Interparliamentary Activities and Reports

The Honourable David McGuinty, P.C., M.P., President of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Executive Committee Vice-President for the Twelve Plus geopolitical group, participated in a session of the International Executive Committee by videoconference on 18 January 2021. The meeting was the first one chaired by the new IPU President, Duarte Pacheco (Portugal), who was elected at the 206th Extraordinary Virtual Session of the IPU’s Governing Council in November 2020. Members discussed several items related to the IPU’s calendar of events, including the 142nd Assembly. They also considered the future direction of the IPU, specifically the modalities for developing the organization’s Strategy 2022–2026 and for achieving universal membership. The International Executive Committee expects to hold additional meetings to continue the discussion on these and other matters.

The Honourable Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu, Senator, and Brenda Shanahan, MP, attended this webinar, intended to train parliamentarians who recently joined the association and its Executive Committee. It also served as a refresher for those who have been in office for some time already. The session was divided into two components. The first was an overview of the NATO PA’s structure to understand how it works and to determine who the permanent officers are and what their role and tasks are. The second was a review of the political agenda, current peace and security issues, future challenges and the partners that help the NATO PA carry out its mandate.

On 10 December 2020, the Canada–Japan Inter-Parliamentary Group (CAJP) and the Japan-Canada Diet Friendship League held a virtual meeting. The meeting was led by the CAJP’s Co-Chairs, Senator Jim Munson and Mr. Terry Sheehan, M.P., who – respectively – delivered opening and closing statements. Senator Victor Oh, Senator Yuen Pau Woo, Ms. Monique Pauzé, M.P., Ms. Yasmin Ratansi, M.P. and Mr. Ramesh Sangha, M.P. made introductory remarks on specific topics or exchanged views with their Japanese counterparts. Participants discussed a range of topics, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges posed by relations with China, expected relations with the United States under the incoming Biden administration, and parliamentarians’ role in their country’s domestic and foreign policy priorities. In particular, they highlighted that Canada and Japan are like-minded countries that can collaborate on several issues, including through such multilateral institutions as the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, the G7 and the G20. As well, they noted the pandemic’s impacts on mental health, including on suicide rates, and identified some of the challenges associated with holding the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo during a global pandemic. Concerning trade in the Asia-Pacific region, they spoke about the potential for extending the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership to additional members. Finally, their discussions also focused on the importance of encouraging global efforts to meet the Paris Agreement’s targets.

Members of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU) were invited to participate in the Third Expert Roundtable on the Common Principles for Support to Parliaments co-organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Parliament of Uganda. The roundtable took place virtually on December 9, 2020 and featured presentations by several experts and parliamentarians from around the world who engage in parliamentary monitoring and evaluation. Participants raised several aspects of parliamentary monitoring and evaluation, notably its relationship with accountability, public trust, and the importance of buy-in on the part of all stakeholders.

The Working Group of the Network of Women Parliamentarians of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) is mandated to develop a policy to prevent and manage harassment within the APF. The Working Group met by videoconference on 8 December 2020. Marie France Lalonde, Member of Parliament, attended the meeting on behalf of the Canadian Branch of the APF. At this meeting, the Chair of the Network of Women Parliamentarians of the APF, Maryse Gaudreault (Member of the Legislative Assembly, Quebec), presented the draft policy framework to the Working Group. Penelope Dune, an expert on anti-harassment policies at the Council of Europe, also made a presentation on anti-harassment initiatives at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Finally, the parliamentarians went over a draft common definition of harassment.

Members of the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region met to discuss the content of the Declaration to be adopted at the next Conference, the date of the next committee meeting, and possible formats for the Conference in April.

On December 3, 2020, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the European Parliament co-hosted a discussion on international trade policies that could help to mitigate the global economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event brought together approximately 50 participants, including parliamentarians and representatives from various international organizations. The webinar featured presentations by Mr. Duarte Pacheco, president of the IPU; Ms. Pamela Coke-Hamilton, executive director of the International Trade Centre; Ms. Kathleen Van Brempt, member of the European Parliament; and Mr. Juan Antonio Coloma, member of the Senate of Chile.

Speakers emphasized that international trade should remain a key focus of economic development policies in a post-COVID-19 global economy. In addition, they highlighted various aspects of international trade and economic policies that could be considered by countries and parliamentarians to ensure a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient global economic recovery. Participants discussed the importance of reinvigorating multilateral trade negotiations and strengthening the dispute-settlement mechanism of the World Trade Organization, as well as the need to ensure free and fair trade in health goods and access to COVID-19 vaccines. In addition, they discussed the role that trade policies can play in reducing poverty, fighting climate change, promoting labor rights, and facilitating the participation of developing countries in the global economy.