Sources: Statutes of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the IPU website.

 

Once Canada’s invitation had been accepted, a committee headed by Senator Belcourt was established to oversee Canadian arrangements for the 23^rd Conference. In addition to the government’s planned contribution of $10,000, Canadian delegates to the conference were asked to make a personal contribution of 40 Swiss francs, or about $7.75 at the time.

At the beginning of the Washington–Ottawa Conference, controversy arose out of the U.S. government’s refusal to allow a communist British MP to enter the country. A lively debate ensued in the Inter-Parliamentary Council, as many members felt that an important point of principle was at stake: namely, could a host parliament or government discriminate against individual delegates wishing to attend an IPU conference?

In Ottawa, Senator Belcourt presided over the conference with U.S. Senator McKinley as Vice-President. Both Sir Robert Borden and Senator Beaubien acted temporarily as presidents. Two sessions were held in the House of Commons: one on “The fight against dangerous drugs,” which ended with the matter being sent back to committee; and the other on “The problem of national minorities,” which resulted in the adoption of a resolution. The newspaper Le Droit reported that: “Yesterday, during its 23^rd Conference ..., the Inter-Parliamentary Union voted unanimously to recognize the principle of minority rights.”

A total of 41 parliaments were represented by 290 delegates. Canada welcomed the delegates at Niagara Falls and gave them a five-day tour by train of Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal and the city of Québec.

1926

No conference was held this year. However, the IPU Executive Committee met in March. At that meeting, Senator Dandurand indicated that members of the Canadian Group were required to sign a declaration stating their adhesion to the statutes of the Union.

1927

Senators Dandurand and Belcourt attended the 24^th Conference, which took place in Paris and brought together some 400 delegates from 34 parliaments. Senator Dandurand opened the general debate on the first day. During the debate, Senator Belcourt talked about the current conditions of parliamentary government; he urged the need for a thorough study of its shortcomings and failures, as well as the need for improvement. Following his recommendation, it was decided unanimously to make this a principal question for discussion and action at the next conference, and the item was placed on the agenda.

1928

The Canadian Group met in April, and decided to set the annual membership contribution at $5.

The 25^th Conference in Berlin was attended by five Canadians: senators Dandurand, Belcourt and Beaubien, as well as Murray MacLaren, MP, and Justice Charles Wilson, a former MP attending as an observer. A total of 475 delegates from 38 parliaments were present. Senator Belcourt tabled a report on the conference in the Senate in June 1929. He urged other senators to join the Canadian Group, stating that “all parliamentarians are eligible, and upon becoming members are entitled to receive the publications of the Union, including the full and complete annual report of the proceedings of its Conference, and are thus afforded very valuable information not easily obtained elsewhere.” He noted that the first item on the agenda of the conference – parliamentary evolution – had been placed on the order paper following his urgent request at the 1927 Conference.

In August, Senator Dandurand attended an IPU Executive Committee meeting, where he recommended that Justice Charles Wilson be accepted as a member of the Canadian Group; he explained that Justice Wilson was more readily able than current MPs to travel to overseas conferences. The names of two other former legislators in two other member parliaments were also proposed. The Executive Committee endorsed them as members of those groups.

1929–1930

No conference was held in 1929, but the Canadian Group met in April. Senator Dandurand pointed out that the Group had paid less than the expected contribution of about $600 to the Union for the past few years, and that the Union’s revenues were insufficient to support its work. It was resolved: “That the Canadian Group agrees to increase its annual contribution from $400 to $600 and to pay the arrears, amounting to $400, or $200 for each of the years 1927 and 1928. And that the Government of Canada be approached with the view to increase its annual grant.”

In 1930, the Canadian Group elected a new President, Murray MacLaren, MP. At the 26^th Conference held in London that year, Canada was represented by Justice Wilson alone, as a general election was to be held soon after the conference. Only 32 parliaments were represented, and 439 delegates participated. James Douglas noted: “At the beginning of the 1930s, the Union was faced with the thorny problem of Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany; this was the first time that a deep political division between members divided the Union.”

1931

Arthur Beauchesne, Clerk of the House of Commons and Secretary of the Canadian IPU Group, organized a meeting of the Group in July, and Senator Beaubien was elected President for a second time. He held this position until 1938.

In 1931, Michael Luchkovich, MP, attended the 27^th Conference held in Bucharest, which brought together 145 delegates from 20 parliaments. Reporting on his participation, Mr. Luchkovich stated:

The great value of such conferences lies not only in the opportunity given to discuss pressing and vital world problems but also in enabling delegates from various parts of the world to intermingle and learn more about each other. In view, therefore, of the ever-increasing inter-dependence of nations there cannot be too many conferences such as has been described in the above report. Canada would be well advised to send her full quota of delegates to the next conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

1932–1936

Justice Wilson attended the 28^th Conference held in Geneva in 1932, and also the 31^st Conference held in Brussels in 1935. Later that year, however, following a general election, the Canadian Group was not reconstituted. The Secretary of the Canadian Group told the IPU headquarters that he hoped the Group would be reconstituted following the general election.

1937

Senator Dandurand took part in the 33^rd Conference held in Paris. The President of the conference, Mario Roustan, of France, announced:

Dear colleagues, a colleague just arrived to whom I wish to express my sympathy, respect and friendship. He is one of our most loved and respected senior members, Mr. Dandurand. He came to shake my hand, recalling that he had attended a meeting here in 1900. Nearly forty years ago! Forty years of service! Fortunately, the Inter-Parliamentary Union has not lowered the retirement age and Mr. Dandurand continues to serve the IPU with all his might. I offer him my warmest thanks.

None of us has forgotten how he welcomed the Inter-Parliamentary Union to Canada in 1925, and I add to this memory the assurance of our respectful and affectionate friendship.

Senator Dandurand replied:

Mr. President, I am very grateful for the warm welcome you have given me. Unfortunately, my health prevented me from attending this meeting earlier. However, I did want to make an appearance. I have been following the debate since the start of the conference, and I want to congratulate you and the other delegates on the large amount of important work that has been presented and the conclusions you have drawn.

He was warmly applauded by the delegates.

Later that year, Mr. Beauchesne informed Léopold Boissier, IPU Secretary General, that he could no longer serve as Secretary of the Canadian Group and that Paul Martin Sr., MP, had agreed to act on a temporary basis as Honorary Secretary.

1938

The Canadian Group met in June. Its President, Senator Beaubien, explained that the Group had not been active for some time for two main reasons. First, Parliament was no longer providing an annual grant to the Group, and members were not paying membership fees. Second, parliamentarians were increasingly involved in new parliamentary associations, which left less time for participation in IPU activities. The President further stressed:

There can be no question of the desirability of having a Canadian Branch of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and because of this fact a real effort has to be made to vitalize Canadian interest and participation in the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

The minutes of the meeting record that Senator Dandurand also spoke:

The Honourable Senator Dandurand asked leave to address the Assembly and spoke in eulogistic manner of the merits of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. He was supported in this sentiment of approval by other members who spoke or gave expression of approval.

The Group then decided to reconstitute its Executive Committee as follows: Hugh Alexander Stewart, MP, was elected President, replacing Senator Beaubien who declined to be re-elected; Senator David Ovide L’Espérance, Vice-President; Paul Martin, Honorary Secretary. The minutes further state:

The Honorary Secretary, Mr. Martin, explained that there were no funds available for use of the Canadian Branch of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and suggested that there should be a subscription fee, which met with unanimous approval. It was tentatively agreed that there should be a subscription fee of $5.00 and the Honorary Secretary was instructed to canvass members of the House of Commons and Senate in this connection. Most of those in attendance at the meeting promptly made their subscription available at once to the Honorary Secretary.

Although the Group was revitalized, no Canadian delegates attended the 34^th Conference in The Hague.

1939–1946

Canada was not represented at the 35^th Conference in Oslo in 1939. The Second World War broke out in September 1939 and, as a result, no conferences were held between 1940 and 1946. However, the Inter-Parliamentary Council met in 1940 and again in 1945, and inter-parliamentary activities were maintained through correspondence. This was not an easy task. For example, IPU Secretary General Léopold Boissier wrote in 1941 to Hugh Alexander Stewart, who had been elected President of the Canadian Group in 1938. Paul Martin wrote back, indicating that Mr. Stewart was no longer an MP and adding:

It has been very difficult because of the emergency of war to carry on in respect of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. However I do circulate your circulars, and I will do all I can at this end. You will appreciate at the present time, in view of the disturbed condition of things, it is not possible to be as active, but I will keep the matter alive for future use.

1947–1953

The Canadian Group did not succeed in reconstituting itself during this period. However, the IPU Secretary General continued to correspond with the Secretary of the Group and with the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and the Clerk of the House of Commons, stressing that the Union’s members would welcome Canada’s renewed participation in IPU activities.

1954

André de Blonay, the new IPU Secretary General, reported that Canada sent to the 43^rd Conference in Vienna “one of its most eminent members,” Louis-Philippe Picard, MP and Chair of the House of Commons Committee on Foreign Affairs. He further noted that Mr. Picard followed the debates very regularly (as an observer), “thus indicating the interest with which the IPU’s work is viewed in Ottawa.”

1955–1957

Like his predecessor, Mr. de Blonay made a point of writing to various Canadian parliamentarians, including the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the Secretary of State for External Affairs, the Speaker of the House of Commons, and other MPs and senators, inviting Canada to rejoin the Union.

1958

In July the Speaker of the Senate, Mark Robert Drouin, announced that “the Government of Canada in its good judgment has decided to send two observers to the IPU Conference at Rio de Janeiro.” The two parliamentarians – Senator Jean-Marie Dessureault and Ernest James Broome, MP – attended the 47^th Conference. Upon their return, Mr. Broome submitted a report; it was tabled in the House by the Speaker of the time, Roland Michener. The report stated that the two parliamentarians “attended as observers” and that their participation was “on an unofficial basis.” It recommended that a Canadian Group be formed and that a small official delegation attend the next conference, and added that parliamentarians from many countries strongly encouraged Canada to rejoin the IPU to help counterbalance the Soviet Bloc:

At the very beginning of the Conference the Soviet Bloc tried to upset the prepared Agenda and to introduce the subject of troop movements into Lebanon and Jordan by the U.S. and the U.K. They were not successful in this attempt but were only defeated by a relatively narrow margin. We also understood that some two years ago the Soviet Bloc came close to taking over control of the Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

For this and other reasons the Canadian observers were under pressure from the U.S., the U.K., the Australian, the French and other Western delegations to make a strong report to Parliament that Canada join the Inter-Parliamentary Union and so add our weight of support to the Western viewpoint.

Later that year, the Speaker of the U.K. House of Lords, Lord Kilmuir, wrote to Senate Speaker Drouin, who replied in November:

I agree entirely with your suggestion that the Parliament of Canada consider reviving our National Group and be present with a delegation at Warsaw and you may rest assured that upon the return of our Prime Minister from his world tour and that of the Honourable Roland Michener, the Speaker of the House of Commons, who is actually in Rome, I will discuss this matter with them at the very first opportunity.

1959

Like his colleague in the House of Lords, Speaker William Morrison of the U.K. House of Commons wrote in January to his Canadian counterpart, Roland Michener, inviting Canada to attend the Warsaw Conference. In his response in May, Speaker Michener stated:

In the interval since your letter of January 27^th, about the Inter-Parliamentary Union, I have hoped for a decision and for funds which would enable Canada to apply for membership and send a delegation to the Annual Conference in Warsaw. However, it appears now that we shall not be able to take part this year ... . I am still hopeful that we shall make a different decision for the future, but must now report to you with regret that we shall not be able to join your delegation at Warsaw.

1960

In August, Alcide Paquette, Clerk Assistant of the Senate and Executive Secretary of the Canadian IPU Group, informed the IPU Secretary General that a Canadian Group had been formed (comprising 86 members, with Mr. Broome as President) and asked for a formal renewal of membership. He also mentioned Canada’s intention to participate in the next conference, to be held in Tokyo. The Canadian Group was admitted by decision of the Inter-Parliamentary Council in Tokyo in September, and Canada has been a very active member of the Union ever since.

The Canadian delegation to the 49^th Conference was composed of nine parliamentarians. The report, prepared by B. A. Keith of the Canadian Embassy, stated:

As a first item of business, the President of the Council, Professor Giuseppe Codacci-Pisanelli (Italy), welcomed the admission of the Canadian delegation, and said it brought to fifty the number of parliamentary groups represented. Replying to the President’s words of welcome, Senator G. S. Thorvaldson, Chairman of the Canadian delegation, expressed great satisfaction at the fact that Canada had once again joined such an important organization. He observed that Canadians are well aware of the Union’s long and useful history and of the part which it had played over the years in helping to build friendship, amity and understanding among the nations.

Senator Gunnar Solmundur Thorvaldson made similar comments in the Senate, adding: “Canada received suitable acknowledgement of its readmission into the organization.” Senators Dessureault and Arthur Wentworth Roebuck also made statements on their participation in the 49^th Conference.

Canadian delegates made a strong contribution during the conference. Senator Thorvaldson talked about the new Canadian Group, took part in the general debate and chaired part of the 12^th session. Louis-Joseph Pigeon, MP, was chosen as Vice-President of the Committee on Non-Self-Governing Areas and Racial Problems. Senator Roebuck spoke about the price of primary products. MPs Walter Franklyn Matthews and Alexis Pierre Caron addressed the conference about disarmament, while Herbert Wilfred Herridge, MP, spoke about democracy. To sum up, in the words of James Douglas, “Canada sent a large and important delegation for the first time and thus renewed her links with the Union which stretched back to well before the Second World War.”

1961–1964

Canada sent a delegation to all IPU conferences during this period. In 1962, Senator Thorvaldson told the Senate that the Canadian Group, with the approval of the Government of Canada, had invited the Union to hold a conference in Canada in the fall of 1965. The invitation had initially been extended under the previous government, with the approval of the then Prime Minister, John G. Diefenbaker. It was confirmed by the new Prime Minister, Lester B. Pearson, who promised his full support, as did the then Secretary of State for External Affairs, Paul Martin Sr.

In the 1963 general election, the President of the Canadian Group, Mr. Broome, was defeated. Senator Dessureault was elected President in July 1963. Later that year, Senator Dessureault confirmed in the Senate that the 54^th Conference would be held in Ottawa in 1965.

In 1964, Ian G. Imrie, Coordinating Secretary for Parliamentary Associations, accompanied the Canadian delegation to the 53^rd Conference held in Copenhagen and drafted a report summarizing his observations for use in planning the 54^th Conference.

One sometimes hears the question asked, and I must say that I asked it of myself: What is the benefit of an international parliamentary union? I wondered just what was the use or purpose of this union. To me, it seemed to be more or less a United Nations without real force or effect. My first impression was that it was a sort of glorified debating society which had no real executive purpose. However, I soon learned differently, and I came away from the conference with the feeling that this organization can and does have an effective place in the affairs of the world. Its greatest function is that it provides an important forum for peace-loving forces of all nations in the struggle for peace. This was emphasized time and time again, and one could sense it as the days went by. — Senator Alfred Johnson Brooks, 1963

1965

To assist in preparations for the 54^th Conference, a Parliamentary Relations Secretariat was established as part of the Canadian Parliament; it would later become International and Interparliamentary Affairs. A commemorative stamp was issued for the occasion.

Sixty-one parliaments were represented at the conference, which included 446 delegates, 117 advisors and secretaries, and 160 accompanying persons, as well as eight international, intergovernmental or inter-parliamentary organizations. The inaugural ceremony took place in the Chamber of the House of Commons, in the presence of the Governor General of Canada, Georges P. Vanier. Speaker Alan Macnaughton said that it was a historic moment in the life of the Parliament of Canada, as it was the first time that the Chamber had been the scene of an international meeting of such magnitude. Prime Minister Pearson recalled that it was the second time that Canada had had the honour of welcoming parliamentarians of the world. Paul Martin, Secretary of State for External Affairs, also addressed the conference. He spoke about some of the fundamental problems of world affairs at the time, and the role that the United Nations could play. He then paid tribute to the work of the IPU: “The two ideals of democratic participation in policy making and of peace in international relations are being pursued by the Inter-Parliamentary Union on a scale which is bound to assure lasting results.”

James Douglas remarked that a notable break with tradition occurred (and it was to be followed by others) when the conference adopted, by 565 votes to 10 with 99 abstentions, a resolution entitled “The Problem of Apartheid in the Light of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and of the United Nations Charter.” The text strongly condemned “the policy of apartheid prevailing in the Republic of South Africa.” Not only was the Parliament of South Africa not an IPU member, but more importantly the Union had previously abstained from intervening in internal affairs and had turned down motions concerned with conditions of specific countries.

The conference excursion took delegates to Montréal, where they saw preparations for Expo 67 and were later honoured at a dinner hosted by that city.

Senator Dessureault was elected to the IPU Executive Committee in 1965 and remained in that position until 1969. (He was the second Canadian to hold this position, the first being Senator Dandurand.)

1966–1984

The Canadian IPU Group remained active during this period. Nine different parliamentarians served as President of the Group, and large delegations were sent to all conferences. More importantly, these years were marked by Canadian delegates’ increasing participation in the general debates as well as in standing committees. They submitted memoranda, presented draft resolutions and amendments, and spoke on a wide range of topics. They also undertook key functions. For example, four Canadians were at different times elected members of the IPU Executive Committee. Many others assisted the chairpersons on the Inter-Parliamentary Council. Several served as presidents of standing committees and as rapporteurs. Canadian delegates also addressed a wide range of topics through their memoranda and draft resolutions, including: aid to developing countries, the role of parliamentary committees, disarmament, the environment, the violation of parliamentarians’ human rights, women parliamentarians’ participation in the IPU, and international drug trafficking.

In 1975, Canada took the important step of joining the Twelve Plus Group. The origins of the Group, which was created in 1974, were rooted in the tensions and confrontations of the Cold War. Known initially as the Nine Plus Group, the organization took its name from the then nine members of the European Community (EC). As membership in the EC grew, its name became the Ten Plus Group in 1981 and the Twelve Plus Group in 1986. It was then decided to keep the name “Twelve Plus” even if further countries were to join the EC (now known as the European Union). The term “Plus” was intended to avoid a strict demarcation of the Group. It currently has 46 members.

During this period, conferences were usually a productive and rewarding experience for Canadian delegates. At times, however, they were discouraged by lack of progress or by a highly political and divisive atmosphere. For example, the Canadian Group’s report on the spring meetings in 1975 (Colombo) stated:

The 1975 Spring Meetings were basically very discouraging to the Canadian delegation, almost all of whose members were at their first IPU meetings. In general, the study committees worked on topics which were not conducive to very much forward movement in this forum, while the Council was disorganized and disorderly and proceeded, in disregard of the rules, to take important decisions designed to further political causes favoured by the majority. The most important case was the invitation to the Palestine Liberation Organization (P.L.O.) to participate as an observer in London in September. A number of delegations, including Canada’s, pointed out that the majority had the authority and right to change the rules in order to make this representation possible.

Similarly, the Canadian Group’s report on the 68^th Conference in 1981 (Havana) remarked on the polarizing effect of the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and indicated that the number of countries seeking closer ties with either the “East” or “West” appeared to be on the rise. The report further noted:

In addition, the increasing number and bitterness of bilateral disputes are affecting the international atmosphere. While Western democracies look at Union meetings as gatherings of parliamentarians, the East bloc and most Third World delegates view them as diplomatic fora where their governments’ positions are promoted. Delegations representing Western Parliaments are divided amongst parties and view-points (which is reflected by their voting) while most others present unified positions with carefully worked out game plans.

The same report stated:

It is traditional for the Head of State to address the conference during the inaugural ceremony and normally these speeches outline the host country’s international stance emphasizing subjects before the conference where greater understanding and consensus can be furthered. Most Canadian delegates found President Castro’s speech to be aggressive and confrontational taking close to two hours instead of the usual twenty minutes.

The diplomatic representatives of the United States of America, the United Kingdom and China felt obliged to walk out during the speech as their respective countries were attacked. …

The immediate result was the redrafting of remarks by a number of delegates scheduled to speak during the first plenary and who felt compelled to react to President Castro’s discourse. A mood of confrontation was set resulting in more energy and effort being spent on preventing the hardening of extreme positions both among and within delegations than on the substantive issues themselves.

Another interesting historical note relates to the Canadian Group’s efforts in 1978 and again in 1981 to invite the Union to hold a conference in Ottawa. Those efforts were unsuccessful, for three reasons: the high cost to Canada of hosting the event; the lack of suitable facilities in Ottawa; and uncertainty as to whether it was Canada’s turn to extend an invitation. In early 1983, however, both the Senate and the House of Commons confirmed funds to host the IPU conference in Ottawa in 1985. The new Ottawa Congress Centre, scheduled to open in 1984, would provide a suitable venue. At the Seoul Conference in October 1983, the President of the Canadian Group, Marcel Prud’homme, MP, conveyed Canada’s invitation to host the 74^th Conference.

1985

Canada hosted the 74^th Conference in September 1985 at the Ottawa Congress Centre. There were a total of 741 registered delegates, including 459 legislators representing 94 parliaments, 16 intergovernmental and international organizations and 40 observers. An elaborate program was drawn up, including an inaugural ceremony at the National Arts Centre on 2 September (in the presence of the Governor General, Jeanne Sauvé), and a gala evening on 4 September that featured some of Canada’s leading performers and was broadcast nationwide on CBC/Radio-Canada. A special meeting commemorated the 40^th anniversary of the United Nations. Receptions were hosted by the Speakers of the houses of Parliament, national delegations and others. As well, the program included visits to key Canadian scientific, medical, cultural, agricultural and international development institutions in the Ottawa region. A commemorative stamp for the conference was publicly unveiled during a ceremony hosted by the Chairman of Canada Post.

The Canadian Group submitted three memoranda. The first dealt with International Youth Year and the Rights of Youth; the second concerned international drug trafficking – an item that had been placed on the agenda as a result of Canadian efforts; and the third, decolonization. The Group also presented draft resolutions on these three issues.

During the plenary session, Allan Lawrence, MP, spoke authoritatively on drug trafficking and the international drug trade. He was appointed rapporteur of the Committee on Parliamentary, Juridical and Human Rights Questions, and the resolution drafted by the committee was adopted without a vote. Howard McCurdy, MP, spoke on issues affecting young people. Mary Collins, MP, spoke on decolonization and chaired the committee working on that problem. Marcel Prud’homme, MP, presided over the Committee on Political Questions, International Security and Disarmament. Senator Peter Bosa delivered a speech on international peace and disarmament during the debate on the general world situation. At the end of the conference, Benno Friesen, MP, was elected to the IPU Executive Committee and became the sixth Canadian to hold this position.

1986–2011

During this period, six parliamentarians, including two women, were elected President of the Canadian IPU Group (see Part 3 of this book for a list of all presidents and their photos). In addition, three Canadian parliamentarians – senators Finestone, Fraser and Oliver – were members of the IPU Executive Committee.

Canada continued to send large and very active delegations to all IPU conferences. Canadian delegates addressed a wide range of important issues, including gender equality, the environment, representative democracy, decolonization, relations with the United Nations, reform of the IPU, the health of the elderly, maternal and child health, human rights, landmines, diversity, the Middle East situation, and peacekeepers.

As in the past, delegates received input from many Canadian sources to assist with drafting memoranda and resolutions to be presented at the conferences. Federal departments and agencies, non-government organizations and experts provided pre-conference briefings, and the Library of Parliament prepared background documents. During the conferences, Canadian embassy officials in the host country provided regular briefings and support.

Following each conference, the Canadian Group prepared a report that was tabled in both houses of Parliament. In the Senate, one or more senators would speak on the subject matter. The President of the Group would also write to relevant ministers, departments, and chairpersons of parliamen­tary committees, enclosing a copy of the conference resolutions and asking for comments.

Since the middle of the 1980s, Canadian delegates have taken the opportunity of being in various IPU host countries to visit development projects funded by the Canadian International Development Agency. These site visits have included a wide range of undertakings such as rural development programs, health clinics, educational centres and shelters. Findings of the site visits are always included in the Group’s reports.

The last 25 years of Canada’s IPU involvement have included important achievements and notable delegates. Some of these are highlighted below.

Canada’s longest-serving delegate, Marcel Prud’homme, attended 25 conferences. Mr. Prud’homme is both a former MP and a former senator, and his interests, knowledge and dedication equipped him to play important roles, in particular as President and rapporteur of the Committee on Political Questions, International Security and Disarmament. On stepping down as President of that committee in 1987, he was asked to discuss his experience during the annual meeting of the Canadian Group. He recounted:

I was first elected Chairman of the Political Committee in Geneva in April 1984 and was the only candidate from the western countries. My primary challenge was to show balance because very frequently around the table one would have Israel, Syria, the Soviet Union, the United States and the Palestine Liberation Organization. The meetings of the committee were often long and painful marathons. The topics dealt with by the Political Committee included the Middle East, a recurring theme; Central America; disarmament and international terrorism. The quiet role of Canada in finding solutions to problems, sometimes working with other countries, added to our prestige and our reputation as being reasonable human beings. I want to remind those attending that delegates from Canada to Union Conferences are Canadians first.

In 1989 (London), Canada made a major contribution to the Union’s Centennial: to celebrate the event, the Speaker of the House of Commons authorized Philip Laundy, Clerk Assistant, to prepare a book, Parliaments in the Modern World, for general readership.

In 1993, Ottawa hosted the Inter-Parliamentary Conference on North-South Dialogue for Global Prosperity. Forty-three parliaments were represented by 164 delegates; observers from 13 international organizations and other bodies also attended. The inaugural ceremony was held at the Museum of Civilization and the working sessions took place at the Conference Centre. The conference was presided over by Dr. Bruce Halliday, MP, and focused on three themes: trade and development, financial resources and Third World debt. A comprehensive final document set out the world parliamentary community’s vision of the future basis for international economic relations; it stressed the principle of partnership and put people at the centre of sustainable development.

In 1994 (Copenhagen), Senator Peter Bosa was elected chairperson of the Twelve Plus Group; he was the first Canadian to hold that position. That year, he presented the History of the Twelve Plus Group, a document prepared by the Canadian Group to commemorate the 20^th anniversary of Twelve Plus. Senator Bosa was declared chairperson of the Group again in 1995.

It should be noted that, even when their governments are at odds, parliamentarians can meet at IPU assemblies and discuss issues of common concern. This was the case in 1995 during the 93^rd Conference (Madrid). At the time, Canada and Spain were involved in a major fishing dispute. Senator Bosa and the leader of the Spanish delegation, Miguel Angel Martinez, were nonetheless able to work together to co-sponsor a resolution on the need to conserve fish stocks, which was one of the main topics on the agenda of the 1996 Conference (Istanbul). There, Peter Adams, MP, was selected to be a member of the drafting committee dealing with the conservation of world fish stocks; he was later appointed rapporteur. The final resolution, which was substantially based on the joint Canadian-Spanish draft resolution, was passed almost unanimously – an achievement made possible because the Canadian Group received significant support from Spain’s delegation.

Those of you who have been a rapporteur know that it means being in an enclosure for about 48 hours and barely seeing the light of day as you try to meld together the resolutions that come from various countries . — Sheila Finestone, MP, 1996

In 1997 (Cairo), the Canadian Group applied for membership in the Asia-Pacific Group. Both Senator Bosa and Marlene Catterall, MP, spoke in support of the application to members of the latter Group, noting that Canada was very much engaged in the Asia Pacific Region and had strong links to Asia dating back more than a century. They also pointed out that Canada was an early member of APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, comprising 18 member countries), recognizing that a liberalized trading system in the Asia Pacific Region could benefit all countries. In 1998 (Windhoek), the Asia-Pacific Group welcomed Canada as its newest member. Ten years later, Senator Oliver was the first Canadian to be appointed chairperson of the Group; he chaired the meetings at the 118^th Assembly in Cape Town and the 119^th Assembly in Geneva. Senator Oliver also chaired a working group that reviewed the working methods of the Asia-Pacific Group in 2008 in Ottawa.

In 1998 (Windhoek), a Canadian – Claude DesRosiers, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario – was one of three candidates for the position of IPU Secretary General.

In 2003 (Geneva), the Governing Council approved a proposal made by Senator Oliver to establish a foundation that would mobilize external funding sources to support IPU activities that promote democracy. Senator Oliver served as president of the foundation until 2007.

In 2005 (Geneva), Paddy Torsney, MP, was elected chairperson of the Twelve Plus Group, but after losing her seat in the 2006 federal election, she was unable to fulfill her mandate. The Canadian secretariat maintained responsibility for the finances and administration of the Group until a new chair was elected at the 2006 Assembly (Nairobi). In the interim, the Canadian Group, with Senator Joan Fraser as acting chairperson, hosted a Steering Committee meeting of the Twelve Plus Group in Ottawa.

In 2008 (Geneva), the IPU jointly hosted a one-day conference on the theme “Informing Democracy,” in collaboration with the Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments, and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions’ Library and Research Services for Parliaments Section. The program was developed in partnership with Canada’s Library of Parliament and a member of the Canadian Group, Senator Dennis Dawson, who also served as a panellist. Participants agreed that parliamentarians are struggling to extract useful and reliable knowledge and information from a growing range of sources, which is making it more difficult for them to perform their duties effectively. As a result, they rely increasingly on library and research services to provide timely and accessible information – a trend that, in turn, is placing pressure on parliamentary information providers to adapt their methods and practices to meet clients’ needs. A follow-up joint meeting on the theme of parliamen­tary communication and representation, and the role of social media, is planned for the 127^th Assembly.

In 2011 (Bern), Senator Oliver and the Canadian delegation hosted a reception to promote the 127^th Assembly, which will be held in the city of Québec in October 2012. “Speaking on behalf of the Canadian Group,” said Senator Oliver, “we feel tremendously honoured that Canada was selected to host this major event. It will build on our history of active participation in the IPU’s work.”

A Century of Collaboration

Since 1900, Canada has had an increasingly strong voice within the IPU. Between 1900 (Paris) and 2012 (Kampala), a total of 356 Canadian parliamentarians – including 51 women – have attended IPU assemblies. (See Part 4 of this book for a complete list of Canadian delegates from both the Senate and the House of Commons.) Many have participated several times and some have held senior positions in the IPU, entailing additional responsibilities during and between assemblies.

Throughout those years, engaged and active Canadian delegates to IPU assemblies and meetings have striven to ensure that Canadian values, interests and perspectives are well represented in debates and resolutions. Canadians are highly respected by their IPU colleagues and are regularly asked to serve on committees and working groups. They are often considered as problem solvers. Marlene Catterall, a former MP, explained it this way:

What generally has made us effective internationally also applies at the IPU; I think Canadian delegations always have a huge amount of respectability and respect; Canadians are nice and people know that. We are just there to find solutions; we are not there to exert power. When something big comes up and there seems to be no way to agree, other delegates would ask the Canadians to look at it to find a solution, a compromise. We are seen as problem solvers and moderate and having the ability to bring people together. ... Finding a common ground and building consensus is something people respect Canada for. We don’t always succeed but they always trust us to try!

As these words suggest, Canadian IPU delegates have effectively used parliamentary diplomacy to advance causes that are important both to Canada and to the international community. Some of those causes already had broad support; others were – and still are – contentious. However, as is clear from the list of items on the agenda of the four assemblies held in Canada (below), Canadian delegates and their IPU colleagues have never avoided discussions of complex and controversial issues.

The Canadian Group’s involvement in IPU activities has been so long and so wide-ranging that it would be difficult to provide an overall summary. Accordingly, Part 2 of this book highlights only some of the major areas in which Canada has played a key role.

AGENDA ITEMS AT IPU ASSEMBLIES HOSTED BY CANADA