Visit to Canada of Mr. William Hay, M.L.A., Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and a Parliamentary Delegation

From May 12 to 15, 2008, at the invitation of the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate, Mr. William Hay, M.L.A., Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly led a parliamentary delegation to Ottawa and Halifax. The delegation was composed of members of the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission: Mr. Stephen Moutray, M.L.A.; Mr. Paul Butler, M.L.A.; Reverend Dr. Robert Coulter, M.L.A.; and Mr. Sean Neeson, M.L.A. Also accompanying the delegation were Mr. Tony Logue, Clerk of the Assembly Commission, Mr. Hugh Widdis, Legal Adviser to the Assembly Secretariat and Ms. Frances Leneghan, Private Secretary to the Speaker.

In Ottawa, the delegation met with:

• The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate;
• The Honourable Peter Milliken, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons;
• The Honourable David Smith, Senator, P.C., Chair of the Canada-United Kingdom Interparliamentary Association;
• Members of the Senate Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration;
• Mr. Paul C. Bélisle, Clerk of the Senate and Clerk of the Parliaments;
• Ms. Audrey O’Brien, Clerk of the House of Commons and Secretary to the Board of Internal Economy;
• Mr. Gilles Duguay, Director General, Parliamentary Precinct Services, Senate;
• Ms. Brigitte Desjardins, Director, Accommodation Planning and Projects, Senate;
• Ms. Diane Boucher, Director of Communications, Senate;
• Ms. Jill Anne Joseph, Manager, Strategic Planning, Senate;
• Ms. Dianne Brydon, Director, Parliamentary Public Programs, Library of Parliament;
• Ms. Kathryn Butler Malette, General Director, Human Resources and Corporate Planning Services, House of Commons;
• Ms. Lyette Fortin, Director, Architecture and Program Strategic Planning, House of Commons; and
• Mr. Scott Valentine, Head, Corporate Planning, House of Commons.

In Halifax, the delegation met with:

• The Honourable Alfie MacLeod, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia;
• The Honourable Russell MacLellan, Former Premier and Co-Chair, Democracy 250;
• Members of the Legislature Internal Economy Board of Nova Scotia;
• Mr. Greg Lusk, Executive Director, Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal; and
• Mr. Stephen Lund, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nova Scotia Business Inc.

The members of the delegation were particularly interested in learning more on the role of the boards on Internal Economy at the federal and provincial level, as well as the procedures that guide their work. They were also interested in learning more on recent initiatives at the Parliament of Canada and the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia in the areas of building construction, outreach programs and corporate planning. The visit provided the members of the Commission with information and tools to help them move forward several important initiatives in their Assembly. The visit also served to further strengthen the ties between Canada and Northern Ireland.