Seventh Canadian Parliamentary Seminar, Ottawa.

• Position: CPA Activities: The Canadian Scene - Conference notes

From October 18-24, 2009 about twenty delegates from eleven branches of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association took part in a seminar organized by the Canadian Branch.

The host for the seminar was Russ Hiebert, Chair of the Canadian Branch. Among the legislatures represented were Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Namibia, New South Wales, the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, Jamaica, India, New Zealand, India and two provincial legislatures, Prince Edward Island and Quebec.

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The topics and Speakers for the various sessions were as follows:

* Overview of the Role and Operation of the Canadian Parliament

Gary O'Brien, Clerk of the Senate

Audrey O'Brien, Clerk of the House of Commons

* The Commonwealth and the Role of the CPA

Russ Hiebert, MP, Chair, Canadian Branch, CPA

* The Canadian Political Scene

Senator David P. Smith

Senator Doug Finley

* Role of Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians

Maria Minna, MP

* Political Recruiting and Women in the Political Process

Judy Wasylycia-Leis, MP, Candice Hoeppner, MP

* The Role of Party Caucuses

Marlene Jennings, MP

Guy Lauzon, MP

* Parliament and Civil Society

Dr. Sharon Manson-Singer, President of the Canadian Policy Research Network

* How an MP's Office Works

Nicole Demers, MP

Bev Shipley, MP

* Have the Media Taken Over the Representational Job of Parliamentarians?

Senator Mike Duffy

* Parliamentary Committees: What Works and What Doesn't

Senator Raynell...