Chair of the
Branch; and MP Pierre Dionne Labelle. The delegation was accompanied by
François Michaud, Branch Secretary.
In addition to the Canadian Branch, the Alberta, British
Columbia, Haiti, Louisiana, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward
Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan branches also participated in the working
sessions. Observers from New Hampshire were also present.
Conference of Branch Chairs
Minutes of the APF Bureau meeting
Pascal Terrasse
(France), APF Parliamentary Secretary General, presented the highlights of the APF
Bureau meeting held in Abidjan in July 2013.
Report from the Chargé de mission
Michel Samson, Chair
of the Nova Scotia Branch and Chargé de mission for the America Region
presented the Region’s report on activities since the April 2013 Conference of
Branch Chairs.
Statement of revenues and expenses, America Region
Dominic Dumont presented
the 2012–2013 statement of revenues and expenses for the APF America Region,
and the 2013–2014 budget estimates.
Update on resolutions
Dominic Dumont, Regional
Executive Secretary, presented a status report on the resolutions adopted in
Regina in 2011, in Toronto in 2012 and in New Orléans in 2012.
France Gélinas (Ontario)
reported on efforts to make the term “Conference of Branch Chairs” gender
neutral. It was decided that, in French, the CBC would be renamed the Conférence
des présidences de section de la Région Amérique de l’APF.
Status report on the
Francophone youth parliament of the America
Denis Desgagné,
President and CEO of the Centre de la Francophonie des Amériques, gave a
presentation on the structure of the Francophone youth parliament of the
America.
France Gélinas said
that she was delighted to be welcoming the FYPA to Toronto, and to have an
opportunity to show young people that it is possible to be Francophone and
involved in politics.
Regional Assembly of the America
Opening of proceedings
Carole Poirier,
Vice-Chair of the Quebec Branch, welcomed the delegates on behalf of Jacques
Chagnon, President of the Quebec National Assembly.
Pascal Terrasse
(France), APF Parliamentary Secretary General, outlined his proposals to make
the APF a stronger assembly.
The hon. Andrée Champagne, PC,
President of the APF, set out her priorities as International President.
Reports on the impact of immigration on the status of French in the America
Region
François Charbonneau, Associate Professor, University of Ottawa, who specializes in
minority identities, gave a presentation on this topic.
The hon. Paul McIntyre, Acting Chair
of the Canadian Branch, Marc Dalton (British Columbia), Hector
Goudreau (Alberta), France Gélinas (Ontario), Carole Poirier
(Quebec), Yvon Bonenfant and Martine Coulombe (New
Brunswick), and Michel Samson (Nova Scotia) presented reports on this
topic.
A resolution on the Francophone youth parliament
of the America was adopted.
By participating in the meeting of the Conference
of Branch Chairs and the assembly of America Region, the Canadian Branch
achieved its goals of meeting its regional obligations, presenting a report,
representing the budgetary interests of the Canadian Branch, maintaining
regional contacts, and representing its interests.
Respectfully submitted,
The Hon. Andrée Champagne, PC, Senator
President of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF)