The Honourable George J. Furey, Q.C., Speaker of the Senate, visited England from May 10 - 14, 2018.

The delegation has the honour to present its

Report

The official delegation was comprised of the following members:

• The Honourable George J. Furey, Q.C., Speaker of the Senate;
• Mrs. Karen Furey; and
• Mr. Stuart Barnable, Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the Senate.

Background—United Kingdom

On June 23, 2016, the United Kingdom held a referendum which asked Britons whether or not the U.K. should remain in the European Union (EU). 51.9% voted to leave. In response to the referendum result, Prime Minister David Cameron announced in July 2016 that he would step down. He was replaced by Theresa May, then Home Secretary.

Prime Minister May invoked Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty on March 29, 2017, giving the U.K. two years to negotiate its departure terms. In July 2017, the U.K. Government introduced Bill 2017-19, A Bill to repeal the European Communities Act 1972 and make other provisions in connection with the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU, which received Royal Assent on June 26, 2018.

Once the withdrawal is complete, it is expected that the U.K. will no longer be part of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which will have a considerable impact on Canadian interests as merchandise trade with the U.K. accounts for 25% of trade with the EU. Both countries have committed to ensure that there is a seamless transition of Canada-EU agreements to a bilateral context. CETA will apply to Canada—U.K. trade until the U.K. formally leaves the EU. While any new bilateral trade arrangement between Canada and the U.K. will depend on the new relationship that the U.K. and EU negotiate, both PM May and PM Trudeau have committed to a smooth transition to the extent possible, so that the benefits of CETA could continue after the U.K. departs the EU. Whatever the outcome of Brexit, the U.K. will remain a significant market for Canadian companies.

Canada and the U.K. maintain a close and mutually beneficial relationship based on deep shared traditions and history, common values, and strong economic ties. This relationship is enhanced by partnerships in numerous international forums and the fact that both countries prioritize security, defence, and intelligence co-operation.

Objectives

The main objectives of the visit to England were to:

• Enhance relations between Canada and the United Kingdom;
• Reinforce ties between the Senate of Canada and the House of Lords;
• Strengthen relations between the Parliament of Canada and the Palace of Westminster; and
• Deepen ties with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada and the monarchy.

Meetings—England

While in England, the Speaker met with:

• Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II; and
• The Right Honourable the Lord Fowler, Lord Speaker of the House of Lords.

Personal Audience with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

One of the primary objectives of the visit to England was to strengthen the ties between the monarchy and Canada’s Parliament. Speaker Furey had the honour of being invited to a personal audience with Her Majesty. The audience was organized in connection with the presentation of the Queen Victoria State Sleigh to the Senate of Canada. This unique element of The Royal Collection reinforces ties between the Crown and The Parliament of Canada and serves as a reminder of Canada’s first post-Confederation Sovereign. It will complement the Royal Portraits in the Senate of Canada when the Senate moves to its new temporary location in the former Government Conference Centre. The personal audience took place on Saturday, May 12, 2018, at Windsor Castle, and was attended by Her Royal Highness, The Countess of Wessex, Lord Sam Vestey Bt, KCVO, GCStJ, DL, Master of the Horse, Toby Browne LVO, Crown Equerry, Terry Pendry, MVO, BEM, Head Groom to Her Majesty the Queen and Ms. Susan Pendry, MVO.

Meeting with Lord Fowler, Lord Speaker of the House of Lords

This meeting was an opportunity for Speaker Furey to discuss the renovation and rehabilitation process of the Palace of Westminster with his counterpart in the House of Lords. Lord Fowler provided some insights as to what has been done so far and how such a big undertaking can be disruptive to the work and procedures of Parliament. Speaker Furey briefly spoke of what had been done so far by the Senate and the House of Commons and offered an overview of the expected next steps for the closing of Centre Block in the coming months.

Speaker Furey and Lord Fowler then briefly discussed the Burns Committee Report on the size of the House of Lords. The committee, established by Lord Fowler in December 2016 and chaired by the Lord Burns, was mandated to explore methods by which the House of Lords’ size could be reduced and made proportional with its current role and functions.

Both agreed that parliamentary diplomacy is beneficial to both countries. It was mentioned that it is through exchanges like these that parliamentarians are able to discuss issues of mutual interest and exchange ideas, with the goal of further enhancing already strong bilateral relations.

Visit to The Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace

Speaker Furey had the honour of being invited for an exclusive personal tour of The Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace, as the honoured guest of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The visit was organized in connection with the presentation of the Queen Victoria State Sleigh to the Senate of Canada. This personal tour was hosted by Mr. Alex Garty MVO, Transport Manager to The Queen and Mrs. Maureen Garty. The Royal Mews is home to the royal collection of historic coaches and carriages. The Royal Mews also houses the state vehicles, both horse-drawn carriages and motor cars used for coronations, state visits, royal weddings, the State Opening of Parliament and official engagements.

Acknowledgements

The members of the Canadian delegation wish to thank the staff of the High Commission of Canada in London for their logistical assistance.

The members of the delegation are also grateful for the dedication shown by Mr. Terry Pendry, LVO, BEM., Stud Groom to Her Majesty The Queen, and for his help in organizing the visit to Windsor. They would also like to thank Ms. Žana Paul, House of Lords Overseas Office, for her assistance with the planning and for her co-operation and support during the visit itself.

Finally, the delegates wish to thank Global Affairs Canada and the Library of Parliament for the documentation provided in preparation for their visit.

Respectfully submitted,

The Honourable George J. Furey, Q.C.
Speaker of the Senate