CPA activities: the Canadian scene.

PositionCommonwealth Parliamentary Association - Conference news

Thirtieth Presiding Officers' Conference

The Presiding Officers from Canada's federal, provincial and territorial Legislatures held their 30t" annual conference January 31-February 3, 2013 in Victoria, British Columbia. The host was Speaker Bill Barisoff of British Columbia.

The Speakers in attendance were: Gene Zwozdesky (Alberta), Andrew Scheer (House of Commons), Daryl Reid (Manitoba), Dale Graham (New Brunswick), Ross Wiseman (Newfoundland and Labrador), Jackie Jacobson (Northwest Territories), Gordon Gosse, Jr. (Nova Scotia), Hunter Tootoo (Nunavut), Dave Levac (Ontario), Carolyn Bertram (Prince Edward Island), Jacques Chagnon (Quebec), Dan D'Autremont (Saskatchewan), and David Laxton (Yukon).

Chaired by Speaker D'Autremont, the first business session featured a roundtable discussion that covered the challenges and opportunities faced by new Speakers. The discussion was followed by a presentation by Speaker Chagnon on the challenges he faced as President of the National Assembly in a new parliament with a minority government and numerous Independent Members.

The topic of the third session, "Responding to an Audit", featured presentations by Speaker Gosse, (Nova Scotia), Speaker Wiseman (Newfoundland and Labrador) and Audrey O'Brien, Clerk of the House of Commons. The session was introduced and chaired by Craig James, Clerk of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly.

The final session of the first day was on "Transparency and Accountability in Disclosing Members'...

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