Visit of the Honourable Francis Scarpaleggia, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons, and a Parliamentary Delegation, to the United Kingdom

From November 12 to 13, 2025, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Honourable Francis Scarpaleggia, led a parliamentary delegation to the United Kingdom. The delegation consisted of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, P.C., M.P., Dean Allison, M.P., and Martin Champoux, M.P. Accompanying the delegation were Tommy Desfossés, Chief of Staff, Office of the Speaker, and David-Andrés Novoa, Parliamentary Exchanges Officer.

The delegation met with:

• The Right Honourable the Lord McFall of Alcluith, Speaker of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom;
• The Right Honourable Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom;
• Stephen Twigg, Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association;
• Ugbana Oyet, Serjeant at Arms of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom;
• Members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Canada;
• Security Directors of the United Kingdom Parliament; and
• Members of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, United Kingdom Branch.

The objectives of the visit were to reaffirm the importance of parliamentary diplomacy by focusing on global challenges confronting both countries, including online disinformation and its threat to democracy, political polarization and its effects on parliamentary debates, and violence against legislators. Other topics of discussion included foreign interference in parliaments, Canada’s experience with the renovation of its parliamentary buildings, and the differences in parliamentary procedure between the two countries.

Additionally, the delegation was invited to take part in the Turning of the Page Ceremony for the Books of Remembrance at the United Kingdom House of Commons. It also visited the Garden of Remembrance at the Palace of Westminster, as well as the Canadian Section of the Brookwood Military Cemetery to lay a wreath in honour of the Canadian soldiers laid to rest there.

The report will be available once it has been tabled in the House of Commons.