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CPA Activities: The Canadian SceneCPA Activities: The Canadian Scene


Canadian Regional Conference

The 38th Canadian Regional Conference of CPA was held in Quebec City from August 7 to 13, 1999. The host of the conference was Jean-Pierre Charbonneau, President of the National Assembly. The Senate, House of Commons and every provincial and territorial legislature, except Nova Scotia where there had just been a provincial election, sent members of their respective legislative assemblies. There were also Special Observers invited from the legislatures of Great Britain and Malaysia. The International President of CPA, Hector McLean of Trinidad and Tobago and the Secretary General of the CPA, Arthur Donahoe were present as well as the CPA Regional Representative from the Caribbean Region, Théodore Aranda of Belize.

The Conference was opened by the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, Lise Thibault. Both business sessions held on the first day were led by Speaker Charboneau. The first dealt with "Parliamentary Diplomacy" the other with "The Parliamentary Conference of the Americas and Legislative Assemblies of Canada."

Sarmite Bulte, MP led discussion in a session that dealt with the role of parliamentarians in defending Canadian industries on the international scene. The fourth session, "The Commonwealth and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association", featured a presentation by Secretary-General Donahoe. Following this presentation Bill Hartley of British Columbia brought the attention of delegates to on-going human rights violations in Burma including the detention of political prisoners. He proposed a resolution similar to one he introduced in the British Columbia legislature on May 3, 1999. However as the CPA does not normally vote on resolutions it was agreed that a letter outlining the issues would be circulated to all delegates for their signature and it would then be forwarded to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lloyd Axworthy.

Linda Sloan of Alberta led discussion in the fifth session which considered the issue of whether the parliamentary form of government was still appropriate at the end of the 20th century. Peter Kormos of Ontario led a discussion on the place of independent members of assemblies. David Payne of Quebec and Senator Céline Hervieux Payette spoke on the financing of political parties and Sue Barnes led the final session on party discipline is a necessary evil.

In addition to the business session delegates were offered many examples of traditional Quebec hospitality including a boat trip on the St. Lawrence to Charlevoix with a stop at Grosse-Ile which from 1832 to 1937 was a quarantine station for immigrants, mainly from Ireland, and is now being converted into an historical site.

Regional Council Meeting

Following recent practice the annual meeting of the governing body of the Canadian Regional of CPA was held one day before the start of the annual Regional Conference.

The meeting was chaired by Jean-Paul Charbonneau, Speaker of the Quebec National Assembly and Chairman of the Quebec Branch of the CPA. Other Speakers attending included: Glenn Hagel (Saskatchewan), Louise Dacquay (Manitoba), Bev Harrison (New Brunswick) Lloyd Snow (Newfoundland), Wilbur MacDonald (Prince Edward Island), Sam Gargan (Northwest Territories) and Levi Barnabas (Nunavut). Two Deputy Speakers, Don Tannas (Alberta) and Bill Hartley (British Columbia) represented their Speakers. Robert Speller, MP one of the Canadian Regional Representatives on the CPA was also present. Due to recent elections there were no presiding officers from either Ontario or Nova Scotia.

Aside from approving the budget and other routine business the Council adopted a unanimous motion in support of the application of Nunavut to join the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. This application must be approved by the full CPA at its meeting in Trinidad and Tobago.

Speaker Hagel sponsored a motion requesting the federal government to consult with the provinces to obtain the names of present and former parliamentarians willing to serve as observers for future Commonwealth elections.

President Charbonneau brought the Council up to date on recent developments relating to the Parliamentary Conference of the Americas which was held in Quebec in 1997. Subsequently a steering committee and permanent secretariat was created and several follow up conferences held. He suggested that parliamentarians had an important role to play in the development of political relations in the Americas. He invited the Canadian Region of the CPA to participate in the next meeting . Following discussion a vote was held and it was decided that the Canadian Region would not participate as an institution but individual provinces were free to do so if they so wished.

Arthur Donahoe informed the Council of the sites for the next five international meetings of the CPA. He suggested that an offer from Canada to host the 2004 Conference would be well received. The idea was approved in principle and members of Council undertook to discuss funding issues with their respective Boards of Internal Economy and to have the Executive Committee consider the idea at its next meeting. The Executive Committee was also asked to consider making funding for transportation available to CPA Branches wanting to sponsor a student to the special "Millennium Student Parliament" to be held in Edinburgh next year.

Finally the Council confirmed the site for future Regional Conference and Seminars. They are as follows:

Conferences

  • 2000 Prince Edward Island
    (July 15-21)
  • 2001 Alberta
  • 2002 New Brunswick
  • 2003 British Columbia

Seminars

  • 1999 Newfoundland
    (October 21-24)
  • 2000 Nova Scotia
  • 2001 Saskatchewan
  • 2002 Northwest Territories

New Speakers in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia

On July 6, 1999, the Members of the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly elected Beverley (Bev) Harrison to preside over the deliberations of the 54th Legislature.

Born in Saint John, N.B. on May 10, 1942 and educated in local Saint John schools, he graduated from the University of New Brunswick with Bachelor of Arts and Education degrees and holds a Principal's Certificate. After a long teaching career spent mainly in the Saint John area, he retired as principal of Saint John High School in 1997.

First elected to the Legislative Assembly as the Progressive Conservative MLA for Saint John-Fundy in 1978 and re-elected in 1982, Speaker Harrison was re-elected June 7, 1999, to represent the constituency of Hampton-Belleisle.

From 1978-1987 he served on a variety of standing committees including: Agriculture, Natural Resources and Fisheries, Veterans Affairs, Municipalities and Corporations, Economic Development, Public Accounts, Estimates, Privileges, Procedure, Standing Rules, Legislative Administration, and Social Development. He was a member of the Select Committees on Constitutional Reform, Maritime Affairs and Canada's Future, Fisheries, and Land and Water Use. From 1980 through 1985 he chaired the government caucus.

Speaker Harrison is the former chair of District 6 and vice-chair of District 19 school boards and chair of numerous education-related committees. He served in the RCAF reserve. While he was Commanding Officer of the local air cadet squadron, he organized the first Duke of Edinburgh Award Programme for Cadets in Canada and started the first training for girls in the cadet program in Canada. He was awarded the Canadian Decoration in 1976 and the Canadian Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977.

Active in many heritage and cultural associations, he has been national vice-president of the Royal Commonwealth Society, president of the St. George's Society, warden in Trinity Anglican Church, a member of the board of directors of the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra, president of the New Brunswick Association of Student Activity Advisors and chairman of the New Brunswick Youth Leadership conference.

On August 20, 1999, Members of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly elected Murray Scott, as their new Speaker.

Born and educted in Springhill, Nova Scotia, he served for 19 years as a police officer with Monction and Springhill municipal forces. During his time in New Brunswick, he also pursued additional studies at the Université de Moncton. His efforts as a police officer earned him such distinctions as the Governor-General’s Award for bravery. Mr. Scott has served as a Scout leader, financial secretary for the Springhill United Baptist Church, president of the Springhill Minor Hockey Association, vice-president of the Springhill Basketball Association, Master of the Masonic Lodge, member of the Springhill Industrial Commission, co-ordinator of the local association of Crime Stoppers, member of the citizens advisory committee of the Springhill Insitution and president of Local 203 of the Police Association of Nova Scotia.

On March 24, 1998, Mr. Scott was elected MLA for Cumberland South ending close to 24 years of Liberal representation. He was appointed Progressive Conservative critic for Justice, Human Rights and the Senior Citizens’ Secretariat. He also served as a member of the Legislature’s Standing Committees on Law Amendments, Community Services and Veterans Affairs in the last legislature. He was re-elected in July 1999 and replaces Ronald Russell as Speaker.


Canadian Parliamentary Review Cover
Vol 22 no 3
1999






Last Updated: 2020-09-14