Visit to Canada of the Honourable Kenneth Marende, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Kenya, and a Parliamentary Delegation

From October 3 to 7, 2011, the Honourable Kenneth Marende, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Kenya, led a parliamentary delegation to Ottawa at the invitation of the Honourable Andrew Scheer, Speaker of the House of Commons. The official delegation was composed of: the Honourable Gitobu Imanyara, M.P.; the Honourable Ekwee Ethuro, M.P.; the Honourable Joyce Laboso, M.P.; the Honourable Boni Khalwale, M.P.; the Honourable Mohamed Abdikadir, M.P.; the Honourable Millie Odhiambo, M.P.; and Mr. Patrick Gichohi, Clerk of the National Assembly. They were accompanied by Ms. Consolata Munga, Assistant Deputy Clerk, Director of Committee Services; Ms. Eunice Lumallas, Personal Assistant to the Speaker; Ms. Eunice Gichangi, Senior Legal Officer; as well as Mr. Jacob Ngwele, Clerk Assistant, Secretary to the delegation. His Excellency Simon Nabukwesi, High Commissioner for the Republic of Kenya in Canada and Ms. Salome Kagosha, Second Secretary, also accompanied the delegation during their stay.

In Ottawa, the delegation met with the following:

• The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate;
• The Honourable Andrew Scheer, Speaker of the House of Commons;
• The Honourable John Baird, P.C., M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs;
• Mr. Deepak Obhrai, M.P., Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs;
• The Honourable Donald Oliver, Q.C., Senator and President of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and members of the Group;
• Mr. Russ Hiebert, M.P., Chair of the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and members of the Association;
• The Honourable Mauril Bélanger, P.C., M.P., and the Honourable Raynell Andreychuk, Senator, Co-Chairs of the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association, and members of the Association;
• Members of the Senate Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament;
• Members of the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs;
• Members of the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology;
• Members of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights;
• Members of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Status of Women;
• Members of the House of Commons Committee on Public Accounts;
• Members of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedures and House Affairs;
• Members of the House of Commons Committee on Government Operations and Estimates;
• Mr. Gary O’Brien, Clerk of the Senate and Clerk of the Parliaments;
• Ms. Audrey O’Brien, Clerk of the House of Commons;
• Mr. Mario Dion, Interim Public Sector Integrity Commissioner;
• Ms. Karen E. Shepherd, Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada;
• Mr. Jean-Paul Ruszkowski, President and CEO of the Parliamentary Centre;
• Mr. Gérald Lafrenière, Deputy Principal Clerk, Parliamentary Exchanges, International and Interparliamentary Affairs;
• Mr. Robert Benoit, Deputy Principal Clerk, Journals Branch; and
• Ms. Marie-Danielle Vachon, Deputy Principal Clerk, Table Research Branch.

The delegation also visited a dairy farm in Manotick, Ontario, and toured Kingston. In Kingston, they met with Mr. Peter Milliken, former Speaker of the House of Commons and M.P. for Kingston and the Islands.

The visit served to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries and allowed the delegates to meet with various Canadian officials. A number of topics were discussed, including Kenya’s new constitution, Parliamentary procedure in a bicameral Parliament, the functioning of the Parliament of Canada, the role of officers of Parliament, women’s issues, accountability, immigration, and education.