Visit to Canada of the Honourable Stephen Parry, Senator, President of the Senate of Australia

From May 31 to June 2, 2015 the Honourable Stephen Parry, Senator, President of the Senate of Australia, visited Ottawa at the invitation of the Honourable Leo Housakos, Speaker of the Senate and the Honourable Andrew Scheer, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons.  President Parry was accompanied by Mrs. Allison Parry and Ms. Leanne Holland, Counsellor to President Parry.  His Excellency Tony Negus, APM, High Commissioner of Australia to Canada, and Mr. Lucas Robson, Second Secretary, also accompanied President Parry during the visit.

While in Ottawa, President Parry met with:

• The Honourable Leo Housakos, Speaker of the Senate;
• The Honourable Andrew Scheer, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons;
• Mr. Ryan Leef, M.P., Chair of the Canada–Australia–New Zealand Friendship Group and members of the Friendship Group;
• Mr. Charles Robert, Clerk of the Senate and Clerk of the Parliaments; Mr. Michel Patrice, Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel and Chief Parliamentary Precinct Services Officer, Senate; Ms. Nicole Proulx, Chief Corporate Services Officer, Senate; Ms. Hélène Bouchard, Director, Information Services Directorate, Senate; and Ms. Khatera Akbari, Quality Assurance Leader, Finance and Procurement Directorate, Senate;
• Mr. Marc Bosc, Acting Clerk of the House of Commons, and Mr. Mark Watters, Chief Financial Officer of the House of Commons;
• Mr. Alain Laniel, Chief, Security Operations, Senate, and Mr. Marc Moreau, Head, Security Operations, House of Commons;
• Mr. Michel Denault, Superintendent, Special Events-Emergency Planning, House of Commons; and
• Mr. Todd Shean, Acting Deputy Commissioner, Federal Policing, Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The visit to Canada provided an opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations between the two parliaments.  Discussions on parliamentary administration offered a different point of view on how both parliaments operate.  Other discussions included parliamentary cooperation and diplomacy, security and anti-terrorism.