Visit of the Honourable Geoff Regan, P.C., M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons, and a Parliamentary Delegation, United Kingdom and France

From April 25 to 27, 2016, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Honourable Geoff Regan, P.C., M.P., led a parliamentary delegation on a visit to the United Kingdom and France. The delegation was composed of the Honourable Andrew Leslie, P.C., M.P., Chief Government Whip; Mr. Gord Brown, M.P., Chief Opposition Whip; and Ms. Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet, M.P., Whip of the New Democratic Party. Accompanying the delegation were Mr. Brian Underhill, Chief of Staff, Office of the Speaker, and Ms. Marlene Sandoval, Secretary to the delegation.

In London, United Kingdom, the delegation met with:

• The Right Honourable John Bercow, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons;
• The Right Honourable Lindsay Hoyle, M.P., Deputy Speaker, Chairman of Ways and Means of the House of Commons, and Mr. David Natzler, Clerk of the House of Commons;
• The Right Honourable Sir Alan Haselhurst, M.P., Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Representative for the British Islands and Mediterranean, and Mr. Andrew Tuggey, CPA-United Kingdom Chief Executive & Secretary;
• Mr. Akbar Khan, Secretary-General, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association;
• Mr. Paul Martin, CBE, Director of Parliamentary Security;
• Ms. Anne Foster, Head of Diversity and Inclusion, House of Commons, and Prof. Sarah Childs, Professor of Politics and Gender and Director of the Gender Research Centre at Birmingham University; and
• Mr. Tom Healy, Clerk of the Joint Committee on the Palace of Westminster.

In addition to the above meetings, the delegation was invited to attend Question Time on Education Questions during the sitting of the House of Commons. They also visited the High Commission of Canada to the United Kingdom.

In Paris, France, the delegation met with:

• Mr. Claude Bartolone, President of the National Assembly;
• Mr. Jean-Marie Le Guen, Minister of State to the Prime Minister responsible for Parliamentary Relations;
• Ms. Catherine Coutelle, President of the France-Canada Interparliamentary Association, and members of the Association; and
• The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, P.C., C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D., Secretary-General of the Francophonie.

While in Paris, the delegation also attended the session of questions to the Government at the National Assembly, and was recognized by President Bartolone. They attended the inaugural seminar on Canada of the French Institute for International Relations, at which Speaker Regan was invited to deliver the opening remarks, and met with The Hon. Lawrence Cannon, P.C., Ambassador of Canada to France, and with Ms. Michelle d’Auray, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The purpose of the visit was to renew and strengthen relations with the Palace of Westminster and the National Assembly of France. The visit provided opportunities to discuss issues related to parliamentary governance as well as procedural and administrative matters. Topics of common interests were deliberated upon, such as the security of the parliamentary precincts, work-life balance for parliamentarians, programs to support parliamentarians with disabilities, and the long terms plans for the renovation of the parliamentary precincts. The delegation also had an opportunity to deliberate on a range of issues concerning the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

View report.