Visit to Canada of Senator the Honourable John Hogg, President of the Senate of Australia, and a Parliamentary Delegation

From April 18 to 26, 2009, Senator the Honourable John Hogg, President of the Senate of Australia, led a parliamentary delegation to Quebec, Ottawa and Toronto, at the invitation of the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate. The delegation was composed of the Honourable Bob Baldwin, M.P., the Honourable Dick Adams, M.P., Mr. Barry Haase, M.P., Senator the Honourable Bill Heffernan, the Honourable John Murphy, M.P., Ms. Belinda Neil, M.P., Mr. Gerard Martin, Senior Advisor to the President of the Senate and Mr. Nick Tate, Delegation Secretary. The official delegation was also accompanied by His Excellency Justin Brown, High Commissioner of Australia to Canada and Ms. Melissa Fransen, First Secretary from the High Commission of Australia to Canada.

In Quebec, the delegation met with:

• The Honourable Yvon Vallières, M.N.A., President of the National Assembly of Quebec;
• Mr. André Maltais, Associate Secretary General, Secrétariat aux affaires autochtones;
• Mr. Martin Breault, Secretary, Ministère des Relations internationales;
• Jean-Sylvain Lebel, Associate Deputy Minister (Mining), Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune;
• Ms. Lucie Ste-Croix, Director General for Mining Management, Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune; and
• Dr. David Mendel, Canadian Cultural Landscapes.

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 Peter McKay, P.C., M.P., Minister of National Defence;
• The Honourable Lisa Raitt, P.C., M.P., Minister of Natural Resources;
• The Honourable Tony Clement, P.C., M.P., Minister of Industry;
• The Honourable Stockwell Day, P.C., M.P., Minister of International Trade;
• The Honourable Michael Meighen, Senator, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking Trade and Commerce;
• The Honourable Consiglio Di Nino, Senator, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade;
• The Honourable David Angus, Senator, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources;
• The Honourable Joseph Day, Senator, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance;
• The Honourable Wilfred Moore, Senator, Member of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce;
• The Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples;
• The Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development;
• Members of the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association;
• Mr. David Stewart, Executive Vice-President, Canadian Council of Chief Executives; and
• Mr. Sam Boutziouvis, Vice-President Economics and International Trade, Canadian Council of Chief Executives.

In Toronto, the delegation met with:

• The Honourable Steve Peters, M.P.P., Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario;
• The Honourable John Gerretsen, M.P.P., Minister of the Environment;
• The Honourable Brad Duguid, M.P.P., Minister of Aboriginal Affairs;
• Mr. Bob Delaney, M.P.P., Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Research and Innovation; and
• Mr. Monte Kwinter, M.P.P., Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment.

The visit provided an opportunity to pursue bilateral relations between both countries and for the delegation to meet with various Canadian federal and provincial government officials, as well as visit Australians residing in Canada. A number of subjects were discussed during the meetings, including the global economic crisis, trade and investment, climate change, natural resources management and aboriginal issues. The delegation visited the Société de la protection des forêts contre le feu, the Service aérien gouvernement, Canadian War Museum, the CN Tower, and the Art Gallery of Ontario. The delegation attended an ANZAC Day ceremony at the Canadian Forces College. The delegation concluded their week with a visit to Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake.