Interparliamentary Activities and Reports

On 19 September 2023, members of the Canada–United Kingdom Inter-Parliamentary Association (RUUK) Executive Committee met with David Rutley, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Americas and Caribbean) at the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and Her Excellency Susannah Goshko, British High Commissioner to Canada. Both parties highlighted how Canada and the United Kingdom can leverage their close ties and shared values to bring about common policy objectives on the global stage, particularly in the Asia Pacific region and South America. Canadian parliamentarians advanced their positions on beef and pork in light of the ongoing bilateral free trade negotiations. They also raised the issue of frozen pensions and proposed ways to promote greater bilateral cooperation on green energy solutions such as offshore wind power.

  

On 12 July 2023, members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) met in the context of the Call for Action – Helsinki +50 Initiative to discuss recent developments regarding the situation in Ukraine. The meeting was moderated by Ambassador Lamberto Zannier, OSCE PA High-Level Expert, and began with opening remarks by Ms. Pia Kauma, President of the OSCE PA, and Mr. Roberto Montella, Secretary General of the OSCE PA.

Three panelists delivered presentations. Ms. Yevheniia Kravchuk, Alternate Member of the Ukrainian delegation to the OSCE PA, provided an overview of the humanitarian situation in Ukraine and emphasized the need to provide assistance to civilians affected by the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam. Mr. Jacek Bylica, Chief of Cabinet in the Director General’s Office at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), presented the IAEA’s activities in Ukraine, including relating to its nuclear safety and security assessments of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. Mr. Michael J Fazekas, Executive Coordinator of the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI), described the SECI’s activities in Ukraine, including its work to support the provision of medical supplies and water filtration systems to civilians.

Several OSCE PA members took the floor during an open debate. Discussions focused on the support organizations like the IAEA and the SECI require to undertake their activities in Ukraine and the pressing need to provide humanitarian aid to civilians. The Canadian parliamentarians who participated in the meeting were Senators Gwen Boniface, Donna Dasko, Kim Pate and Rebecca Patterson, and the Honourable Dr. Hedy Fry, P.C., M.P.

On June 20, the first joint political committee meeting between the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) and the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) was held by videoconference at the invitation of Louise Mushikiwabo, Secretary General of La Francophonie. Other participants included Caroline St-Hilaire, OIF Administrator, and APF representatives Francis Drouin, MP, President; Faustin Boukoubi, First Vice-President; and Bruno Fuchs, Parliamentary Secretary General.

This new joint committee plans to meet regularly. It seeks to improve coordination at the highest level between the primary institutional bodies of La Francophonie and optimize synergies for all francophone nations by capitalizing on the respective strengths of francophone states and governments, as well as francophone parliaments.

As part of the thematic agenda addressed by the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network (OPN), we believe that digital transformation has significant impacts on all aspects of society, including democracy. The Internet and other digital technologies provide new opportunities for citizens to participate in the political process, but they also create new challenges for democratic governance. In this context, the growing development and use of artificial intelligence tools and platforms has shown that their impacts must be analyzed and addressed from multidimensional and innovative legislative approaches that prioritize the rights of users and consumers and consider central issues such as privacy, data protection, transparency, gender mainstreaming in algorithmic responsibility, intellectual property rights, and ethics.

In this sense, this virtual exchange aimed to explore the current conditions and initiatives in the hemisphere regarding the governance of artificial intelligence and the legislative actions that are being developed in the different parliaments of the region. In addition, this meeting was part of the initial activities of the new working group of parliamentarians of the OPN, the Digital Caucus, which seeks to promote legislative work on digital rights, artificial intelligence, modernization processes, and other issues related to the impact of technology in democratic systems.

On 15 June 2023, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) hosted a web dialogue on “Implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 2250 and Youth, Peace and Security Agenda: Role of Parliamentarians” organized by Ms. Farah Karimi (the Netherlands), the Special Representative on Youth Engagement. The meeting included remarks by OSCE PA President, Ms. Margareta Cederfelt and a video address by Ms. Jayathma Wickramanayake, the UN Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth. The meeting also featured presentations by Ms. Gracia-Romeral Ortiz Quintilla, Programme Management Officer on Democracy and Political Participation in the Office of the UN Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth, Ms. Anu Apo, National Coordinator for Youth, Peace and Security at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, and Mr. Marjus Ceveli, President and Co-Founder of Sustainable Cooperation for Peace & Security and member of the United Network of Young Peacebuilders.

Discussions focused on best practices related to the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2250, with particular emphasis on the adoption of National Action Plans on Youth, Peace and Security. Following the presentations, several OSCE PA members took the floor during the open debate. Participants spoke about youth engagement in the context of current and emerging global and regional challenges, including the impact of armed conflicts on young people in the OSCE region. The Canadian parliamentarians who participated in the meeting were Senator Rebecca Patterson and Senator Marilou McPhedran.

On 7 June 2023, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) and the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) jointly held a web dialogue on “Countering online violence against women: OSCE Guidelines for monitoring online violence against female journalists.” Ms. Teresa Ribeiro, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media provided opening remarks, which were followed by panel presentations from the Honourable Dr. Hedy Fry, P.C., M.P., head of the Canadian delegation to the OSCE PA and the OSCE PA Special Representative on Gender Issues, and Johan Büser (Sweden), Rapporteur of the OSCE PA Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions on the role of national parliaments in monitoring and combatting online violence against female journalists and politicians. Diana Maynard, Senior Research Fellow, Department of Computer Science at the University of Sheffield, presented the OSCE Guidelines for monitoring online violence against female journalists. Presentations were followed by questions and answers.

Dr. Fry’s presentation focused on good practices in the Parliament of Canada to address violence against women journalists and politicians, including the use of Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) to assess the impact of laws, policies, programs and budget measures on different groups. Ms. Lisa Hepfner, Member of Parliament, also attended the meeting.

This meeting – held in the context of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) Call for Action – Helsinki +50 initiative – focused on challenges to the effective functioning of the OSCE due to Russia’s war in Ukraine. The meeting included interventions by OSCE PA President Margareta Cederfelt; Secretary General Roberto Montella; Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Matteo Mecacci; Allison Hart, Senior Advisor/Chief of Staff to the OSCE Secretary General; and Doug Wake, former US diplomat and senior OSCE official. During the open debate, participants spoke about the need for continued international support for the OSCE to ensure it has the funding necessary to continue its peace and security work.

On 29 May 2023, the Executive Committee of the Canada–United Kingdom Inter-Parliamentary Association (RUUK) hosted a meeting with the Speaker of the United Kingdom House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, M.P.; Deputy Speaker of the United Kingdom House of Commons, Nigel Evans, M.P.; and British High Commissioner to Canada, Her Excellency Susannah Goshko. James Maloney, M.P., Chair of RUUK, provided opening remarks, to which Speaker Hoyle responded. What followed was a lively discussion about the two countries’ shared commitment to Ukraine’s defence, the use of trade to advance common international objectives, and strategies to protect parliamentarians and their staff.

Plastic pollution can alter habitats and natural processes, reducing ecosystems' ability to adapt to climate change, affecting millions of people's livelihoods, food production capabilities and social well-being at large. Building on the momentum of the United Nations resolution adopted in March 2022 to end plastic pollution and forge an international legally binding agreement by 2024, this meeting explored how this global plastic treaty can help parliaments in creating legislation and support new collaborative complementary actions to reduce plastic production and foster a circular plastics economy.

On May 23, the Permanent Delegation of the APF Bureau—consisting of Francis Drouin, President; Bruno Fuchs, Parliamentary Secretary General; Faustin Boukoubi, First Vice-President; Mars Di Bartolomeo, Treasurer; and the six Vice-Presidents—met by videoconference. Participants discussed upcoming major APF meetings and international events in 2023, such as the 48th Session of the APF, the Regional Francophone Youth Parliament in Benin and the Ministerial Conference of La Francophonie in Yaoundé. Discussions also touched on updating the budget to account for new resources and revising APF regulations when future statutes are adopted.

The Bureau’s main function is to ensure the overall guidance and coherence of the Assembly’s policies and activities in the interval between meetings of the Standing Committee; it also acts as the “first responder” when internal or external events require a decision or statement by the Assembly

During the Spring Session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, parliamentarians from NATO member countries and partner nations meet to study draft reports and hear from government representatives, NATO officials, and experts on a wide range of issues concerning the Alliance.

On May 18, 2023, the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association, in collaboration with Mosaïque Interculturelle, held a reception to mark its 20th anniversary and celebrate Africa Day. The event brought together parliamentarians, members of the African diplomatic corps, and distinguished guests, including members of the African diaspora in Canada. The reception began with opening remarks by the Association's Co-Chairs, The honourableAmina Gerba, Senator and Ms. Brenda Shanahan, M.P., who paid warm tribute to the Association's co-founders, former Senator Raynell Andreychuk and the late Mauril Bélanger, M.P., whose vision and passion for Africa led to the creation of an official association. They also underlined the growing consolidation of ties between Canada and Africa, while acknowledging the confidence and ingenuity shown by Africans in managing the continent's rapid changes. The event offered a unique cultural experience, enabling parliamentarians and guests to discover the many traditions and perspectives of the African continent through musical performances, pan-African cuisine showcasing the richness of African gastronomy, and art exhibitions.

From 15 to 17 May 2023, the Canada–United Kingdom Inter-Parliamentary Association (RUUK) hosted a delegation of four United Kingdom parliamentarians who were in Ottawa as part of a week-long mission to Canada. Led by Lord Purvis of Tweed, the cross-party delegation also included Mr. Andrew Percy, MP, Mr. Stephen Doughty, MP, and Ms. Anum Qaisar, MP. In support of the delegation’s objective to deepen trade ties between the two countries, RUUK organized a series of meetings and roundtable sessions with over 20 Canadian parliamentarians, experts, and civil society organizations. These included roundtables on trade; the economic empowerment of women and youth; shared foreign affairs priorities; and engagement with Indigenous peoples. The delegates also met with the Honourable Anthony Rota, the Speaker of the House of Commons, and Greg Peters, the Usher of the Black Rod. In addition, they attended Question Period and conducted a site visit to the Centre Block of Parliament, currently undergoing renovations as part of the Long-Term Vision and Plan for the Parliamentary Precinct. The delegation then continued to Toronto for the second leg of the visit.

The Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) participated in the meeting of the Education, Communication and Cultural Affairs Committee held in Ottawa, Canada, on April 24 and 25, 2023.
Parliamentarians representing 10 branches of the APF met at the Parliament of Canada for this meeting.
At the beginning of the meeting, Francis Drouin, Member of Parliament, Chair of the Canadian Branch and President of the APF, gave the opening remarks. Over the course of its meeting, the Committee considered several draft reports. Bernard Généreux, Member of Parliament, presented a draft version of the Canadian Branch’s report on the use of French in francophone nations. Committee members also had the opportunity to learn more about the Canadian perspective on certain matters involving the Committee’s mandate: French-language education in a minority context, French-language training for newcomers to Canada, the restitution of cultural property in Canada, and educational programs offered by the Parliament of Canada.

The 7th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network (OPN) aimed to analyze the impact of the digital transformation on democratic systems, considering not only the opportunities and challenges that have emerged in recent years due to the widespread use of the internet and ICTs, but also how initiatives for transparent and accountable digital governance can be implemented within the paradigm of open parliament.

The social impact of these transformations was also addressed, especially in relation to the empowerment of women within the framework of an inclusive digital governance that recognizes the critical importance of their meaningful participation in the digital ecosystem as an essential condition for more robust and solid democracies.

The CPA’s international executive committee (EXCO) meets twice a year, in the spring and just before the annual meeting. The CPA’s constitution authorizes it to control and manage the activities and business of the association. The international executive committee has about 35 members and is led by the chairperson of the CPA. The committee is made up of the officers of the CPA and three representatives from each region (except Africa, which has six representatives given its size).

The Canadian Branch was represented by the Mr. Terry Duguid, M.P.

On 17 April 2023, James Maloney, M. P., Chair of the Canada–United Kingdom Inter-Parliamentary Association (RUUK), hosted a luncheon in honour of Alison Johnstone, the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, and two of her fellow members of the Scottish Parliament, Collette Stevenson and Finlay Carson. The Scottish delegation and members of the RUUK executive engaged in a dynamic discussion about a variety of topics of shared interest. Among other matters, they compared the two countries’ parliamentary procedures in view of ensuring their openness and modernity; discussed strategies to offset carbon emissions while recognizing the need for sound land management, agri-food and just transition policies; and shared their views on demographic and labour challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit.

On 5 April 2023, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) hosted a web dialogue entitled “Dialogue on Future Generations” organized by Ms. Farah Karimi (the Netherlands), OSCE PA Special Representative on Youth Engagement, and Mr. Askar Shakirov (Kazakhstan), OSCE PA Vice-President and Special Representative on Sustainable Development Goals. Opening remarks were delivered by Ms. Karmini and Mr. Shakirov, followed by remarks by Ms. Margareta Cederfelt, OSCE PA President and Ambassador Yoka Brandt, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations. Participants then heard presentations by Mr. Thomas Hale, Professor of Global Public Policy at the University of Oxford, Ms. Cat Zuzarte Tully, Director of the School of International Futures, and Mr. Jacob Ellis, Lead Change Maker in the Office of the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales.

During the open debate, several OSCE PA members took the floor to discuss ways to ensure the safety and wellbeing of future generations in the context of current and emerging challenges, and to bring increased political attention to the issues they face. The Canadian parliamentarians who participated in the meeting were Mr. Dave Epp, Member of Parliament (M.P.), Mr. Earl Dreeshen, M.P., Ms. Andréanne Larouche, M.P., and Mr. Philip Lawrence, M.P.

The biannual meetings between the Canadian and French groups are the Association’s core activity. They enable parliamentarians to discuss subjects of common interest from differing points of view prompted by the unique political dynamics of Canada and France. The outcomes of the dialogue can then be relayed by members to their respective parliaments and governments. The last annual meeting in Canada (Vancouver and Whistler, British Colombia) took place in October 2022.

The Bureau of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly is composed of the President, five Vice-Presidents, the Treasurer, and the Secretary General. It meets three times per year prior to the Standing Committee meetings and can hold additional meetings if deemed necessary.

The Bureau’s main function is to ensure the overall guidance and coherence of the Assembly’s policies and activities in the interval between meetings of the Standing Committee; it also acts as the “first responder” when internal or external events require a decision or statement by the Assembly.

The Standing Committee is the Assembly’s governing body. It consists of one member from each member country (normally the Head of delegation). Each delegation can also appoint one non-voting alternate member. However, each country is only given one vote.

The Standing Committee performs a wide range of both political and administrative tasks. It determines the rights and obligations of non-member delegations and evaluates applications for non-member status which, if approved, are forwarded for the consideration of the full Assembly. It coordinates the overall work of the Assembly: it must approve all planned meetings and provides guidance to the committees on the treatment of subjects to avoid duplication and ensure that the overall work of the Assembly is coordinated. The Standing Committee also serves as the Assembly’s finance committee.

The 2023 Westminster Seminar on Parliamentary Practice and Procedure organized by the United Kingdom Branch of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association gathered 65 parliamentarians and clerks from every region of the Commonwealth to exchange ideas and build knowledge around topics relevant to Westminster-style democracies.

The Conference of Branch Chairs (CBC) of the America Region of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) oversees the implementation of decisions made by the Regional Assembly of the America. These decisions seek to promote the French language and francophone culture among the member branches. The CBC met by videoconference on 13 March 2023. Two members of the Canadian Branch of the APF participated in the meeting: Mr. Francis Drouin, MP, participated in his role as APF President, and Mr. Darrell Samson, MP, participated in his role as Vice-Chair of the Canadian Branch.

The APF’s General Secretariat gave a progress report on the next strategic framework for the APF and the chargé de mission for the America region, Mr. Stéphane Sarrazin (MPP, Ontario), reported on activities as well as revenues and expenditures for the past year. The administrative secretary of the Haitian Branch of the APF, thanked the Americas Region for recently adopting the declaration on the political situation in Haiti. The Canadian Branch played a key role in the discussions that led to this declaration. Next, Mr. Samson gave an update on recent Canadian parliamentary events and highlighted two bills currently before the Parliament of Canada: Bill C-13, An Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada’s Official Languages, and Bill C-22, the Canada Disability Benefit Act. Finally, the CBC followed up on the resolution on francophone immigration to Canada, which was adopted in 2022 in Edmonton at the Regional Assembly of the Americas. Mr. Drouin noted that Canada met its objective for francophone immigration outside Quebec in 2022.

9 March 2023

Meeting with Hlynur Guðjónsson, Ambassador of Iceland, and Urban Ahlin, the Ambassador of Sweden

Canada–Europe Parliamentary Association (CAEU)

Mr. Francesco Sorbara, M.P., President, Canada–Europe Parliamentary Association; the Hon. David Wells, Senator; the Hon. Percy Downe, Senator; Stéphane Bergeron, M.P.; Don Davies, M.P.; and Jamie Schmale, M.P.; met, on Parliament Hill, with His Excellency Hlynur Guðjónsson, the Ambassador of Iceland to Canada, and His Excellency Urban Ahlin, the Ambassador of Sweden to Canada.

Ambassador Guðjónsson delivered a presentation on Iceland’s priorities for its Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers (November 2022–May 2023) and shared details about the Summit of the Council of Europe being hosted in Reykjavík from 16–17 May 2023.

Ambassador Ahlin delivered a presentation on Sweden’s priorities during its presidency of the Council of the European Union (1 January–30 June 2023) and provided an update on Sweden’s North Atlantic Treaty Organization accession process.

The ambassadors’ presentations were followed by a question-and-answer session with association members.

The Bureau of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly is composed of the President, five Vice-Presidents, the Treasurer, and the Secretary General. It meets three times per year prior to the Standing Committee meetings and can hold additional meetings if deemed necessary.

The Bureau’s main function is to ensure the overall guidance and coherence of the Assembly’s policies and activities in the interval between meetings of the Standing Committee; it also acts as the “first responder” when internal or external events require a decision or statement by the Assembly.

The Joint Committee meetings held in Brussels in February each year bring together the Assembly’s Defence and Security, Economics and Security and Political Committees and the officers from Science and Technology Committee and Democracy and Security Committee. The meetings are for member delegations only and their main purpose is to meet senior NATO officials in an off-the record format. During the February Meetings, the Standing Committee meets with NATO’s North Atlantic Council.

On 15 February 2023, the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association organized a plenary conference around the theme of "Welcome to Africa – The Building Site of the Century." This event brought together heads of missions from 14 African countries in Canada, representatives of missions from nine other African countries, Association members, as well as other Members of Parliament and Senators. The conference began with opening remarks from the Honourable Amina Gerba, Senator, and Brenda Shanahan, MP— Co-chairs of the Association—along with Vice-Chair and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Rob Oliphant. The keynote speaker, Jean-Louis Roy, presented some of the challenges that Africa faces today, and will face in the future: significant population growth, the expansion of cities and the emergence of new ones, climate change, and the implementation of a free trade zone in Africa. He also indicated that the needs and solutions to these challenges must be determined by Africans, and that Canadians should only accompany them and share their expertise. This event was an opportunity for exciting exchanges as well as an enjoyable and enriching social gathering between the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association and the African diplomatic community in Canada.

CPA International created the CPA Working Group on Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) modalities, following the end of the pilot project. The Canadian Region was represented at this meeting by Mr. Terry Duguid, M.P.

On 7 February 2023, the Co-Chairs of the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association, the honourable Amina Gerba, Senator, and Brenda Shanahan, M.P., along with other members of the Association, met with a delegation from the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The delegation was led by the Honorable Tagesse Chaffo Dullo, Speaker of the House of People's Representatives, and included the Deputy Speaker of the House, Honorable Lomi Bedo, and the Chief Government Whip, Honorable Tesfaye Beljige. It was accompanied by His Excellency Fitsum Arega Gebrekidan, Ambassador of Ethiopia to Canada. Opening remarks by the Co-Chairs and members of the Ethiopian delegation were followed by a conversation among the participants. Discussions focused on the high proportion of women in the Ethiopian Parliament, foreign investment in Ethiopia, including that of Canada, sectors open to foreign investment, such as the banking sector, which recently opened to such investment, and the ease of doing business in Ethiopia.

On 7 February 2023, the Canada–United Kingdom Inter-Parliamentary Association (RUUK) hosted a breakfast reception in honour of Her Excellency Susannah Goshko, British High Commissioner to Canada. Association members were delighted to welcome to the event His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for North America and United Kingdom Consul General in New York, Emma Wade-Smith. The Chair of the Association, James Maloney, M.P., opened the reception with welcome remarks, followed by speeches from Ms. Goshko and Ms. Wade-Smith. Their remarks reiterated the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in strengthening the Canada–United Kingdom bilateral relationship and highlighted the deep co-operation between the two countries on matters such as trade, energy, security, and research.

Members of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary met with representatives from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to discuss issues such as the Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act and the NEXUS file.

41st Interparliamentary Meeting with the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Canada Ottawa, Canada

The Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association (CAEU) hosted the 41st Interparliamentary Meeting (IPM) with the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Canada (D-CA) in Ottawa on 17 December 2022.

The IPM consisted of four panels and question-and-answer sessions on the following subjects:

• the Fifth anniversary of the Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement and the Strategic Partnership Agreement;

• the regulation of large technology firms;

• Canada-EU energy security and climate change cooperation;

• global displacement.

The CAEU participants were: Mr. Francesco Sorbara, M.P. and President; the Hon. Tony Loffreda, Senator; the Hon. Victor Oh, Senator; the Hon. Lucie Moncion, Senator; the Hon. David Wells, Senator; Stéphane Bergeron, M.P.; and Marie-France Lalonde, M.P.

The D-CA participants were: Stéphanie Yon-Courtin (Chair, France); Damian Boeselager (Germany); Ondrej Kovarík (Czechia); Dorien Rookmaker (Netherlands); and Hildegard Bentele (Germany).

The following external participants also took part in the IPM:

• Patrick Leblond, Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa;

• Achim Hurrelmann, Political Science Professor and Co-Director of Centre for European Studies, Carleton University;

• Robert Hage, Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, former Director General for Europe at Global Affairs Canada;

• Brad Callaghan, Associate Deputy Commissioner of the Policy, Planning and Advocacy Directorate at the Competition Bureau;

• Vanessa Corkal, Senior Policy Advisor at the International Institute for Sustainable Development; and

• Rema Jamous Imseis, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Canada Representative.

The 19th Plenary Assembly was dedicated to exploring the importance of parliamentary engagement in the inter-American system and the need for parliamentary insights on the issues of hemispheric importance discussed in these spaces.

The 14th Gathering of the Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality, entitled Legislative Perspectives for Inclusive Economic Growth: Investing in the Care Economy, provided a space for parliamentary delegates and subject matter experts to exchange reflections and good practices on legislative initiatives related to care work and the economy.

On 19 November 2022, Her Excellency Susannah Goshko, British High Commissioner to Canada, hosted a luncheon at her residence for the Canada-United Kingdom Inter-Parliamentary Association (RUUK) Executive Committee. The event was the first opportunity RUUK members had to meet with the High Commissioner following their successful mission to London, England and Belfast, Northern Ireland in October 2022. Participants shared their experiences and perceptions of their meetings in the United Kingdom and, in a discussion led by Ms. Goshko and RUUK Chair, Mr. James Maloney, M.P., shared ideas for areas of continued collaboration in 2023.

On November 23, 2022, the Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), President of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PNCC), 2nd Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation, chaired a meeting of the PNCC’s Executive Committee. The meeting was also attended by: Surinamer Member of the National Assembly Radjendrekoemar Debie, the PNCC’s second Vice-President (South America); Costa Rican Deputy Oscar Izquierdo Sandí, the PNCC’s Vice-President (Central America); and Trinidadian Senator Anthony Vieira, the PNCC’s Vice-President (The Caribbean). Dessima Williams, President of Grenada’s Senate, attended the meeting as a guest. Senate President Williams is Special Adviser for the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals at the General Assembly of the United Nations, and has previously served as chair of the Alliance of Small Island Developing States.

With a focus on the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 27), which was held in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, Senator Galvez shared impressions concerning the Conference’s outcomes. Senate President Williams had also attended COP 27, and shared reflections about the conference.

Senator Vieira presented the objectives of ParlAmericas’ “Climate Change Parliamentary Staff Network” provided an update on its progress.

Finally, members of the Executive Committee discussed opportunities for, and provided examples of, parliamentary action relating to achievement of COP 27’s goals.

On November 21, 2022, the Co-Chair of the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association, Brenda Shanahan, met with the Honorable Thomas D’Acquin Masela Kiluty Zury and the Honorable Simon Mulamba Mputu, members of Parliament at the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Ms. Shanahan gave an opening speech before handing over the floor to Mr. Masela, Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee of the National Assembly of the DRC. This was followed by a conversation among the participants. The purpose of the discussion was to facilitate parliamentary relations between Canada and the DRC.

CEUS hosted Scotty Greenwood, CEO of the Canadian-American Business Council. It was an opportunity to discuss various themes important to the relationship between the two countries such as trade, border issues and the recent U.S. mid-term elections.

The 63rd Meeting of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors occurred virtually on November 8, 2022. Marc G. Serré, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), Member on ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors (North America) and Chair of the ParlAmericas Corporation, participated in the meeting.

Paraguayan Senator Blanca Ovelar, President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors, provided opening remarks and an update on ParlAmericas’ recent activities. During the discussion of corporate business, Mr. Serré presented information related to upcoming annual audits. The Board then discussed ParlAmericas’ forthcoming 19th Plenary Assembly and the 14th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality (PNGE). Finally, ParlAmericas’ International Secretariat provided an update concerning several ongoing initiatives and strategic plans related to the ParlAmericas Corporation.

The Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PPCC), 2^nd Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation, attended events on the margins of the 27th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 25) held on November 7 and 8, 2022, in Cairo, Egypt.

The Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) held a seminar on the issue of gender equality in electoral processes. The Honourable Dr. Hedy Fry, P.C., M.P., head of the Canadian delegation to the OSCE PA and OSCE PA Special Representative on Gender Issues, participated as a panellist. She highlighted some of the obstacles affecting the ability of women to enter, remain and assume leadership positions in politics, such as sexist stereotypes regarding the role of women in society, as well as gender-based violence against politicians. Among other points, she also spoke about the potential role of parliaments in promoting equal access to elected office, including by addressing the legal, social, and financial barriers that women face.

On 19 October 2022, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) held a virtual meeting about the war in Ukraine in the context of its Call for Action – Helsinki +50 initiative. The meeting was moderated by OSCE PA High-Level Expert Lamberto Zannier and included opening remarks by OSCE PA President Margareta Cederfelt. A keynote speech was delivered by Mr. Marco Pedrazzi, Professor of International Law, University of Milan. Mr. Pedrazzi spoke about the so-called referenda orchestrated by Russia in occupied Ukrainian territories in late September 2022 which he said violated international law and norms. A presentation was also made by Mr. Mykyta Poturaiev, Head of the Ukrainian Delegation to the OSCE PA, who stressed the need to counter Russian disinformation and called for additional sanctions on Russian officials.

During the open debate, a number of OSCE PA members, including several Ukrainian parliamentarians, spoke about the need for ongoing international support for the Ukrainian people. Participants also discussed Russian nuclear threats and emphasized the need to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime. The Canadian participants in the meeting were the Honourable Senator Marilou McPhedran and the Honourable Senator Hassan Yussuf.

The Canadian Regional Seminar of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), held since 1973, brought together delegates from the federal, provincial, and territorial CPA branches for annual training and exchanges related to their work as legislators. The 42nd seminar explored various themes.

A delegation from the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU) led by the Hon. David McGuinty, P.C., M.P., President of the UIPU and comprising the Hon. Salma Ataullahjan, Senator, Vice-President of the UIPU; the Hon. Mohamed-Iqbal Ravalia, Senator; the Hon. Michelle Rempel Garner, P.C., M.P.; and Ms. Andréanne Larouche, M.P. attended the 145th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Kigali, Rwanda from October 11-15, 2022. Joined by nearly 600 parliamentarians from 120 countries, the Canadian delegation debated the overall theme, “Gender equality and gender-sensitive parliaments as drivers of change for a more resilient and peaceful world.” Canadian delegates played leadership roles in the Assembly’s adoption of a resolution on migration and human trafficking proposed by the Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights as well as a resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They also actively participated in meetings of various subsidiary bodies focusing on women parliamentarians, young parliamentarians, peace and security, sustainable development, and health. In addition, they attended numerous side events on topics such as genocide, terrorism, and 2SLGBTQI+ matters, and held several bilateral meetings.

From 10 to 15 October 2022, seven French parliamentarians travelled to British Colombia, Canada, to participate in the 48^th Annual Meeting of the Canada–France Inter-Parliamentary Association (the Association). The meeting was held in British Columbia (B.C.).

The French delegation was led by National Assembly Member Christopher Weissberg, Chair of the French Branch of the Association, and Senator Yan Chantrel, Chair of the France–Canada Friendship Group in the Senate. Other members of this delegation included senators Pierre Cuypers, Marie-Pierre De la Gontrie and Catherine Morin-Desailly, and National Assembly Members Philippe Gosselin and Danièle Obono. In addition, the delegation was accompanied by Delphine Bert, the Association’s Executive Secretary for the Senate and Thierry Deilhes, the Association’s Executive Secretary for the National Assembly.

The Canadian delegation was led by Member of Parliament Marie-France Lalonde, Chair of the Canadian branch of the Association, and consisted of Senator René Cormier, Association’s Vice-Chair, as well as Members of Parliament Lena Metlege Diab, Fayçal El-Khoury, Laila Goodridge, Denis Trudel and Dominique Vien. The delegation was accompanied by Catherine Cuerrier, Association’s Executive Secretary, Alexandra Savoie, Association’s Advisor and Analyst at the Library of Parliament of Canada, and Angélique Campbell, Protocol Officer with the Parliament of Canada. Cyrille Michel Sanchez, Head of Unit for Domestic Policy and Advocacy at the Canadian Embassy in France, accompanied the delegation during its stay in British Columbia.

The two themes of the Annual Meeting were cultural diversity in the digital world as well as ecological transition and green technologies. The delegation participated to working sessions and activities related to these two themes. For example, it met with the Alliance Française de Vancouver to discuss its virtual reality initiative and Creative BC to discuss its support for the creative industry. The delegation met with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy and with the Minister of Energy, Mines and Low-Carbon Innovation and Minister responsible for the Consular Corps of British Columbia, to discuss green transition and green technologies. Finally, the delegation visited businesses working in the renewable energy sector and three research centres at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

The delegation also participated in activities focused on two other topics of interest: British Columbia’s francophone community and the survival of the French language; and First Nations. For example, the delegation visited the Audain Museum and the Squamish Lil'Wat Cultural Centre. It also met with Francophone organizations at the Maison de la Francophonie de Vancouver and with the Cercle des dirigeants français.

The 48^th Annual Meeting provided an opportunity to develop and strengthen the ties between Canadian and French parliamentarians and to exchange on topics of common interest.

On September 26, 2022, the Hon. Marilou McPhedran, Senator, attended a meeting of the Steering Committee of the Twelve Plus Group in her capacity as a Bureau member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) Sustainable Development Committee. Participants discussed several matters relating to the Group’s activities, including its priorities at the 145th Assembly in Kigali, Rwanda, confirmation of candidates for the next chair, and financial matters. The Group’s members on the Executive Committee of the IPU provided an update on their work, such as progress on various policy reviews and setting a sustainable financial outlook for the organization.

The 62nd meeting of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors occurred virtually on September 23, 2022. The honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PNCC), 2nd Vice-President on ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Treasurer of ParlAmericas Corporation, participated in the meeting.

Paraguayan Senator Blanca Ovelar, President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors, provided opening remarks and an update on ParlAmericas’ recent activities. Senator Galvez moderated a discussion about the adoption of the reports for the 60th and 61st meetings of the Board of Directors, the appointment and introduction of new Board members, and various aspects of corporate business, including financial reporting and budgetary decisions. Following the discussion, Senator Ovelar spoke about the IX Summit of the Americas hosted by the United States of America in June 2022. Finally, ParlAmericas’ International Secretariat provided an update about the upcoming 14th Gathering of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality (PNGE) and the 19th Plenary Assembly.

Several members of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association joined parliamentarians from other NATO countries to participate in a virtual meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council (UNIC). Ukranian Deputy Foreign Minister Yevhen Perebyinis and Major General Oleksandr Kyrylenko, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, addressed the participants. Both speakers spoke about recent events in Ukraine, such as the military counteroffensive carried out by Ukraine's armed forces in some of the country's northeastern and southern regions. As well, they called for continued political, economic and military support from NATO countries towards Ukraine, while highlighting the need to increase political and economic pressure on Russia.

Since 2003, UNIC has provided an essential forum for members of parliament from the Alliance and from Ukraine to exchange on all aspects of Ukraine’s cooperation with NATO.

On 7 September 2022, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) held a virtual meeting on the role of the OSCE in addressing the war in Ukraine and its consequences. The meeting included opening remarks by Ms. Margareta Cederfelt, OSCE PA President, and Mr. Roberto Montella, OSCE PA Secretary General. Presentations were then made by the following panellists: Mr. Kamil Aydin, Member of the Turkish Delegation to the OSCE PA; Mr. Mykyta Poturaiev, Head of Ukrainian Delegation to the OSCE PA; Dr. Daniela De Ridder, OSCE PA Special Representative on Eastern Europe; and Mr. Steve Cohen, OSCE PA Special Representative on Political Prisoners.

During the meeting, the panellists called for ongoing engagement by the OSCE PA and by parliamentarians within their national legislatures on the situation in Ukraine. Several OSCE PA members spoke during the open debate about the need to hold Russia accountable for war crimes committed in Ukraine, while others emphasized the role the OSCE PA could play in promoting dialogue. The Canadian parliamentarians who participated in the meeting were Mr. Luc Berthold, M.P., Mr. Earl Dreeshen, M.P., and Ms. Ya’ara Saks, M.P.

Canada as a whole makes up one of the regions of the CPA, and its 14 branches correspond to the provincial and territorial legislative assemblies and the federal Parliament. Within the Canadian region, legislators can take part in a wide range of exchange programs, conferences and seminars. The Canadian region also has its own publication, Canadian Parliamentary Review. The Regional Council is the decision-making body for the Canadian region.

On July 6, 2022, the Hon. Marilou McPhedran, Senator, attended a meeting of the Steering Committee of the Twelve Plus Group in her capacity as a Bureau member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) Sustainable Development Committee. Participants continued their discussion of the planned mission to Kyiv and Moscow by the IPU’s Task Force for the peaceful resolution of the war in Ukraine. Senator McPhedran emphasized the importance of the principle of neutrality as the Task Force exercises its mandate.

This inter-parliamentary dialogue provided a space for parliamentarians to exchange with subject matter experts and among themselves on strategies promoting parliamentary diplomacy on climate action within parliaments, aligned with existing international frameworks.

On July 1, 2022, the Hon. Marilou McPhedran, Senator, attended a meeting of the Steering Committee of the Twelve Plus Group in her capacity as a Bureau member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) Sustainable Development Committee. Participants discussed the mandate of the IPU’s newly created Task Force for the peaceful resolution of the war in Ukraine and preparations for its upcoming mission to Kyiv and Moscow.

This inter-parliamentary dialogue provided a space for parliamentarians to exchange with subject matter experts and among themselves on strategies promoting parliamentary diplomacy on climate action within parliaments, aligned with existing international frameworks.

On 22 June 2022, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) held a virtual meeting to discuss the war in Ukraine. The meeting included presentations by Margareta Cederfelt, OSCE PA President, Ms. Tuula Yrjölä, Deputy Head of the OSCE Secretariat and Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre, and Mr. Mykyta Poturaiev, Head of the Ukrainian Delegation to the OSCE PA. The meeting also included an intervention by Dr. Alexandra Dienes, Senior Researcher, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung’s Regional Office for International Cooperation in Vienna, who discussed various scenarios for ending the war, as well as public polling in selected European countries regarding western policy responses to the war.

Following the presentations, 10 OSCE PA members took the floor to speak about the war in Ukraine and to debate options for international engagement. The Canadian parliamentarians who participated in the meeting were Senator Jean-Guy Dagenais, Senator Marilou McPhedran, Senator Julie Miville-Dechêne, Senator Lucie Moncion, and Ms. Valerie Bradford, Member of Parliament.

On 16 June 2022, the Executive Committee of the Canada–United Kingdom Inter-Parliamentary Association met with the Hon. Leona Roberts and the Hon. Gavin Short, Members of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly. The Chair of the Association, Mr. James Maloney, M.P., provided welcoming remarks before opening the floor to all Association members and delegates for discussion. Members of the Executive Committee were pleased to have the opportunity to learn about the Falkland Islands’ unique history and culture. The conversation covered a wide range of topics, including the Falkland Islands’ political system, Brexit, fisheries and the environment.

On 16 June 2022, several Canadian Members of Parliament, including the Chair of the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Ms. Alexandra Mendès, M.P., met with the Hon. Gavin Short and the Hon. Leona Roberts, Members of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly. Members were pleased to learn about the history of the Falkland Islands and discuss a range of topics including the economy, trade, natural resources, and fisheries.

On June 15, 2022, the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM) hosted a reception on Parliament Hill for Ambassadors and High Commissioners of ParlAmericas’ member countries. The following Speakers addressed the assembled diplomats:

• Marc G. Serré, M.P., Chair of CPAM;

• Randy Boissonnault, P.C., M.P., Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance;

• His Excellency Martin Alejandro Vidal Delgado, Ambassador of Uruguay and Dean of the Group of Latin America and the Caribbean; and

• Annabella Zavagno, ParlAmericas Deputy Director General.

M. Serré welcomed the guests and thanked the members of the diplomatic corps for their integral roles in maintaining the meaningful relationships between Canada and other ParlAmericas’ member countries. He also commented on the meetings that were held when the Canadian Section was at the IX Summit of the Americas, in Los Angeles, California earlier in June. Finally, a particular mention was made of the successful efforts during the Summit establish a formalized role for ParlAmericas in future summits.

Mr. Francesco Sorbara, M.P., President, Canada–Europe Parliamentary Association, met with Her Excellency, Melita Gabric, Ambassador of the European Union to Canada, in his Parliament Hill Office.

They discussed the outcome of the May 2022 EU-Canada Joint Ministerial Committee meeting; the coverage of space-related procurement by the Canadian Space Agency under the Canada-European Union Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement; Canada and the EU’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; and the upcoming Canada-EU interparliamentary meeting this fall.

On June 6 to 8, 2022, a parliamentary delegation of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM) attended a parliamentary gathering held on the occasion of the 9th Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, United States.

A high-level dialogue was held virtually on June 1st, 2022, on the theme ''Promoting multilateralism through parliamentary diplomacy''. It provided an opportunity for parliamentarians of the Americas and the Caribbean, prior to the 9th Summit of the Americas, to discuss the importance of the role of legislative powers in the Summit processes with a view to advancing multilateralism, regional integration, and the promotion of human rights and democracy.

The 61st Meeting of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors occurred virtually on May 17, 2022. Three Canadian parliamentarians participated:

• Marc G. Serré, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), Member of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors (North America) and Chair of the ParlAmericas Corporation;

• The Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of CPAM, President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PNCC), 2nd Vice-President on ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Treasurer of ParlAmericas Corporation;

• The Honourable Mobina S. B. Jaffer, Senator, Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Gender Equality (PNGE) (North America); and

• Randy Hoback, M.P., Member of CPAM and Member of the ParlAmericas Corporation.

Representative Bridgid Annisette-George, Speaker of Trinidad and Tobago’s House of Representatives and Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors, provided opening remarks and an update on ParlAmericas’ recent and upcoming activities; particular mention was made of ParlAmericas’ participation in the upcoming 9th Summit of the Americas.

Two representatives of the Organization of American States (OAS), Francisco Guerrero Aguirre, Secretary for Strengthening Democracy, and Maria Celina Conte, Director of the Summits of the Americas Secretariat, spoke to the members of the Board about the 9th Summit of the Americas and its events. As well, they stressed the importance of democracy and of integrating social justice considerations into all pandemic-response initiatives. Finally, the members of the board discussed ParlAmericas’ participation at the upcoming Summit of the Americas.

The Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region (SCPAR) met on 12 May 2022 via videoconference. Members from the Canadian delegation were Ms. Yvonne Jones, Member of Parliament (MP) for Labrador and Mr. Bob Zimmer, MP for Prince George–Peace River–Northern Rockies. At the meeting, members agreed to postpone the Conference of the Arctic Parliamentarians (CPAR) to 2024, at which time it will be held in Sweden. The idea of an Arctic Parliamentarians Summit – to be hosted by the Danish Parliament in Nuuk, Greenland in September 2022 – was approved. Members reported on the priorities of the Arctic regions of their respective countries, including: Support for Ukraine and for the inclusion of Sweden and Finland in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; Security of the Arctic and of Arctic residents; Increased investments in Arctic infrastructure; The transition of the leadership of the Arctic Council from Russia to Norway in May 2023; Ensuring continued Arctic cooperation; and Arctic food security. The Chair, Ms. Aaja Chemnitz Larsen, Member of Parliament, Parliament of Denmark; the Vice-Chair, Mrs. Lisa Murkowski, Senator for Alaska, United States’ Senate; and the Secretary General, Mr. Peder Pedersen, from the Danish Parliament, were all extended in their current positions until the next CPAR.

On 11 May 2022, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) held a virtual meeting to discuss the war in Ukraine. Following opening remarks by Ms. Margareta Cederfelt, OSCE PA President, and Mr. Roberto Montella, OSCE PA Secretary General, participants were addressed by Mr. Amin Awad, United Nations Crisis Coordinator for Ukraine, who discussed the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Ukraine. During the panel presentations, participants heard from Mr. Mykyta Poturaiev, Head of the Ukrainian Delegation to the OSCE PA, who called for parliamentary support for international investigations into alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine. That presentation was followed by remarks from Ambassador Henrik Villadsen, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, and Pascal Hundt, Representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

In the open debate that followed these presentations, more than 15 OSCE PA members took the floor to debate the situation in Ukraine. Dr. Hedy Fry spoke about the gender consequences of the war and called for strong and immediate action to hold Russia accountable for its military aggression, including new sanctions on Russian officials. Dr. Fry also urged members of the OSCE PA to consider suspending Russia and Belarus from the Assembly. The other Canadians to participate in the meeting were Senator Jean-Guy Dagenais, Senator Marilou McPhedran, Ms. Marie-France Lalonde, Member of Parliament (M.P.) and Ms. Ya’ara Saks, M.P.

From 10 to 11 May 2022, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association hosted a Seminar for Parliamentarians of the 12th Parliament of Guyana. Ms. Brenda Shanahan, Member of Parliament, was invited to provide remarks during a session on “Codes of Conduct, Transparency and Integrity” held on 10 May 2022. This session examined the importance of members maintaining high ethical standards; committing to transparency and integrity; and adhering to rules of conduct. In her presentation, Ms. Shanahan discussed the importance of codes of conduct for Parliamentarians and how they can contribute to building and maintaining public trust. She provided examples of policies governing the behaviour of parliamentarians in Canada, including sexual harassment policies and rules in place in the House of Commons. Ms. Shanahan noted that parliamentarians and their staff can lead by example by modelling respectful workplace behaviour and implementing initiatives to foster a healthy, safe, and respectful work culture in their individual offices.

On 5 May 2022, the Executive Committee of the Canada-United Kingdom Inter-Parliamentary Association (RUUK) hosted a luncheon for Her Excellency Ms. Susannah Goshko, British High Commissioner to Canada. Members of the Executive Committee had previously met with Ms. Goshko at the British High Commission in December 2021 and were pleased to resume the fruitful dialogue they had commenced on that occasion. The Chair of the Association, Mr. James Maloney, M.P., opened the event with welcome remarks and, following a reply from Ms. Goshko, the floor was opened to all participants. Topics addressed included Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, energy security and the importance of reaching a comprehensive Canada-U.K. Free Trade Agreement.

The Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) and the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Ms. Teresa Ribeiro, co-hosted a webinar on the safety of women journalists online. The meeting included opening remarks by Ms. Teresa Ribeiro and Mr. Johan Büser, Rapporteur of the OSCE PA General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions. Presentations were then made by the following panellists: Ms. Barbara Trionfi, Executive Director of the International Press Institute, Ms. Paulina Gutierrez, Legal Officer at ARTICLE 19 and the Rt. Hon. John Whittingdale, head of the U.K. delegation to the OSCE PA.

The Honourable Dr. Hedy Fry, P.C., M.P., head of the Canadian delegation to the OSCE PA and the OSCE PA Special Representative on Gender Issues, delivered closing remarks. Among other points, she spoke about the consequences of violence against women journalists, including the ways by which it reduces diversity among journalists, undermines journalism and reduces trust in facts. She also highlighted some of the challenges associated with regulating online violence and identified the need for parliamentarians to work together to prevent gender-based violence online. Mr. Earl Dreeshen, M.P., also attended the event.

For more information, see report:Report of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie

For more information, see report:Report of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie

The CPA’s international executive committee (EXCO) meets twice a year, in the spring and just before the annual meeting. The CPA’s constitution authorizes it to control and manage the activities and business of the association. The international executive committee has about 35 members and is led by the chairperson of the CPA. The committee is made up of the officers of the CPA and three representatives from each region (except Africa, which has six representatives given its size).

The Canadian Branch was represented by the Mr. Terry Duguid, M.P.

Mr. Francesco Sorbara, M.P., President, Canada–Europe Parliamentary Association (CAEU), participated in a meeting held in the parliamentary precinct with Her Excellency, Melita Gabric, Ambassador of the European Union to Canada. The Ambassador was accompanied by Mr. Paul Lasserre, Press and Information Officer at the Delegation of the European Union to Canada.

In their first meeting since the election of Mr. Sorbara as CAEU President, the Ambassador and Mr. Sorbara discussed Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the impact on the European Union (EU)’s energy security. Mr. Sorbara voiced his understanding of the situation and highlighted the role that Canada can play in helping to meet the EU’s energy needs.

They also discussed the Canada–European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and its importance in light of current events and its upcoming five-year implementation anniversary.

Finally, they discussed opportunities for further collaboration, including ways in which CAEU could highlight Europe Day on 9 May 2022.

The Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) co-hosted a webinar on gender sensitive parliaments. The event served as an opportunity to officially launch ODIHR’s guide for parliaments on Realizing Gender Equality in Parliament. The Honourable Dr. Hedy Fry, P.C., M.P., head of the Canadian delegation to the OSCE PA and the OSCE PA Special Representative on Gender Issues, participated as a speaker. Among other points, she spoke about factors inhibiting women from entering politics, including violence against women politicians and the toxic environment that exists in some parliaments. She also highlighted the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the participation of women in the political sphere. Finally, she noted the importance of ensuring women with intersecting identity factors are represented in parliament. Ms. Andréanne Larouche, M.P., also attended the event.

On March 29, 2022, the Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), President of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PNCC), 2nd Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation, chaired a meeting of the PNCC Executive Committee. Senator Galvez welcomed the participants and gave the floor to Costa Rican MLA Paola Vega Rodríguez, who announced the end of her term as MLA and therefore as PNCC Vice-President.

The following members of the Executive Committee attended the meeting: Senator Raúl Bolaños-Cacho Cué of Mexico, Vice-President (North America); MNA Radjendrekoemar Debie of Suriname, Second Vice-President (South America); and Senator Anthony Vieira of Trinidad and Tobago, Vice-President (The Caribbean).

In the first part of the meeting, the representative of the International Secretariat of ParlAmericas presented the work plan for fiscal year 2022–23. The goal to build a PNCC Staff Network, similar to that of the other two ParlAmericas Networks, was also announced.

In the second part, Senator Galvez encouraged Executive Committee members to share any updates on the environmental work they have been leading in their own parliaments. She concluded by talking about her own parliamentary initiatives as well as those of the Canadian government.

In the third part, Executive Committee members heard presentations on climate change issues. Senator Gladys González of Argentina and Camila Gramkow, Economic Affairs Officer at the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, gave a presentation on the Parliamentary Observatory on Climate Change and Just Transition. Nahuel Arenas, Deputy Chief of the United Nations Regional Office for Disaster Risk Reduction for the Americas and the Caribbean, spoke about tools parliamentarians can use to help their countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, including disaster risk reduction.

Members of the Canada–Europe Parliamentary Association (CAEU) participated in a meeting held at the Delegation of the European Union to Canada with members of the Council of the European Union (EU)’s Working Party on Transatlantic Relations (COTRA).

The CAEU members were Mr. Francesco Sorbara, M.P., President; Hon. David Wells, Senator, Vice President; Hon. Julie Miville-Dechêne, Senator; Hon. Lucie Moncion, Senator; Hon. Lena Metlege Diab, M.P.; Salma Zahid, M.P.; and Stéphane Bergeron, M.P.

The COTRA delegation was headed by Mr. Tomás Reyes Ortega, Chair, and included 11 diplomats from EU member states, and two representatives from the General Secretariat of the Council of the EU and the EU’s European External Action Service. COTRA’s work focuses on EU relations with the United States and Canada and covers a broad range of issues, from cyber, energy and security policy to economics and trade.

Her Excellency, Melita Gabric, Ambassador of the European Union to Canada, chaired the meeting and was accompanied by Ms. Eva Palatova, Head of Political and Public Affairs at the Delegation of the EU to Canada.

The main topics of discussion were Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the impact on the EU’s energy security as well as food security. They also discussed increasing Russian disinformation and misinformation and potential mitigation solutions, especially considering Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Participants also highlighted collaborative defence and security initiatives between the EU and Canada.

Finally, they discussed the Canada–European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and the importance of the ratification process that is now taking place in each EU member state.

On 23 March 2022, members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) met in the context of the Call for Action – Helsinki+50 Process to discuss the war in Ukraine. The meeting began with remarks by Ms. Margareta Cederfelt, President of the OSCE PA, and Mr. Roberto Montella, Secretary General of the OSCE PA. Participants were then addressed by Ms. Sereine Mauborgne, Head of French Delegation to the OSCE PA; Ambassador Kairat Abdrakhmanov, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities; Mr. Kyriakos Hadjiyianni, OSCE PA Special Representative on Civil Society Engagement; Mr. Konstantine Vardzelashvili, Head of Democratization Department, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights; and Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre and Deputy Head of the OSCE Secretariat. In the open debate that followed these presentations, more than 15 OSCE PA members intervened on the subject of the war in Ukraine. Senator Marilou McPhedran spoke on behalf of the Canadian delegation. In her remarks, Senator McPhedran reflected on the role that the international community – and the United Nations General Assembly in particular – must play to support the protection of civilians in Ukraine. The other Canadian parliamentarians to participate in the meeting were Senator Gwen Boniface, Senator Pierre Dalphond, Senator Amina Gerba, Senator Clément Gignac, and Yvonne Jones, Member of Parliament.

The 6th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network (OPN) included three virtual sessions that took place on March 9, 15 and 22, 2022. During the sessions, dialogues were held between parliamentarians, parliamentary staff, and civil society and youth representatives on key considerations for a robust public integrity strategy, recognizing its importance not only in preventing and fighting corruption, but as one of the fundamental pillars on which political, economic, and social systems are built.

On March 15, 2022, the Hon. Marilou McPhedran, Senator, and Mr. Sven Spengemann, M.P., participated in a virtual event marking the 10th anniversary of the Plan of Action for Gender-sensitive Parliaments, a document adopted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) at its 127th Assembly in Quebec City. This event was co-sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations. Senator McPhedran offered welcoming remarks, highlighting factors contributing to the underrepresentation of women in parliaments. Mr. Spengemann participated in the panel on the role of men in advancing gender equality. He emphasized recent developments in Canada, including the enactment of the Gender Equality Week Act in 2018, legislation which he had introduced in the House of Commons during the 42nd Parliament.

The 6th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network (OPN) included three virtual sessions that took place on March 9, 15 and 22, 2022. During the sessions, dialogues were held between parliamentarians, parliamentary staff, and civil society and youth representatives on key considerations for a robust public integrity strategy, recognizing its importance not only in preventing and fighting corruption, but as one of the fundamental pillars on which political, economic, and social systems are built.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

Mr. Francesco Sorbara, M.P., President, Canada–Europe Parliamentary Association (CAEU) participated in a videoconference call with Ms. Stéphanie Yon-Courtin, MEP, Chair of the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with Canada (D-CA).

The main topic of discussion was future plans for renewed parliamentary cooperation between the two associations. Ms. Yon-Courtin congratulated Mr. Sorbara on his election as CAEU President and expressed D-CA’s desire to travel to Canada in September 2022 for the annual interparliamentary meeting (IPM). They also discussed a list of topics that could be part of the IPM’s agenda, including a recognition of the five-year implementation anniversary of the Canada–European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.

Other topics of discussion included recent developments related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s address to the Canadian Parliament, and the importance of people-to-people ties. Finally, plans were made for a future meeting to finalize the details for the upcoming IPM.

The Annual Parliamentary Meeting at the 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66) took place virtually on March 14, 2022. Co-organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UN Women, it brought together legislators from around the globe to discuss the theme, “The role of women’s leadership and gender-responsive parliaments in climate action.” The Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU) was represented by the Hon. Salma Ataullahjan, Senator, the Hon. Rosa Galvez, Senator, the Hon. Amina Gerba, Senator, the Hon. Patti LaBoucane-Benson, Senator, the Hon. Marilou McPhedran, Senator, the Hon. Julie Miville-Dechêne, Senator, the Hon. Rosemary Moodie, Senator, the Hon. Kim Pate, Senator, Ms. Iqra Khalid, M.P., Ms. Andréanne Larouche, M.P., Ms. Lindsay Mathyssen, M.P., the Hon. Michelle Rempel Garner, P.C., M.P., and Mr. Francesco Sorbara, M.P. Participants shared their experiences regarding women’s leadership and political participation in climate action, green parliaments, as well as legal and policy reforms for gender-responsive climate action. Senator McPhedran emphasized the role that informal networks among women parliamentarians can play in advancing discussions on gender-responsive parliaments in climate action and achieving all of the Sustainable Development Goals, given their intersectionality. Senator McPhedran joined her voice to that of other participants in expressing solidarity with Ukraine’s women parliamentarians following the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine.

11:00 a.m.

To be eligible to vote at the AGM, the deadline for membership for this association is 7 days before the meeting.

The 2022 Westminster Seminar on Parliamentary Practice and Procedure organized by the United Kingdom Branch of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association gathered many parliamentarians and clerks in person and virtually, from every region of the Commonwealth to exchange ideas and build knowledge around topics relevant to Westminster-style democracies. Two parliamentarians from the Canadian Branch attended virtually part of the Seminar.

The 60th Meeting of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors occurred virtually on March 11, 2022. Two Canadian parliamentarians participated:

• Marc G. Serré, M,P., Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), Member of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors (North America) and Chair of the ParlAmericas Corporation; and

• The Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PNCC), 2nd Vice-President on ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Treasurer of ParlAmericas Corporation.

Paraguayan Senator Blanca Ovelar, President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors, provided opening remarks and an update on ParlAmericas’ recent and upcoming activities, such as participation at the 9th Summit of the Americas. Members of the Board of Directors approved the 2022–23 work plan for ParlAmericas, and conducted business; the business items included the Board’s Annual General Meeting and discussion of items relating to ParlAmericas’ budget and financing. ParlAmericas’ International Secretariat provided an overview of newly approved funding, and upcoming projects and events. Finally, Board members discussed details relating to the 6th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network (OPN) which took take place virtually on March 9, 15 and 22, 2022.

The Standing Committee of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) held an extraordinary meeting regarding the war in Ukraine. The meeting included presentations by Margareta Cederfelt, President of the OSCE PA, Roberto Montella, Secretary General of the OSCE PA, Yevheniia Kravchuk, Member of the Ukrainian delegation to the OSCE PA, and Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk, Ukrainian Ambassador to the OSCE. Participants were also addressed by former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who spoke about the humanitarian situation in Ukraine and appealed to OSCE PA participating States to hold Russia accountable for the perpetration of gross violations of human rights in Ukraine. In the open debate that followed these presentations, more than 30 members of the OSCE PA took the floor to make remarks. Ms. Ya’ara Saks, M.P., spoke on behalf of the Canadian delegation. Ms. Saks commended the bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people and said that Canada would continue to support international efforts to hold Russia accountable. The other Canadian parliamentarians to participate in the meeting were Senator Robert Black, Senator Gwen Boniface, Senator René Cormier, Senator Lucie Moncion, Luc Berthold, M.P., Earl Dreeshen, M.P., Dave Epp, M.P., James Maloney, M.P., Kristina Michaud, M.P., and Lianne Rood, M.P..

11:00 a.m.

To be eligible to vote at the AGM the deadline for membership for this association is 30 days before the meeting.

3:30 p.m.

In order to be eligible to vote, parliamentarians shall be members of the group at least seven calendar days prior to the AGM.

The 6th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network (OPN) included three virtual sessions that took place on March 9, 15 and 22, 2022. During the sessions, dialogues were held between parliamentarians, parliamentary staff, and civil society and youth representatives on key considerations for a robust public integrity strategy, recognizing its importance not only in preventing and fighting corruption, but as one of the fundamental pillars on which political, economic, and social systems are built.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

On March 7, 2022, the Hon. Marilou McPhedran, Senator, attended a meeting of the Steering Committee of the Twelve Plus Group in her capacity as a Bureau member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) Sustainable Development Committee. Participants discussed several matters, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the group’s solidarity with Ukrainian parliamentarians. They also reviewed the Group’s financial matters and questions related to IPU membership. During discussions about the programme of activities for the 144th Assembly of the IPU, Senator McPhedran noted that the Canadian Group of the IPU (UIPU) had submitted proposed amendments to both the draft resolution on reframing peace processes and the draft resolution on leveraging information and communication technology in education. Participants were also briefed on key issues discussed by the Executive Committee of the IPU, including the organization’s relationship with the United Nations.

3:30 p.m.

To be eligible to vote at the AGM the deadline for membership for this association is 7 days before the meeting.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) held a virtual event aimed at bringing a parliamentary perspective to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in the OSCE Region. The event was moderated by OSCE PA High-Level Expert, Ambassador Lamberto Zannier. It was held in the context of the OSCE PA’s Call for Action – Helsinki+50 Process and its efforts to advance dialogue and promote sustainable peace in the OSCE region. The Canadian Delegation to the OSCE PA was represented by Senators Marilou McPhedran and Lucie Moncion. During the event, Senator McPhedran spoke about the Treaty on the Prohibition on Nuclear Weapons in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. She further reflected on the link between the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and the acute threat that nuclear weapons pose to the world.

11:00 a.m.

To be eligible to vote at the AGM the deadline for membership for this association is 7 days before the meeting.

Canada as a whole makes up one of the regions of the CPA, and its 14 branches correspond to the provincial and territorial legislative assemblies and the federal Parliament. Within the Canadian region, legislators can take part in a wide range of exchange programs, conferences and seminars. The Canadian region also has its own publication, Canadian Parliamentary Review. The Regional Council is the decision-making body for the Canadian region. The Canadian Branch was represented by the Honourable Yuen Pau Woo, Senator and Mr. Terry Duguid, M.P.

From 22–24 February 2022, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) UK, in partnership with the non-governmental organization Mission 89, held a virtual workshop to explore techniques to prevent sports trafficking, a form of human trafficking where individuals are “exploited through the false promise of the opportunity to play sports professionally.” Sébastien Lemire, Member of Parliament and member of the Canadian Branch of the CPA attended this workshop.

The first day of the workshop comprised two sessions aiming to provide participants with an understanding of human trafficking through sport. Dr. James Esson, UG Programme Director (Geography and Environment), Reader in Human Geography at Loughborough University, discussed how trafficking through football occurs and identified steps that could be taken to help prevent it. Matthew Edafe, an ambassador for Mission 89, shared his experience of being trafficked for sport in the 1990s.

The second day of the workshop featured breakout rooms where groups of participants discussed their role in addressing sports trafficking. Adeline Dumoulin (CPA UK) and Lerina Bright (Mission 89) facilitated one of the breakout rooms for parliamentarians and parliamentary officials.

The Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie brings together 90 parliaments and branches to discuss topics of interest for the Francophonie. The meeting is informal and is intended to inform the presidents of various topics of interest for the branches.

Marie-France Lalonde, member, and Joël Godin, member and chair of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee, attended the meeting virtually.

Members were informed of the decisions made at the Libreville Bureau meeting held on February 27 and 28. They were also informed of the climate emergency in Madagascar caused by cyclone Batsirai. A second cyclone, Emnati, is expected to touch down soon. A call for solidarity was also made. A call for nominations was also made for the 47th Session and the 9th Francophone Youth Parliament of July 2022.

The members discussed the young Francophone ambassadors’ project, and Marie-France Lalonde called for more clarification between this program and the Francophone Youth Parliament. Joël Godin requested that more detailed planning be done for that project and for a presentation on it at the next Bureau.

The Administrative Secretary General, Damien Cesselin, discussed the consideration of branch contributions to the upcoming APF strategic framework 2023–2026. Methodology will be developed to enable branches to actively participate in the next framework. Joël Godin and Marie-France Lalonde reiterated the Canadian branch’s desire for better defined, measurable objectives and for the latest objective attainment indicators also be included in the development of the new strategic framework.

Mention was also made of a project shared by various APF branches and the Francophone Group of Ambassadors.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) held an online meeting to discuss policy priorities in the Arctic region. The meeting was chaired by Special Representative on Arctic Issues Bryndis Haraldsdottir (Iceland), and representatives of all eight Arctic countries (Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States). The Canadian Delegation to the OSCE PA was represented by Honourable Senators Patricia Bovey and Marilou McPhedran, as well as Ms. Yvonne Jones, M.P., and Mr. Bob Zimmer, M.P. Participants emphasized the effects of climate change on inhabitants of the Arctic, including Indigenous peoples, and on the economy of the region. Ms. Jones characterized climate change as one of the most important challenges for communities in the Canadian Arctic. Participants also discussed the possibility of presenting a resolution on Arctic issues at the OSCE PA 2022 Annual Session, reiterating that the Arctic must remain an area of cooperation.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) held a virtual event on the contribution of youth to the rule of law, democracy and human rights within the OSCE. The event was chaired by the OSCE PA Special Representative on Youth Engagement, Ms. Farah Karimi. Panellists spoke about the importance of meaningfully including young people in decision making and policy development. The Canadian Delegation to the OSCE PA was represented by Senator Marilou McPhedran and Mr. Bob Zimmer, M.P. During the event, Senator McPhedran spoke about the importance of enhancing international and intergenerational communication. She also discussed her bill to lower the federal voting age from 18 to 16 (Bill S-201).

The Honourable Dennis Dawson, Senator, attended the meeting of the Working Group on Peacekeeping Missions of the Political Committee of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie held on 17 February 2022 via videoconference. The purpose of this working group is to oversee the United Nations peacekeeping missions report.

The Rapporteur of the working group went over his discussions with the Boutros-Ghali Peacekeeping Observatory, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the French Ministry for the Armed Forces. He gave an overview of the many peacekeeping missions around the world, several of them in francophone regions.

Senator Dawson suggested that the working group invite Canadian security and peacekeeping experts to share their observations. He raised the use of French in such operations under the authority of the United Nations. On this issue, the Rapporteur pointed to the work of the Boutros-Ghali Observatory and the recently arranged meetings with the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie.

Senator Dawson also said that this ties into the broader issue of respect for multilingualism within international organizations, which is being studied by the Political Committee and the Education, Communication and Cultural Affairs Committee. He concluded by stressing the importance of raising awareness of this issue among all partners and member branches.

On 15 February 2022, Mr. Han Dong, M.P., Co-Chair of the Canada-China Legislative Association and member of the Canada-Japan Inter-Parliamentary Group, participated in a webinar organized by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) on the topic of confronting fisheries crime. At this webinar, parliamentarians learned about the consequences of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in Southeast Asia. Participants also discussed avenues for parliamentary action to combat IUU fishing, and considered how countries outside of Southeast Asia, such as Canada, can contribute to these efforts.

The Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region (SCPAR) held a regular meeting on 10 February 2022 via videoconference. New members from the Canadian delegation – Ms. Yvonne Jones, Member of Parliament (MP) for Labrador, and Mr. Bob Zimmer, MP for Prince George–Peace River–Northern Rockies – and other new members introduced themselves. This meeting marked Ms. Aaja Chemnitz Larsen’s (MP, Greenland, Parliament of Denmark) first meeting as Chair and Ms. Lisa Murkowski’s (Senator, Alaska, United States) first meeting as Vice Chair.

Members reported on the priorities of the Arctic regions of their respective countries including:

• sustainable economic development to benefit Arctic residents, along with increased investments;

• the need for mental health services in remote communities;

• climate change and its impacts on all aspects of life in the Arctic; and

• the development or release of country-specific Arctic strategies.

SCPAR members provided an update on the COVID 19 pandemic. Vaccination campaigns in Arctic regions seem successful in most countries, with high rates of fully vaccinated residents. Common challenges experienced by Arctic residents included: social isolation and financial burdens due to restrictions limiting gatherings and the operation of businesses and movement between communities and countries, particularly for Indigenous peoples; and an increase in the need for mental health services.

The next meeting of SCPAR is planned for 12 May 2022 to potentially be hosted in Washington D.C., United States.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) held a virtual event on the “clean energy revolution”. Parliamentarians from the OSCE region, OSCE officials and members of the scientific community discussed current energy trends, the latest technological developments in energy production and possible implications of the transition from greenhouse gas-emitting energy to renewable and clean energy. They considered policies needed to promote the carbon-neutral and sustainable energy sector and the role of national parliaments and interparliamentary in this regard. The Canadian delegates present included the Honourable Senators Clément Gignac, Stanley Kutcher, Julie Miville-Dechêne and Lucie Moncion, as well as Mr. Ziad Aboultaif, M.P., Ms. Kristina Michaud, M.P., and Ms. Ya’ara Saks, M.P.

CPA International created the CPA Constitutional Amendments Working Group. The Canadian Region was represented at this meeting by the Honourable Yuen Pau Woo, Senator.

On 1 February 2022, MP Julie Dzerowicz, NATO PA Vice-President and Vice-President of the Canadian NATO PA, MP Cheryl Gallant, also Vice-President of the Canadian NATO PA, and Senator Mohamed-Iqbal Ravalia participated in a virtual meeting of the NATO PA Standing Committee. During this meeting, participating delegates exchanged views on the 21 draft NATO PA recommendations for the 2022 NATO Strategic Concept. The Canadian delegation highlighted several issues to keep in mind when revising NATO's Strategic Concept. These issues included the need to protect minority rights, particularly those of migrants; address China’s rise and increased assertiveness; advance non-nuclear proliferation; and respond to cyber security threats and other issues like brain-computer interface. Participating delegates also discussed the most recent developments in Ukraine and expressed their support for the Ukrainian people amidst acts of Russian aggression.

The 59th Meeting of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors took place virtually on January 28, 2022. Two Canadian parliamentarians participated:

• Marc G. Serré, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), Member of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Chair of the ParlAmericas Corporation; and

• The Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of CPAM, President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PPCC), 2nd Vice-President on the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation.

Mexican Senator Verónica Camino Farjat, 2nd Vice-President on the Board of Directors and President of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality (PNGE), provided opening remarks and an update on ParlAmericas’ December 2021 activities. Members of the Board approved the 2021 audited financial statements and received information from ParlAmericas’ International Secretariat about funding and the upcoming priorities for ParlAmericas’ three thematic networks. Finally, members of the Board discussed details relating to the upcoming 6th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network (OPN).

APF Bureau meeting – January 27 to 28, 2022

The Bureau monitors the implementation of decisions made by the Plenary Assembly of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF), for which it exercises delegated authority. It ensures the implementation of the motions passed, the resolutions adopted and the opinions and recommendations issued by the Plenary Assembly. In this respect, it may make any decision it deems useful. It reviews, pursuant to the General Secretariat’s report, issues relating to the admission of sections and to changes in their status. It passes the Assembly’s budget.

Francis Drouin, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Branch and First Vice President of the APF, and Marie France Lalonde and Senator Éric Forest, members of the CAPF executive committee, participated virtually in the hybrid meeting held in Libreville, Gabon.

The APF Bureau heard from Geoffroy Montpetit from the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie. He discussed the OIF APF partnership and opportunities for cooperation between the two institutions. A number of activity reports were presented, including the activity report of the APF Parliamentary Secretary General. The APF’s cooperation programs were also reviewed. The Treasurer’s report on the draft budget for 2022 was considered, in addition to a review of the political situation in the francophone world and various institutional projects.

The members in attendance also heard the activity reports from the presidents of the APF’s commissions and networks and from its mission leaders.

The Honourable Vernon White, Senator, attended the Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council (UNIC) meeting that took place in Brussels, Belgium, on January 24, 2022, via videoconference. During the meeting, Mr. Michal Szczerba from Poland was elected Co-Chair of the Council. Participants were briefed on Ukraine’s political situation and on recent developments in the region and discussed next steps in the political relationship between Ukraine and NATO. The NATO PA members reiterated their commitment to support Ukraine on its path of reform and their firm support for Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity. Members were also briefed on the progress being made regarding the development of the new NATO Strategic Concept and were invited to share their views on what should be included.

To mark the International Day of Education, on January 24, 2022, the International Parliamentary Network for Education organized a parliamentary exchange to raise awareness of the global learning crisis which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Members of the Canadian Branch attended this event: the Honourable Amina Gerba, Senator; Dr. Robert Kitchen, Member of Parliament (M.P.); and the Honourable Mike Lake, M.P. Additionally, Anita Vandenbeld, M.P. chaired the event with Joseph Nhan-O’Reilly, co-founder and executive director of the International Parliamentary Network for Education. Ms. Vandenbeld’s opening remarks noted that Parliamentarians play a vital role in effectively addressing the global learning crisis.

Guest speaker Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, founder and president of Human Capital Africa, discussed the link between the economy and education. Ms. Ezekwesili noted that research has identified ways to address education challenges which include prioritizing foundational learning in areas such as literacy and taking an evidence-based approach to investments and policy decisions.

Parliamentarians also had the opportunity to participate in discussions in breakout rooms. The first breakout room focussed on improving learning outcomes and began with remarks from Robert Jenkins, Global Director of Education for UNICEF. The theme of the second breakout room was “data and evidence for the learning crisis”; Dr. Rukmini Banerji, CEO of the Partham Education Foundation in India provided a brief introduction to the facilitated discussion.

Working meeting with the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie – January 20, 2022

Francis Drouin, MP, Chair of the Canadian Branch and First Vice-President of the APF, met with the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) and its Secretary General, Her Excellency Louise Mushikiwabo, to discuss pathways for efficient collaboration as part of his mandate as First Vice-President of the APF.

Mr. Drouin led a delegation of international parliamentarians, who are also senior APF officials, in a discussion on the direction of APF initiatives and the common objectives of the APF and the OIF. Participants also discussed financial management and interparliamentary co-operation programs.

Lastly, it was agreed that these matters would be followed up on in advance of the APF’s annual budget.

For over 25 years, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) has held post-election seminars for national and sub-national parliaments. The seminars provide parliamentarians with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of their roles and responsibilities including those relating to parliamentary practices, procedures, legislation, scrutiny, oversight, and representation. They also help parliamentarians gain a better understanding of the CPA and how to leverage its vast network and resources.

From December 15 to 17 2021, the CPA Headquarters Secretariat hosted a virtual post-election seminar for newly elected and returning members of the Parliament of the Bahamas. The Honourable Marilou McPhedran, Senator, was invited to provide remarks during a workshop on Women in Parliament held on December 16, 2021. The workshop provided the opportunity for Parliamentarians to discuss women’s representation and share experiences about working in Parliament.

In her presentation, Senator McPhedran discussed women’s representation in Canada’s Parliament, as well as ways to foster a gender-sensitive workplace. During her remarks, Senator McPhedran explained that by introducing family-friendly measures, parliaments can help overcome barriers faced by female elected officials and make workplaces more gender sensitive. During the questions and comments portion of the workshop, Senator McPhedran highlighted Canadian initiatives related to women’s participation in politics including Equal Voice, an organization dedicated to supporting women in politics, and its Daughters of the Vote Program.

Throughout November and December 2021, members of the Canada-China Legislative Association and Canada-Japan Inter-Parliamentary Group participated virtually in the 29th Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), hosted by the National Assembly of South Korea. At this meeting, parliamentarians from across the wider Asia-Pacific region discussed regional, political, economic and environmental issues, as well as the situation of women. The Canadian delegation submitted two resolutions – one on the digital economy and one on women, peace and security – both of which were reflected in the APPF’s final communiqué. Canadian parliamentarians participated in the working group meetings between 8 and 19 November, as well as the plenary sessions and meetings of the drafting committee from 13 to 15 December. The Parliament of Canada is a member of the APPF’s executive committee, and Canadian parliamentarians also participated in the meeting of that committee on 10 November 2021. Following this meeting, Canada’s term on the executive committee, as a representative of the Americas sub-region of the APPF, was renewed for another four years. Senator Kutcher served as head of delegation; the other parliamentarians who participated were Senator McPhedran, Senator Oh, Senator Ringuette and Senator Woo.

The plenary session of the 18th Plenary Assembly of ParlAmericas offered a space for member parliaments to present the various legislative initiatives that their Parliament has been undertaking with the contribution of civil society and youth, to rebuild the social contract. Likewise, the declaration was read and the results of the election for positions on the ParlAmericas Board of Directors were announced, as well as the host Parliament for the next 19th Plenary Assembly.

The Geneva Center for Security Sector Governance (DCAF), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), and the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) co-hosted a webinar on the gendered dimensions of defence spending. The event was part of a series of webinars organized by DCAF, UN Women and ODIHR to explore emerging gender and security issues. The Honourable Dr. Hedy Fry, P.C., M.P., head of the Canadian delegation to the OSCE PA and the OSCE PA Special Representative on Gender Issues, participated as a panelist. Among other points, she spoke about the need for diverse and inclusive parliaments to ensure that gender perspectives are integrated into parliamentary oversight of the defence sector. She also highlighted the role of parliaments in supporting the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

The Can/Am BTA is a coalition of businesses, public-sector organizations and individuals with an interest in bilateral trade and tourism. Its mission is to maximize commercial activity and ensure the continued growth of cross-border trade, as well as improving border-crossing capabilities. The Can/Am BTA holds two meetings each year: a spring meeting in Ottawa, Ontario, and a fall meeting in Washington, D.C. This year, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Can/Am BTA is holding its meeting virtually.

On December 3, 2021, two Canadian parliamentarians participated virtually in the 58th Meeting of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors. The participants were: Marc G. Serré, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), Member of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors (North America) and Chair of the ParlAmericas Corporation; and the Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of CPAM, President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PPCC), 2nd Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation.

The meeting was chaired by Bridgid Annisette-George, Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Speaker of Trinidad and Tobago’s House of Representatives. Speaker Annisette-George provided updates on ParlAmericas’ recent and upcoming activities, and welcomed two new Board members: Claudel Francis, Speaker of St. Lucia’s Senate; and Veronica Camino Farjat, a member of Mexico’s Senate and President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality (PNGE). During the discussion of corporate business, Mr. Serré provided the report of the Corporate Board of Directors, and, as Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation, Senator Galvez explained the annual audit.

Speaker Annisette-George summarized the first two sessions of ParlAmericas’ 18th Plenary Assembly, which had been held virtually in recent weeks, and reviewed the draft declaration on the topic of “rebuilding the social contract” which the participants approved at the final plenary session the following week. ParlAmericas’ International Secretariat then provided information about the upcoming Board of Director elections on December 10, 2021.

Finally, Javiera Vega, from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, made a presentation to Board members about how parliamentarians in Latin America and the Caribbean are working to combat hunger through the Parliamentary Front Against Hunger.

Her Excellency Susannah Goshko, recently appointed British High Commissioner to Canada, invited the Canada–United Kingdom Inter-Parliamentary Association (RUUK) Executive Committee to attend an informal reception at her residence on 2 December 2021. Ms. Goshko opened the event by underscoring the important relationship between Canada and the United Kingdom (U.K.) and by sharing her priorities for her term as High Commissioner. In his reply, RUUK chair, the Honourable John McKay, P.C., MP, welcomed the High Commissioner to her new role and highlighted areas of mutual interest for Canada and the U.K. A wide-ranging discussion in which all delegates participated followed.

On December 2, 2021 the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) hosted a virtual workshop entitled How NHRIs [National Human Rights Institutions] and Parliaments can Protect and Promote Disability Rights. The objective of the workshop was to discuss the role of NHRIs and Parliaments in protecting and promoting the rights of Commonwealth citizens with disabilities. The session consisted of a series of presentations by the following panelists:

• The Honourable Dennitah Ghati, Member of the National Assembly of Kenya and Chairperson of Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities

• Caroline Waters OBE, Deputy Chair of the UK's Equality and Human Rights Commission

• The Honourable Eugene Mussolini M.P., Member of the Rwandan Chamber of Deputies for Persons with Disabilities

• Richard Rieser, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Disabled Person's Forum

• Bonface Massah, Commissioner, Malawi Human Rights Commission

The presenters took turns sharing initiatives undertaken by NHRIs and Parliaments within their jurisdictions to protect and promote the rights of persons with disabilities. They also discussed some of the challenges faced by persons with disabilities within their countries during the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures taken by NHRIs and Parliaments to mitigate them. During their presentations and the question-and-answer portion of the workshop, the panelists stressed the importance on both the signing and implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The workshop was attended by the following member of the Canadian Branch of the CPA: the Honourable Chantal Petitclerc, Senator.

In recent years the hemisphere has been witnessing growing social discontent, which has manifested in social mobilizations and protests in several countries as well as general citizen distrust of institutions. In addition, the health and socioeconomic crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the already glaring inequalities in the Americas and the Caribbean. In the face of this complex panorama, civil society and youth organizations have challenged governing institutions with demands that insist on the rebuilding of the social contract.

This session offered parliamentarians the opportunity to hold dialogue with representatives of civil society and youth about their visions, expectations, and proposals to rebuild the social contract under democratic and inclusive paradigms.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

The health and socio-economic crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the already notorious inequalities existing in the hemisphere, has deepened citizen distrust in institutions, and has given rise to growing social discontent, which has manifested in various ways including social mobilization and widespread protests across the region.

Recognizing the complexity of these issues, the interparliamentary dialogue session offered a space for discussion, prospective analysis, and exchange of good legislative practices regarding the role of parliaments and the opportunities they face in rebuilding the social contract. This discussion aimed to highlight the need to endorse democratic principles, restore public trust in institutions, advance the public policies that are required to overcome the difficult socio-economic crisis in the hemisphere, and discuss the regional integration initiatives required to undergo the post-pandemic recovery processes.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

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, remotely participated in the sixth sitting of the 286th session of the International Executive Committee of the IPU. The meeting took place on November 25, 2021 as part of the 143rd IPU Assembly in Madrid, Spain. Members of the Executive considered new initiatives to strengthen the organization’s accountability and transparency, as well as reviewed the work of its Sub-Committee on Finance, including the proposed consolidated budget for 2022. The Executive also examined the IPU’s calendar of future activities, which includes both in-person and virtual events. The meeting was the last for Mr. McGuinty as a member of the Executive Committee. The IPU President thanked him for his four years of dedicated service and offered best wishes for his continued contribution to the IPU specifically and parliamentary diplomacy more broadly.

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, remotely participated in the fifth sitting of the 286th session of the International Executive Committee of the IPU. The meeting took place on November 24, 2021 as part of the 143rd IPU Assembly in Madrid, Spain. Members of the Executive finalized the draft IPU Strategy 2022-2026, as well as other matters related to the membership of the organization. Its recommendations were submitted to the Governing Council for endorsement by that body.

On 22 November 2021, the Hon. David McGuinty, P.C., MP, President of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU), and the Hon. Salma Ataullahjan, Senator, attended a virtual meeting of the Twelve Plus Group. During this meeting, the Group voted for candidates to fill two vacancies on the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and one vacancy on the organization’s High-Level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism. MP McGuinty and Senator Ataullahjan were both voting members.

On November 22, 2021, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Headquarters Secretariat hosted a roundtable discussion for members of the National Assembly of Belize through its Technical Assistance Program. The objective of the roundtable, entitled Gender Equality Policy, was to engage participants in a discussion on how to build and maintain a gender sensitive parliament to encourage greater representation of women in parliamentary decision-making. As a member of the Canadian Branch of the CPA, the Honourable Marilou McPhedran, Senator, led the roundtable discussion.

Senator McPhedran’s presentation focused on Canada’s approach to Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+). She started by defining GBA+ and its importance within the context of policy making. Senator McPhedran then presented various opportunities for parliamentarians to advance GBA+ and gender-sensitive initiatives, including its application to legislation, budgeting, committee work and to the parliamentary environment more generally. Senator McPhedran also underscored some of the challenges faced by parliamentarians and policy makers when trying to apply GBA+, including those pertaining to the availability of data and the resources required to conduct parliamentary studies that adequately represent the groups effected by proposed legislation.

On 17 November 2021, the Hon. David McGuinty, P.C., MP, President of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU) attended a virtual meeting of the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. Participants discussed the situation of certain parliaments, as well as the preparations for the 143rd Assembly and 208th session of the Governing Council.

On 15 November 2021, the Hon. David McGuinty, P.C., MP, President of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU), and the Hon. Marilou McPhedran, Senator, attended a meeting of the steering committee of the Twelve Plus Group. Participants discussed several matters, including the programme of activities for the 143rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (including potential emergency items), the Group’s financial matters, sanctions against parliamentarians by foreign governments and questions related to IPU membership. They were also briefed on key issues discussed at the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, including the adoption of a new Strategy for 2022-2026, the financial situation of the organization and its recent mission to Venezuela.

On November 12, 2021, a delegation from the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU) comprising Senator Rob Black, Senator Amina Gerba and Senator Mohamed-Iqbal Ravalia attended a webinar entitled “The WTO negotiations agenda at the MC12: Towards a sustainable recovery” as part of the Parliamentary Conference on the World Trade Organization (WTO). Jointly organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the European Parliament, the event was planned to coincide with the Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12) scheduled to take place at the end of November 2021. Ambassador Dacio Castillo, Chair of the WTO’s General Council, delivered the webinar’s keynote address. In light of the passage of time since any outcome was achieved at a ministerial conference, as well as ongoing challenges in the multilateral trading system, he underscored the importance of MC12 in enabling the membership to reach critical decisions and set out a concrete direction for the organization. Participants also heard from Mr. Rajesh Aggarwal from the International Trade Centre and Ms. Anoush der Boghossian from the WTO Trade and Gender Focal Point. As part of the discussions, the participants were challenged to consider the roles parliamentarians could play in advancing such priorities as e-commerce and a green global recovery and services, as well as reforming the WTO to better integrate gender issues into its agenda.

Throughout November and December 2021, members of the Canada-China Legislative Association and Canada-Japan Inter-Parliamentary Group participated virtually in the 29th Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), hosted by the National Assembly of South Korea. At this meeting, parliamentarians from across the wider Asia-Pacific region discussed regional, political, economic and environmental issues, as well as the situation of women. The Canadian delegation submitted two resolutions – one on the digital economy and one on women, peace and security – both of which were reflected in the APPF’s final communiqué. Canadian parliamentarians participated in the working group meetings between 8 and 19 November, as well as the plenary sessions and meetings of the drafting committee from 13 to 15 December. The Parliament of Canada is a member of the APPF’s executive committee, and Canadian parliamentarians also participated in the meeting of that committee on 10 November 2021. Following this meeting, Canada’s term on the executive committee, as a representative of the Americas sub-region of the APPF, was renewed for another four years. Senator Kutcher served as head of delegation; the other parliamentarians who participated were Senator McPhedran, Senator Oh, Senator Ringuette and Senator Woo.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), in close collaboration with Dr. Hedy Fry, P.C., M.P. and Special Representative on Gender, held a Web Dialogue on “Violence Against Women Journalists and Politicians: A Growing Crisis”. This special event underlined the negative effect gender-based violence (GBV) on democratic institutions and looked for practical solutions to be implemented in all 57 states of the OSCE. The Web Dialogue also served as the opportunity to officially launch the annual report on Gender Issues which had been tabled virtually at the Annual Session in July 2021. The Canadian delegates present included Dr. Hedy Fry, P.C., M.P., Honourable Senators Gwen Boniface and Tony Loffreda, Mr. John Aldag, Mr. Luc Berthold, Mr. Ken Hardie and Ms. Andréanne Larouche.

On 9 November 2021, Mr. David McGuinty, P.C., M.P., President of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU), participated in a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). Participants continued their discussion on the draft IPU Strategy 2022–2026. During the debate, Mr. McGuinty emphasized the important role the IPU plays in enabling information sharing and collaboration between parliamentarians from all over the world. Additionally, the President of the IPU reported on his activities over the last six months and the Secretary General provided an overview of the organization’s activities since the 207th session of the Governing Council in May 2021. Finally, the Executive Committee discussed matters related to IPU membership and preparations for the forthcoming 143rd Assembly.

On November 8, 2021, a delegation from the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU) comprising Senator Rob Black, Senator Amina Gerba and Senator Mohamed-Iqbal Ravalia attended the webinar, “Trade and Health: Parliamentary Perspectives on MC12” as part of the Parliamentary Conference on the World Trade Organization (WTO). Jointly organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the European Parliament, the event was planned to coincide with the Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference scheduled to take place at the end of November 2021. Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the WTO, delivered the keynote address to participants. She emphasized that the post-pandemic potential for higher levels of global trade and more even distribution of economic growth is directly linked to achieving equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines in developing countries. In this respect, she called for parliamentarians to support measures that improve links in the vaccine supply chain, encourage vaccine manufacturing in developing countries, and address intellectual property concerns. Mr. David Walker, Facilitator on the WTO response to the COVID-19 pandemic, also addressed the webinar participants. He noted that the WTO can play an important role in global efforts to address issues in trade and health in light of its comparative advantage and focus on promoting trade among its 164 member states.

Throughout November and December 2021, members of the Canada-China Legislative Association and Canada-Japan Inter-Parliamentary Group participated virtually in the 29th Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), hosted by the National Assembly of South Korea. At this meeting, parliamentarians from across the wider Asia-Pacific region discussed regional, political, economic and environmental issues, as well as the situation of women. The Canadian delegation submitted two resolutions – one on the digital economy and one on women, peace and security – both of which were reflected in the APPF’s final communiqué. Canadian parliamentarians participated in the working group meetings between 8 and 19 November, as well as the plenary sessions and meetings of the drafting committee from 13 to 15 December. The Parliament of Canada is a member of the APPF’s executive committee, and Canadian parliamentarians also participated in the meeting of that committee on 10 November 2021. Following this meeting, Canada’s term on the executive committee, as a representative of the Americas sub-region of the APPF, was renewed for another four years. Senator Kutcher served as head of delegation; the other parliamentarians who participated were Senator McPhedran, Senator Oh, Senator Ringuette and Senator Woo.

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 the second online sitting of the 286th session of the International Executive Committee which took place on November 2, 2021. The meeting provided the members with an opportunity to share their views about the IPU’s draft strategy for 2022–2026.

On 13 and 14 October 2021, the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF), represented by Marie-France Lalonde, Member of Parliament, participated in “Le parlementarisme féminin en France et au Québec : où en sommes-nous?”, a symposium about women in parliament in France and Quebec hosted by the Commission de la mémoire franco-québécoise.

The symposium was chaired by Pauline Marois, who was the Premier of Quebec from 2012 to 2014. This event provided a historical overview of women’s right to vote and a look at the representation of women in Quebec’s National Assembly, the French Senate and France’s National Assembly. Speakers also addressed topics such as the under-representation of women in electoral politics in both France and Quebec and the importance of gender parity within parliaments.

The Plenary Assembly of the Assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) delegates authority to the Bureau to oversee the execution of its decisions. The Bureau is responsible for implementing the Plenary Assembly’s motions, resolutions, opinions and recommendations and may make any decision that will be helpful in that regard. Based on reports from the Secretariat General, it considers issues concerning the admission of branches and changes to their status, and it adopts the APF’s budget.

Francis Drouin, MP, Chair of the Canadian Branch and First Vice President of the APF; Chris d’Entremont, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Branch; and Joël Godin, MP and Chair of the APF Parliamentary Affairs Committee, attended the meeting virtually. Mr. Drouin also chaired the meeting.

Several activity reports were tabled, including the activity report from the APF Parliamentary Secretary General, and the cooperation programs were reviewed. The Treasurer’s report on the accounts for 2020 was also considered, along with the review of the political situation throughout the Francophony.

Joël Godin, Chair of the APF Parliamentary Affairs Committee, spoke about the order of priority for certain APF projects and its budgetary management. Francis Drouin presented a proposed partnership with the Réseau francophone d’éthique et de déontologie parlementaires, as well as the recipient of the Geoffrey Dieudonné award.

Lastly, the chairs of the various committees and networks presented the results of their deliberations. Heads of mission of the various APF regions also provided an update on their respective activities.

The Honourable Éric Forest, Senator, participated in the meeting of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie’s (APF) Cooperation and Development Committee by videoconference on 6 October 2021. Senator Forest proposed that a new project be developed on the impact of climate change on island, coastal and waterfront territories in francophone areas. The Committee approved this proposal.

The Committee also discussed the economic situation in La Francophonie. Senator Forest pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate economic impact on some population groups in Canada, such as women. The Committee also adopted a resolution on rural land use and vitality, and it discussed matters involving climate change and sustainable development in the context of COVID-19, as well as international trade negotiations carried out within the framework of the World Trade Organization.

On September 13, 22 and October 4, 2021, a delegation of Canadian parliamentarians participated in the 13th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Network on Gender Equality (PNGE). The three online events were conducted in ParlAmericas’ official languages: English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. The 13th Gathering of the PNGE explored the ways in which strengthening social supports and services can contribute to addressing the root causes of gender inequality and other forms of social vulnerability, building on conversations spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic on enhancing social protection systems. The question of data was a crosscutting focus of the Gathering, with particular attention to the availability and use of disaggregated data to address the differentiated needs of women and vulnerable groups during the pandemic. The Gathering provided spaces for knowledge-sharing on good practices for more systematic collection of disaggregated data with a view to preventing the gaps in social protection during future crises and to ensuring an overall strengthening of the social safety net. The Honourable Mobina S. B. Jaffer, Senator, was elected as Vice-President (North America) on the Executive Committee of the PNGE.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

From September 28 to 30, 2021, the Hon. Marilou McPhedran and the Hon. Kim Pate, Senators and members of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU), attended the First Global Parliamentary Meeting on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). During this event jointly organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Indonesian House of Representatives, participants had the opportunity to discuss the role of parliamentarians in ensuring the realization of the SDGs by 2030. Several issues were addressed, including climate change, a fair and inclusive recovery to the COVID-19 pandemic, a fair and equal distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally, international cooperation, the needs of vulnerable populations, global inequalities, and universal health coverage.

Senator McPhedran spoke about how the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced our chances of achieving the SDGs on schedule. She explained that missing these targets will cost us more over the long-term; as such, she argued, the world must invest in sustainable development today. She noted that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is warning that financing for sustainable development is at risk of collapsing. Senator McPhedran highlighted that Canada is pursuing innovation in social finance by mobilizing private capital for the public good to enhance its progress on the SDGs.

An outcome document summarizing the meeting is available on the IPU’s website

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) held a virtual event on empowering young political actors in policymaking to address regional and global challenges. The event was part of the OSCE PA’s Call for Action – Helsinki+50 initiative, which aims to revitalize dialogue and the spirit of multilateralism within and beyond the OSCE. The Canadian Delegation to the OSCE PA was represented by Senators Marilou McPhedran and Kim Pate. During the event, Senator McPhedran spoke about the importance of enhancing youth political participation. She shared data on youth political participation in parliaments worldwide and discussed some of the systemic challenges that make it difficult for young people to participate in politics and parliaments.

The CPA’s International Executive Committee (EXCO) meets twice a year, in the spring and just before the annual meeting. This year, the fall meeting was held virtually. The CPA’s constitution authorizes it to control and manage the activities and business of the association. The international executive committee has about 35 members and is led by the chairperson of the CPA. The committee is made up of the officers of the CPA and three representatives from each region (except Africa, which has six representatives given its size).

The Canadian Branch was represented by the Hon. Yuen Pau Woo, Senator.

On September 24, 2021, two Canadian parliamentarians participated in the 57th Meeting of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors:

• Marc G. Serré, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), Member of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors (North America) and Chair of the ParlAmericas Corporation; and

• The Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of CPAM, President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PPCC), 2nd Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation.

Board members approved the minutes of their previous meeting, following which Mr. Serré reported on the business of the ParlAmericas Corporation Board of Directors and Senator Galvez presented the ParlAmericas Corporation’s financial report. Blanca Ovelar, Senator, President of the Board of Directors, then led a discussion about ParlAmericas’ annual workplan and Alisha Todd, Executive Director of ParlAmericas’ International Secretariat, provided a progress update. Board members then reviewed the draft declaration to be presented at the 13th Gathering of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Gender Equality (PNGE). Finally, members of the Board considered ParlAmericas’ future activities, noting the upcoming 18th Plenary Assembly planned for November and December 2021.

On September 13, 22 and October 4, 2021, a delegation of Canadian parliamentarians participated in the 13th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Network on Gender Equality (PNGE). The three online events were conducted in ParlAmericas’ official languages: English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. The 13th Gathering of the PNGE explored the ways in which strengthening social supports and services can contribute to addressing the root causes of gender inequality and other forms of social vulnerability, building on conversations spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic on enhancing social protection systems. The question of data was a crosscutting focus of the Gathering, with particular attention to the availability and use of disaggregated data to address the differentiated needs of women and vulnerable groups during the pandemic. The Gathering provided spaces for knowledge-sharing on good practices for more systematic collection of disaggregated data with a view to preventing the gaps in social protection during future crises and to ensuring an overall strengthening of the social safety net. The Honourable Mobina S. B. Jaffer, Senator, was elected as Vice-President (North America) on the Executive Committee of the PNGE.

On September17, 2021, the Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PNCC), 2nd Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation, chaired a meeting of the PNCC’s Executive Committee. Senator Galvez provided welcoming remarks and other members of the Executive Committee introduced themselves.

The following Executive Committee members attended the meeting: Costa Rican Deputy Paola Vega Rodríguez, the PNCC’s Vice-President (Central America); Ecuadoran Assembly Member Luis Bruno Segovia Mejía, the PNCC’s First Vice-President (South America); Surinamer Member of Parliament Radjendrekoemar Debie, the PNCC’s Second Vice-President (South America); and Trinidadian Senator Anthony Vieira, the PNCC’s Vice-President (The Caribbean).

ParlAmericas’ International Secretariat outlined planned and possible activities for the PNCC during the remainder of 2021–22, and, following a discussion about these activities, Executive Committee members provided updates on their legislature’s recent activities relating to the environment and climate change. Finally, they reviewed their priority themes and actions for the coming months.

The purpose of the Association canadienne d’éducation de langue française (ACELF) is to help young people to meaningfully incorporate the French language and francophone culture into their lives. The Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie was represented by Senator Éric Forest, as an observer. The ACELF presented its activities for the coming year to its members, tabled its financial statements and elected its new executive. The organization presented the training and educational tools offered to its members, particularly for linguistic security and early childhood education, and expressed a desire for increased co-operation with young people. The ACELF also discussed its various activities and webinars and announced that it had updated its website and blog. In addition, the organization paid tribute to some of its members. In closing, the ACELF invited its members to attend major events in 2022, including a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of its Éducation et francophonie review and its 75th Anniversary.

On September 13, 22 and October 4, 2021, a delegation of Canadian parliamentarians participated in the 13th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Network on Gender Equality (PNGE). The three online events were conducted in ParlAmericas’ official languages: English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. The 13th Gathering of the PNGE explored the ways in which strengthening social supports and services can contribute to addressing the root causes of gender inequality and other forms of social vulnerability, building on conversations spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic on enhancing social protection systems. The question of data was a crosscutting focus of the Gathering, with particular attention to the availability and use of disaggregated data to address the differentiated needs of women and vulnerable groups during the pandemic. The Gathering provided spaces for knowledge-sharing on good practices for more systematic collection of disaggregated data with a view to preventing the gaps in social protection during future crises and to ensuring an overall strengthening of the social safety net. The Honourable Mobina S. B. Jaffer, Senator, was elected as Vice-President (North America) on the Executive Committee of the PNGE.

For more information, see the report: Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas

On August 23, 2021, Senator Paul Massicotte, Co-Chair of the Canada–China Legislative Association, participated in the 42nd General Assembly of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) on behalf of both the Canada-China Legislative Association and the Canada-Japan Interparliamentary Group. This virtual meeting was hosted by Brunei Darussalam, which holds the Chair of both ASEAN and AIPA for 2021. The theme of this year’s assembly was “Forging Parliamentary Cooperation in Digital Inclusion Towards ASEAN Community 2025.” Senator Massicotte addressed the assembly by videoconference. He discussed Canada’s contribution to international efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic; the importance of digital connectivity, especially for small businesses; and progress toward a potential free-trade agreement between Canada and ASEAN.

On August 18, 2021, the following members of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM) participated in a virtual meeting organized by CPAM and ParlAmericas’ International Secretariat to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Canada and Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama:

• Marc G. Serré, M.P., Chair of CPAM, Member on ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors (North America) and Chair of the ParlAmericas Corporation;

• The Honourable Rosa Galvez, Senator, Vice-Chair of CPAM, President of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PPCC), 2nd Vice-President of ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors and Treasurer of the ParlAmericas Corporation;

• The Honourable Mobina S. B. Jaffer, Senator;

• The Honourable Marilou McPhedran, Senator; and

• The Honourable Marie-Françoise Mégie, Senator.

Parliamentarians and ambassadors from Canada and the Central American countries noted above met to celebrate key achievements over the past six decades of diplomatic relations and interparliamentary cooperation.

Mr. Serré and María Inés Solís Quirós, Member of Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly and representative on ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors (Central America), provided welcoming remarks.

Senator Galvez then moderated a panel comprising presentations by parliamentary delegations from Canada, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. In highlighting common priorities for Canada and Central American countries, a number of presenters spoke about the importance of interparliamentary cooperation in such areas as trade, gender equality and climate action. Senator Jaffer noted the benefits of open and transparent parliaments, and emphasized the role of interparliamentary cooperation in achieving this transparency in all of ParlAmericas’ member countries.

Finally, Fernando Arce, Member of Panama’s National Assembly and one of Central America’s representatives on ParlAmericas’ Board of Directors, and Her Excellency Sofia Cerrato, Ambassador of Honduras to Canada and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Canada, provided closing remarks. They underscored the success of collaborations among Canada and Central American countries over the last 60 years.

The APF’s Regional Assembly of the Americas brings together all the branches in the Americas region. The Assembly provides branches with the opportunity to meet and discuss themes specific to La Francophonie. The Regional Assembly was held by videoconference from August 3 to 5, 2021. The participating parliamentarians included Chair of the Canadian Branch of the APF Francis Drouin, Marie-France Lalonde, Kristina Michaud, Senator Jean-Guy Dagenais, Vice-chair Chris d’Entremont, Joel Godin and Darrell Samson. The members first heard presentations by Emmanuel Nahimana, Project Manager for Immigration Francophone Nouvelle-Écosse, and Laura Huyng Lê, Economic Immigration Officer, Conseil de développement économique de la Nouvelle-Écosse, on francophone immigration. They were followed by Marie-Claude Rioux, Executive Director of the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse, who gave a presentation on language security. Adrien Comeau, student in education at Université Sainte-Anne; Karim Amedjkouh, Cultural Diversity and Human Rights Coordinator at the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial; and Stéphanie Craig, Consultant in Francization and Oral Language Skills Development at the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial, gave presentations to the Regional Assembly of the Americas on francophone minority education.

The Conference of Branch Chairs (CBC) (Americas Region) of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) carries out the decisions of the Regional Assembly of the Americas. 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 August 3, 2021. Francis Drouin, MP, participated in this meeting as Chair of the Canadian Branch of the APF. At the meeting, Americas Region Chargé de mission Lena Metlege Diab (MLA, Nova Scotia) reported on last year’s activities and updated the members on upcoming activities. She also presented the Region’s finances. The role of the Americas Region was also discussed in the context of the APF’s international activities. Mr. Drouin expressed the hope that the Region would be more involved in these activities in the leadup to Canada’s presidency of the APF in 2022. The members also discussed the revision of the Region’s Constitution. The Branch Chairs (Americas Region) also discussed ways to help and support the Haitian Branch as a member of the APF.

The National Conference of State Legislatures is a bipartisan organization serving the legislators and legislative staff of the 50 U.S. states, as well as its commonwealths and territories. With its standing committees comprised of legislators and legislative staff, the NCSL provides research, technical assistance and a venue for the exchange of ideas on state issues.

On July 21, 2021, the Hon. David McGuinty, P.C., M.P., President of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU), participated in a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). Members of the Executive Committee were updated on the progress made towards the development of the IPU Strategy 2022–2026. They also discussed issues related to future IPU events (such as the Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament and the 143rd Assembly) and internal matters related to the organization’s governance.

Canada as a whole makes up one of the regions of the CPA, and its 14 branches correspond to the provincial and territorial legislative assemblies and the federal Parliament. Within the Canadian region, legislators can take part in a wide range of exchange programs, conferences and seminars. The Canadian region also has its own publication, Canadian Parliamentary Review. The Regional Council is the decision-making body for the Canadian region. Ms. Yasmin Ratansi, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Branch, is a member of the Regional Council.

A few APF member branches met to discuss the APF Opinion that will be presented to the heads of state who are attending the meeting at the upcoming Summit of La Francophonie in Djerba, Tunisia. The APF Opinion is a document of the l’Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie that provides suggested measures on a variety of issues, particularly the promotion of the French language and culture. The APF Opinion is moved, debated and adopted at the summer Annual Session that precedes the Summit of La Francophonie, which is held every two years in the fall. Marie-France Lalonde, Francis Drouin, President of the Canadian Branch, and Senator Jean Guy Dagenais attended the meeting and presented the branch’s suggested modifications to the Opinion, including a suggestion to work with local governments in order to improve access to digital infrastructure and respect the concept of social licence when deploying communication technologies. A final version of the Opinion will be submitted to the branches shortly.

On July 12, 2021, a delegation of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU) participated in the Parliamentary Forum at the United Nations High Level Political Forum on sustainable development. The Hon. David McGuinty, P.C., M.P., President of the UIPU, the Hon. Kim Pate, Senator, the Hon. Marilou McPhedran, Senator, the Hon. Salma Ataullahjan, Senator, the Hon. Rosa Galvez, Senator, and Ms. Lindsay Mathyssen, M.P., were part of the delegation.

During this event, participants discussed the role of parliamentarians and public authorities during times of crisis. They also talked about the part played by the public sector as well as the relationship between public and private actors. Participants highlighted several of the challenges the world is facing, including the global water crisis, inequity and poverty, and climate change, and contemplated how various stakeholders can work together to better address them.

During the discussion on the main theme of the event, Senator McPhedran emphasized that the sustainable development goals (SDGs) are interconnected and that SDG 5 (gender equality and women’s empowerment) complements and reinforces the other 16 goals.

From July 5 to 9, 2021, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) headquarters hosted a conference on the Fourth Industrial Revolution (industry 4.0) entitled CPA Virtual Conference:

The 4th Industrial Revolution. Each day covered a different theme and consisted of panel sessions covering different topics. Presenters included parliamentarians, academics and industry experts. The objective of the conference was to challenge participants to think about how the Commonwealth, parliaments and democracies will evolve in the next 10, 50 or even 100 years.

The conference was attended by the following members of the Canadian Branch of the CPA: The Honourable Terry M. Mercer, Senator, Mr. Terry Duguid, M.P., and Ms. Brenda Shanahan, M.P.

The themes of the conference were:

• What is the 4th Industrial Revolution?

• The 4th Industrial Revolution and Environmental Stewardship

• Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Algorithms

• Big Data and Blockchain

• Cybersecurity and the Internet of Things

During a panel session (Regulating at Speed and Scale), the Honourable Terry M. Mercer, Senator, discussed the findings of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications’ study on automated vehicles, which were published in its 2018 report entitled Driving Change: Technology and the future of the automated vehicle.

MPs Cheryl Gallant (Vice-Chair of the Canadian Section of the NATO PA) and Leona Alleslev participated in this virtual meeting, which included a panel discussion on Space and Security, a panel discussion on Biotechnology: Opportunities and Challenges, and a presentation by the Director of NATO’s Collaboration Support Office (CSO) on CSO’s role within NATO's Science and Technology Organization (STO) and STO cooperation with its partners. Discussion among the attending members followed.