Interparliamentary Activities and Reports

Meeting of the Working Group of the Network of Women Parliamentarians – March 19, 2021 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 19 March 2021. Marie France Lalonde, Member of Parliament, participated in that meeting on behalf of the Canadian Branch of the APF. During that meeting, Claudia Rousseau, Director of Living Together and Harassment Prevention at the National Assembly of Quebec, gave a presentation on the implementation of harassment prevention policies in parliaments and the various components that these policies generally include. The parliamentarians also discussed the definition of what constitutes harassment, the scope of a possible APF harassment prevention policy framework, the importance of prevention and awareness activities and the various existing mechanisms for resolving harassment complaints.

The Honorable Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu and Jane Cordy, Senators, and MP Cheryl Gallant participated in this webinar. Senator Cordy was a moderator for the first panel, on the topic “10 years After the Arab uprisings.” The first session provided an update on the uprisings and identified lessons NATO countries could learn from the situation. Participants heard about the case of Tunisia and the socio-political and economic consequences it is experiencing 10 years later. The second session focused on the current situation and how NATO countries are responding to tension and conflict in the Middle East and North Africa. Both sessions were followed by a question and answer period and participants were able to engage in lively discussions.

The Canadian Region of the CWP is administered by a steering committee that represents the views and concerns of women parliamentarians throughout Canada and develops programs to support the objectives of the CWP in the region. This committee is composed of one representative from each province and territory and one from the federal Parliament. A chair oversees its activities and represents Canada on the CWP international steering committee. Ms. Yasmin Ratansi, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Branch, sits on the CWP steering committee of the Canadian Region.

On March 16, 2021, Honourable Mohamed-Iqbal Ravalia, Senator, Member of the Canada-China Legislative Association and the Canada-Japan Interparliamentary Group, participated in a webinar organized by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) and the Parliamentary Forum on Small Arms and Light Weapons. As part of their preparations for an upcoming United Nations meeting on small arms and light weapons, parliamentarians from AIPA member and observer countries discussed strategies to shape policy and build awareness in their respective countries on this topic. Canada is an observer parliament at AIPA and has participated in several meetings hosted by this forum in recent years. At this webinar, emphasis was placed on approaching the problem of violence related to the illicit transfer of small arms and light weapons through the lenses of the Women, Peace and Security agenda and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Senator Ravalia explained that the Senate of Canada strives to integrate diverse perspectives in its policy recommendations. In particular, he noted that the Senate has almost achieved gender parity between men and women.

On 16 March 2021, members of the Executive Committee of the Canada-United Kingdom Inter-Parliamentary Association (RUUK) participated in a bilateral meeting with members of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK (CPA UK). The meeting provided a forum for participants to share their thoughts on a wide range of issues of mutual interest with a view to identifying key topics for further exploration at future meetings. The meeting was co-chaired by RUUK chair, the Honourable John McKay, P.C., M.P. and CPA UK chair, Ian Liddell-Grainger, MP. The co-chairs welcomed delegates with opening remarks focusing on the historic bonds and enduring friendship between the countries before formally opening the meeting. Three broad themes were listed on the meeting agenda: the impact of the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union, trade, and the UK’s renewed approach to foreign policy. Discussion was frank and informative, and both delegations agreed that the future held many opportunities for deepening the relationship between the two countries. A second meeting has been scheduled for 18 May 2021.

The working session provided a space for parliamentarians, parliamentary staff and civil society representatives of the Americas and the Caribbean to discuss the tactics and strategies utilized to distribute disinformation today and provide recommendations for parliamentarians’ consideration in their efforts to combat this phenomenon.

The Conference of Branch Chairs (CBC) of the America Region of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) ensures the implementation of decisions made by the Regional Assembly of the America Region. These decisions all seek to encourage the promotion of the French language and francophone culture among the member branches. The CBC met by videoconference on 15 March 2021. Francis Drouin, Member of Parliament, participated in this meeting as Chair of the Canadian Branch of the APF. At the meeting, the America Region Chargé de mission, Lena Metlege Diab (Member of the Legislative Assembly, Nova Scotia) reported on last year’s activities. Mr. Drouin shared with parliamentarians the technological innovations created to deal with COVID-19 pandemic-related challenges, particularly the advent of electronic voting through a digital application. Also discussed were issues such as the status of dues payments and the implementation of the 2019–2022 work plan for consolidating the America Region. Lastly, the CBC discussed the upcoming review of its by-laws, with the process expected to begin in summer 2021.

On 9 March 2021, the honourable Salma Ataullahjan, Senator, attended the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) 45th Session of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. She joined other members of the Bureau from Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sweden, and Thailand among others, as well as its President, Ms. Susan Kihika (Kenya), to review the IPU’s recent and upcoming activities on gender equality. These included the release of the IPU’s 2020 Women in Parliament report and related infographic. Senator Ataullahjan highlighted progress towards gender equality in both chambers of the Parliament of Canada, underscoring that the Senate had achieved gender parity. She also provided an update on the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canadian women generally, and on care workers, refugees, members of the Indigenous and underrepresented communities specifically, as well as an update on the vaccination rollout. During the Bureau’s discussion of gender equality as a possible theme for the IPU’s 143rd Assembly scheduled for November 2021 in Rwanda – a theme inspired by the host’s achievements in gender parity - Senator Ataullahjan underlined the importance of including the experiences of marginalized, racialized and Indigenous women. She also volunteered to attend on behalf of the Bureau’s president virtual meetings of various IPU bodies related to the 142nd Assembly that is taking place virtually 24 to 27 May 2021. The Bureau itself will continue to meet online over the coming weeks to prepare for the virtual session of the IPU’s Forum of Women Parliamentarians as part of the related meetings of the 142nd Assembly.