Visit of the Honourable Geoff Regan, P.C., M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons, and a Parliamentary Delegation, Mexico
From March 27-29, 2017, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Honourable Geoff Regan, P.C., M.P., led a parliamentary delegation on an official visit to the United Mexican States. The delegation was composed of the Honourable Michelle Rempel, P.C., M.P.; Mr. Murray Rankin, M.P.; and Mr. William Amos, M.P. Accompanying the delegation were Mr. Brian Underhill, Chief of Staff, Office of the Speaker, and Ms. Caroline Massicotte, Secretary to the delegation.
While in Mexico, the capital of the United Mexican States, the delegation met with:
- His Excellency Pablo Escudero Morales, Speaker of the Senate;
- Her Excellency Guadalupe Murguia, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies;
- His Excellency Luis Videgaray Caso, Secretary of Foreign Affairs;
- Senator Blanca Alcala Ruiz, Vice-President of the Senate;
- Senator Gabriela Cuevas Barron, Chair of Foreign Affairs Committee of the Senate;
- Deputy Victor Giorgana Jiménez, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, and Deputy Alejandra Noemi Reynoso Sánchez, Secretary of the Executive Board.
Speaker Regan had the privilege to address the Senado de la República. The delegation also met with Mr. Fernando Uriarte Zazueta, Chair of the Canada-Mexico Friendship Group; members of the Friendship Group and members of the foreign affairs committees.
Aside from these meetings, the delegation visited TransCanada's facilities and met with representatives of Canadian companies doing business in the United Mexican States (Air Canada, Bombardier, Scotiabank, Torex Gold) and with a representative of Export Development Canada (EDC). The delegation also discussed economic, political, security and immigration issues with academic researchers and think tanks.
The delegation visited the centre operated by the Scalabriniani Mission with Migrants and Refugees (SMR), an organization that promotes and defends the rights of migrants and asylum seekers, and provides advocacy and assistance to human rights defenders. Finally, the delegation met with various civil society actors who promote and defend the rights of women in Mexico.
The purpose of the visit was to strengthen and reaffirm relations with the Mexico and to discuss common concerns, including security, trade and the political context in North America. Migration, gender equality and co-operation in the fields of education, labour and development were also discussed.