Visit to Canada of Senator the Honourable John Hogg, Senator, President of the Senate of Australia

From July 13 to 16, 2012, the Honourable John Hogg, Senator, President of the Senate of Australia, visited Québec and Ottawa at the invitation of the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate.

The President met with the Speaker of the Senate of Canada in Québec City. The meeting was followed by a working dinner with senators representing the province of Quebec. President Hogg then travelled to Ottawa where he met with:

• Mr. Gary W. O’Brien, Clerk of the Senate;
• Ms. Audrey O’Brien, Clerk of the House of Commons;
• Mr. Peter Feltham, Chief, Network Services, Senate;
• Mr. Soufiane Ben Moussa, Acting Chief Technology Officer, House of Commons;
• Mr. Louis Lefebvre, Director, Information Technology Operations, House of Commons;
• Mr. Christopher Karson, Acting Manager, Information Technology Security, House of Commons;
• Mr. D’Arcy McPherson, Managing Editor, Debates Services, Senate;
• Ms. Elaine Diguer, Director, Multimedia Services and ISD Business Planning, House of Commons;
• Ms. Marysa Oueriemmi, Director, Building Services, Senate;
• Ms. Mary-Lynn Gallant, Director, Accommodation Services, House of Commons;
• Mr. Mostafa Askari, Director General, Economic and Fiscal Analysis, Library of Parliament; and
• Mr. Sahir Khan, Director General, Expenditure and Revenue Analysis, Library of Parliament.

The visit to Canada provided an opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries and compare work processes in both Parliaments. A variety of subjects were discussed including information technologies, disability access and parliamentary budget offices.