Participation of the Honourable Francis Scarpaleggia, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons, to the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC), New Delhi, India

From January 14 to 18, 2026, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Honourable Francis Scarpaleggia, participated in the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC), held in New Delhi, India.

Plenary sessions focused on the impact of emerging technologies on parliamentary work, including artificial intelligence and social media; strategies to strengthen public understanding of Parliament and citizen engagement; and issues related to the security, health, and wellbeing of members of Parliament and parliamentary staff. A special plenary session also examined the role of Speakers and Presiding Officers in maintaining strong democratic institutions.

The Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth brings together Speakers and Presiding Officers of national and subnational parliaments from across the Commonwealth. It was established in 1969 as an initiative of the then Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada, the Honourable Lucien Lamoureux. Since its inception, Canada has provided the CSPOC Secretariat in support of the Conference’s activities.

During the conference, the Speaker also conducted bilateral meetings with counterparts from other Commonwealth legislatures, as well as with parliamentary leaders.