Visit to Ottawa of Mr. Jacques Chagnon, M.N.A., President of the National Assembly of Quebec

On December 12 and 13, 2011, Mr. Jacques Chagnon, President of the National Assembly of Quebec, visited Ottawa at the invitation of the Honourable Andrew Scheer, Speaker of the House of Commons. He was accompanied by Mr. Michel Bonsaint, Secretary General of the National Assembly of Quebec; Ms. Johanne Whittom, Chief of Staff, Office of the President; Ms. Ariane Mignolet, Executive Director of Legal and Parliamentary Affairs; and Mr. Dominic Toupin, Director, Interparliamentary and International Relations.

In Ottawa, President Chagnon held meetings with:

• The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate;
• The Honourable Andrew Scheer, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons;
• The Honourable Pierre De Bané, P.C., Senator, member of the Executive Committee of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF);
• The Honourable Claudette Tardif, Senator, Chair of the Canada-France Interparliamentary Association;
• Mr. Randy Hoback, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas; and
• Ms. Audrey O’Brien, Clerk of the House of Commons.

The visit was an opportunity to foster bilateral relations between the legislatures of Quebec and Canada. Many topics were discussed during the various meetings, including parliamentary diplomacy, life in politics, parliamentary procedure, financing and the influence of parliamentary associations. The delegation also visited the Peace Tower Carillon and attended a performance.