WELCOMING REMARKS

SESSION 1: EVALUATING THE ACTIVITIES OF

INTERNATIONAL PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLIES

SEPTEMBER 10, 2010

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Information:
Heather Bradley
Director of Communications
613-995-7882

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It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the 9th Meeting of the Speakers of the
Lower Houses of the G8. Welcome to Ottawa in our beautiful parliament
Buildings!

I’d like to take an opportunity to introduce the heads of delegation:

Germany
His Excellency Dr. Norbert Lammert
President of the Bundestag of the Federal Republic of Germany

United States of America

The Honourable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States of America

France
His Excellency Bernard Accoyer
President of the National Assembly of France

Italy
His Excellency Gianfranco Fini
President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Republic

United Kingdom
The Right Honourable John Bercow
Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland

Japan
The Honourable Takahiro Yokomichi
Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan

European Parliament
The Honourable Jerzy Buzek
President of the European Parliament

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Russia
His Excellency Oleg Morozov
First Deputy Speaker of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian
Federation

It is particularly my pleasure to open this Ninth Meeting of the G8 Speakers as I

had the honour of hosting the inaugural Speakers’ Meeting in my hometown of
Kingston, Ontario eight years ago. As you may recall, the two-day meeting was
focused on three topics that were important then and continue to be important
today: the strengthening of parliamentary committees, parliamentary diplomacy,
and democracy and terrorism.

In my fulfilling career as Speaker, I must say that one of the most rewarding parts
of this role has been the opportunity to meet with other parliamentarians and
discuss issues of common concern.

Each of our respective Heads of Government, after gathering in Muskoka on 25–26

June, agreed that the G8 is bound together by a shared vision recognizing that
major global challenges can and must be addressed in partnership with the global
community.

The G8 Muskoka Declaration is coloured with optimism and hopes of recovery

from the global economic crisis. It charges our nations to see the opportunity to
progress, where mere months ago our prosperity was in doubt.

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The G8 Speakers’ Meeting is unique in that it is a multilateral forum where heads
of legislatures and parliaments can meet regularly for an open dialogue on
important issues related to their respective parliaments.

Through our work on legislation, scrutinizing government spending and debating

policy, parliamentarians play a central role in supporting global cooperation and in
the implementation of the Muskoka Declaration.

The work of this group is of immense value to parliamentarians, governments and

to civil society. This group has taken an active role in addressing some of the most
challenging issues of our time.

Since the inaugural Speakers’ Meeting in 2002, we have met in every G8 country
and have considered the role of parliaments in combating the drug trade and
organized crime; in promoting peace and disarmament; and in supporting new and
emerging democracies and parliaments.

In Canada, we place great importance on meetings such as these, and generally in

international parliamentary relations. They enable us to play a critical role that
complements and enhances diplomatic initiatives undertaken by our government,
and to strengthen our ties to international bodies and other parliaments.

As we begin this ninth meeting, I would like to congratulate everyone present for
making these gatherings such a success.

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Canada’s work in contributing to inter-parliamentary relations is accomplished
through several means: parliamentary associations and inter-parliamentary groups,
parliamentary conferences, parliamentary exchanges, and protocol events.

In Canada, we have a well-established system of parliamentary associations and

inter-parliamentary groups. There are currently 12 recognized associations, which
include the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association, the Canadian Branch of the
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée
parlementaire de la Francophonie, and the Canadian Group on the Inter-
Parliamentary Union.

Through participation in such associations, Canadian parliamentarians are able to

open dialogues on difficult subjects through the relationships they develop with
parliamentarians of many other nations.

One highly noteworthy example of how personal relationships can be effective in

international relations is the effort of international parliamentarians, who through
formal and informal discussions via the Inter-Parliamentary Union, were
instrumental in generating support for the Mine Ban Treaty. As you are aware,
this treaty became formally known as the Convention on the Prohibition of the
Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their
Destruction.

Parliamentary conferences are an excellent mechanism to enable large numbers of

parliamentarians to meet and exchange ideas. Canada has hosted many such
conferences, including the Sixth Plenary Meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Forum

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of the Americas (FIPA) in 2009 and the Fall Meetings of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE PA)
in 2008. These conferences provide critical forums for international parliamentary
dialogue on a range of issues.

Parliamentary exchanges can include simple exchanges of information or

reciprocal visits by speakers of parliaments or other parliamentary officers.

Despite the important role of inter-parliamentary relations and the work of

parliamentarians in the international arena, we are regularly faced with challenges,
particularly in difficult economic times. Public perception of the work of
parliamentarians in relation to inter-parliamentary affairs has not always been kind.
The public tends not to appreciate fully the value of the work that we do in these
areas, and as a result questions the need for such activities. This periodically leads
to pressure to reduce budgets for parliamentary associations and conferences.

An unfortunate consequence of budget cuts is that there may be an untoward

reliance on third-party sponsored travel: that is, travel sponsored by particular
states or organizations who may have particular interests or perspectives that they
wish to promote. These kinds of sponsored activities cannot be allowed to be
substitutes for inter-parliamentary activities in which parliamentarians themselves
set the agenda and determine for themselves what issues are worthy of discussing
and promoting.

I would now like to turn to the first session of our Ninth Meeting, and the topic
proposed by His Excellency, the President of the National Assembly of France,

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Bernard Accoyer: “Evaluating the Activities of International Parliamentary
Assemblies and Inter-parliamentary Relations.”

It seems to me, in light of some of my earlier remarks, that this topic is most
appropriate and timely, given the challenges faced by parliamentarians in their
work in inter-parliamentary relations. The topic enables us to reflect on the work
we do in this area. To reflect on how inter-parliamentary relations have evolved
over the course of several decades; on the new global challenges and how
parliamentarians may rise to meet these challenges; and finally to consider ways to
address the challenges posed by budgetary pressures in relation to the work of
inter-parliamentary affairs.

Our lead speaker will be Mr. Bernard Accoyer. In addition to his role as the
President of the National Assembly of France, Mr. Accoyer is the Mayor of
Annecy-le-Vieux. He has served as a député in the National Assembly since 1993,
having been re-elected on successive occasions. He continues to occupy that post.

His political activities include the position of Chairman of the Union pour un
movement populaire (UMP) Group from May 2004 to June 2007 and first Vice-
Chairman from 2002 to 2004.

It is my pleasure to welcome Mr. Bernard Accoyer.