Welcoming remarks at the Opening Ceremony of the 25th Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers Conference
Your Excellency, Speaker Rota, fellow speakers and presiding officers, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen:
Let me begin by again recognizing Elder Commanda, and thanking her for that very wonderful blessing that she has brought to not just to us as individuals but to our work as well. Thank you very much.
It is a tremendous honour and pleasure for me to welcome you to the Senate Chamber in our new Senate of Canada Building for the 25th Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers Conference.
At this conference’s inaugural meeting in Ottawa, in September 1969, the Honourable Lucien Lamoureux, Speaker of Canada’s House of Commons at the time, set the stage for regular meetings of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth. He believed that they would prove invaluable to our unique positions, our countries’ democratic systems and the Commonwealth in general.
This forum allows Speakers and Presiding Officers to exchange ideas, share best practices and explore different approaches.
Most importantly, it provides an opportunity to build meaningful relationships, a significant asset for parliamentary institutions across the Commonwealth.
The more effective we are in our roles, the stronger debates and parliamentary processes can be, and correspondingly, the more faith our citizens will have in our parliamentary systems of government.
We can all appreciate the unique vantage point of observing and assisting colleagues from the chair, and the unpredictability that comes with such a role. Our mandates require us to set aside our personal and political allegiances and ensure that the rights and privileges of all parliamentarians are respected and protected.
In so doing, we make a commitment to impartiality, which is essential to the trust and goodwill that exist within our chambers.
While our roles grant us a bird’s-eye view of the political landscape, they also come with a certain degree of solitude.
There are few people with whom we can share the challenges of moderating parliamentary debates within our legislatures.
That is why this conference has endured and produced constructive results for more than 50 years.
It is always enriching to exchange views with peers who share a similar experience, even though our national systems and procedures may differ. Indeed, it may even be that a better understanding of our differences contributes to the quality of our meetings.
An advantage of having this conference in Ottawa – apart from our frosty weather – is that it provides an opportunity to compare the two different bodies that make up our federal Parliament.
This is particularly true now that the Senate and the House of Commons are located in separate buildings for the first time since our Confederation.
Throughout our time together, some thought should be given to both the differences and the similarities between the two Chambers of Parliament and those of the other Canadian legislative assemblies.
It is no surprise that the Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers Conference takes place under the auspices of the Commonwealth of Nations.
We are united by our diversity, by our shared history, and by our commitment to parliamentary democracy.
Before I conclude, I would like to take a moment to thank Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Julie Payette, our governor general, for taking time from her very busy schedule – especially at this time of year – to spend time with us this morning.
I wish to also recognize the incredible team at our International and Interparliamentary Affairs Directorate.
This joint directorate supports the Parliament of Canada in establishing and maintaining relations with other parliaments, from the simple exchange of information to formal visits to large conferences such as this one. Thank you all for your efforts over the past few weeks and months to plan the events of this week, especially during the holiday season.
I also wish to thank each of our delegates for your participation.
We all share a great number of common issues and challenges. Our discussions will no doubt guide us in our ongoing work as presiding officers and parliamentarians.
Meetings of this nature offer valuable opportunities for interparliamentary dialogue; they increase our collective understanding of the mechanisms available to assist us in running the business of our assemblies, both inside and outside of the chamber. I know that the work we accomplish this week and in the coming years will continue to reflect that.
As this year marks my fifth as Speaker of the Senate of Canada, I am fortunate to be participating in this conference for the second time.
My first was in Seychelles, two years ago. I sincerely hope that this conference is equally pleasant and productive – despite the temperature difference!
I want to thank you all once again for being here today. On behalf of my colleagues in the Senate, I wish you all a productive week and an excellent stay in Ottawa.