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4. Senate Activities
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"Just as a second opinion is
sought and valued in every walk
of life, whether medicine,
science, or day-to-day family
problems, so a second chamber may
look afresh at legislative
proposals and uncover
difficulties not noticed in the
first chamber."
M. Russell, Reforming the House
of Lords:
Lessons from Overseas, 2000
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Youth and the Senate
Senate Page Program
Each Spring, the Usher of the Black Rod,
the Human Resources Directorate and the
Chief and Deputy Chief of Pages are
charged with the responsibility of
interviewing and choosing new Senate
pages for the fall session. The program
is advertised nationally, and information
sessions are given at the local
universities. By doing so, the Senate
opens its doors to students from
different communities all over Canada.
In 2004-2005, the University of Ottawa
and Carleton University accredited the
Senate Page Program. Upon completion of a
dissertation related to Parliament, pages
attending either of these universities
can now receive full course credits for
their part-time work in the Senate.
The extensive training and experience
that the pages receive is applicable not
only to their duties in the Senate but
also sets a high standard from which they
will benefit in all walks of life. The
practicalities of Chamber and Committee
work, as well as the intrinsic and
essential teambuilding and time
management skills give these young adults
a wealth of knowledge and experience to
draw from in years to come.
Summer Employment and Co-op Programs
The Senate hires approximately 30
university students each summer to work
in various areas of the Senate
Administration, including legislative
services, legal services, finance, human
resources, communications, information
management, and Parliamentary Precinct
Services. Students are also hired to work
in senators' offices. Senate pages
interested in summer employment within
the Senate will be given priority if they
meet the requirements for the position
being staffed. Some students brought in
through a co-op program during the school
year are sometimes offered summer
employment.
Friends of the Senate
The Senate works in partnership with
Ridgemont High School in Ottawa and
L'École secondaire de l'Île in Gatineau,
Quebec, to provide students with special
needs with the opportunity to develop
life skills to prepare them for the
working world. Students gain experience
in various areas of the Senate
Administration, provide assistance and
support to senators and Senate staff, and
learn and develop new skills.
Senate and Hill Programs for Youth
In cooperation with the House of Commons
and the Library of Parliament, the Senate
participates in a variety of employment
programs and educational activities
designed to give young Canadians
opportunities to learn about Parliament
and its institutions.
Encounters with Canada
Each year, young people between the ages
of 15 and 17 get a close-up view of
Canada's system of government when the
Canadian Unity Council brings hundreds of
students to Ottawa to learn about
Canada's parliamentary system. Since it
was founded in 1982, this non-profit
educational program has benefited more
than 40,000 young people
Forum for Young Canadians
Some 500 students visit Parliament, the
Supreme Court and various federal
government departments and agencies,
through the Forum for Young Canadians, a
bilingual education program aimed at
giving 16- to 19-year-old high school and
CEGEP students an in-depth understanding
of their federal government. During the
program, students have a chance to meet
with senators and the Speaker of the
Senate.
The Senate in the Classroom and on the
Net
An educational video produced by the
Senate is available on the Internet. The
22-minute video is divided into nine
individually viewable clips intended for
teachers of Canadian history, politics,
social science and civics. The video
clips explain the work of senators in the
Senate Chamber, in committees and across
the country. For more information, click
here.
Lest We Forget
World
War II veterans from
opposite sides, Frank
Johnson (left), Canadian,
and Fritz Illy (right),
German, embrace at the
legendary 1998
Reconciliation Dinner held
in Ortona, Italy.
©Catherine
Jones
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On November 5, 2004, the launch
of Veterans Week 2004 took place
in the Senate Chamber. The theme
for the annual Ceremony of
Remembrance and Veteran's Week
was Canada Remembers the Italian
Campaign.
It marked the seventh time that
the Senate of Canada and Veterans
Affairs Canada have jointly
organized this service.
 The highlight of
the event was the unveiling of an
original oil-on-linen portrait of
the recipient of the Minister of
Veterans Affairs Commendation,
Mr. Ted Griffiths (a veteran of
the Italian Campaign), by Halifax
artist Catherine Jones. The
painting was one in her
collection of 21 portraits,
entitled At the End of the Day,
of Canadian and German veterans
that were displayed in the Senate
Foyer. Forgiveness was the
underlying theme. During the
event, the Minister of Veterans
Affairs also announced that 2005
would be the Year of the Veteran.
To see the other paintings in the
series, please visit:
http://www.scathing.com/endofday
Welcoming the World to Canada
The Speaker of the Senate is
fourth in the order of precedence
behind the Governor General, the
Prime Minister and the Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court. As
such, he is involved in most
official visits by receiving
heads of state or heads of
government.
Among the distinguished guests
received this year in protocol
visits were:
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The President of Mongolia,
Natsagiin Bagabandi (October
2004);
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The President of the United
Mexican States, Vicente Fox
Quesada, and Mrs. Marta Sahagún
de Fox (October 2004);
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The President of the United
States of America, George W.
Bush, and Mrs. Laura Bush
(November 2004)
In exchange programs, the Speaker
received:
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The President of the Senate of
the Republic of Poland, Longin
Hieronim Pastusiak, and a
parliamentary delegation
(October 2004)
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The Speaker of the National
Assembly of the Republic of
Botswana, Matlapeng Ray Molomo,
PH., CONM., M.P. (October 2004)
Canada and the World
The Honourable Dan Hays, Speaker
of the Senate of Canada,
travelled to countries around the
world with Canadian delegations
to represent Parliament or the
Government of Canada abroad.
Indonesia (March
14 to 17, 2005)
During this visit, the Canadian
delegation sought to further
strengthen ties of parliamentary
friendship, to support the
promotion of democratic
development, pluralism and good
governance as well as to highlight
the range of Canada's long-term
commitment to post-tsunami relief
and reconstruction efforts.
Uruguay (February
29 to March 5, 2005)
Speaker Hays travelled to Uruguay
to represent Canada at the
investiture of new Uruguayan
President, Tabaré Vazquez, on March
1, 2005.
Trinidad and Tobago (February
21 to 22, 2005)
Representing Canada, Speaker Hays
attended the 13th Biennial
Conference of Presiding Officers
and Clerks of the Caribbean, the
Americas and the Atlantic Region of
the Commonwealth Parliamentary
Association in Port-of-Spain in the
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
Conference participants came
together for three days of
discussion focusing on "Enhancing
the Parliamentary Process".
United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and
the United Kingdom (January
13 to 21, 2005)
The visit to the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) and the Kingdom of
Bahrain, the first by a Canadian
parliamentary delegation, provided
the delegates with a better
understanding of the socio
political and economic dynamics of
these two Gulf States situated in
the Middle East. The visit to the
United Kingdom provided the
Canadian delegation with
information on the new security
policies and practices implemented
at the Palace of Westminster.
Mexico (January
24 to 27, 2005)
The Honourable Dan Hays, Speaker of
the Senate, and the Honourable
Peter Milliken, Speaker of the
House of Commons, led a delegation
at the XIIIth Canada-Mexico
Inter-Parliamentary Meeting in
Mexico. While Canadian and Mexican
parliamentarians have been meeting
on a regular basis since 1975, the
meeting held in Mexico City this
year was the first where both
Canadian Speakers and both Mexican
Speakers were present.
Afghanistan (December
2004)
Representing Canada, Speaker Hays
attended the inauguration of the
President of Afghanistan, Hamid
Karzai in Kabul on December 7,
2004. His attendance at the
Presidential inauguration and his
formal and informal meetings with
members of the outgoing Afghanistan
Transitional Administration, and
with representatives of various
other countries helped to reinforce
Canada's fundamental support for
the Afghan people to build a
democratic, stable and peaceful
country.
Scotland (October
2004)
Holyrood, the new Scottish
Parliament, designed by Catalan
architect Enrico Miralles, was
officially and formally opened on
October 9, 2004. The Speaker of the
Senate attended the opening on
behalf of the Parliament of Canada.
During this visit, he also had an
opportunity to travel to Falkirk,
Scotland to speak at a ceremony
commemorating the centenary of the
birth of Tommy Douglas.
Germany (September
21 to 26, 2004)
In response to an invitation from
the President of the Bundesrat, Mr.
Dieter Althaus, Speaker Hays and a
parliamentary delegation travelled
to Germany, since given the shared
interests between the two
countries, it is important to
enhance the level of
interparliamentary relations.
Belgium (September
19 to 21, 2004)
This working visit was in response
to an invitation from the Speaker
of the Belgian Senate, Ms
Anne-Marie Lizin. Agriculture and
bilingualism policies were among
the subjects discussed in
meetings.
Ecuador (June 6
to 8, 2004)
The Organization of American States
(OAS) held its 34th Regular Session
of the General Assembly (GA) in
Quito, Ecuador. Speaker Hays headed
the Canadian delegation and
attended the GA meetings on behalf
of Canada's Minister of Foreign
Affairs, who was unable to attend
due to the general election being
held in Canada at that time.
France (May 17
to 19, 2004)
Representing Canada, Speaker Hays
attended the European Conference of
Presidents of Parliaments at the
Palais de l'Europe in Strasbourg.
The conference was organized under
the auspices of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE).
Uganda, France and South Africa
(April
18 to 24, 2004)
The Commonwealth Parliamentary
Association held its mid-year
Executive Committee meeting in
Kampala, Uganda. Following his
participation in the mid-year
Executive Committee meeting,
Speaker Hays paid a working visit
to Paris, France. Finally, Speaker
Hays travelled to Pretoria, South
Africa as Canada's representative
at the inauguration ceremony of the
newly elected President, Thabo
Mbeki.
Promotion of Links with Other
Parliaments
Canada's parliamentary system is
held in high regard around the
world. Senators from all
political parties take part in
interparliamentary activities
that enhance the Parliament of
Canada's international reputation
as an effective bicameral
legislature in a bilingual,
multicultural society. Senators'
international activities boost
Canada's profile on the world
stage and strengthen its
relationship with other
countries, promoting a positive
image of Canada and its
parliamentary system.
Canada's international
parliamentary relations are
carried out in part
through official
parliamentary exchanges,
parliamentary associations and
interparliamentary groups,
protocol activities and
parliamentary conferences. One of
the primary aims of the
12 associations to which the
Parliament of Canada belongs is
to strengthen relations between
Canadian parliamentarians and
those in the countries concerned,
fostering mutual co-operation and
understanding between nations.
Through their official visits and
participation in
association and
interparliamentary
group plenaries, committees
and conferences, senators meet
with parliamentarians from around
the
world. Senators make a
significant contribution to
the debates with their
international
colleagues and vote on
resolutions on pressing
international issues, such as
international terrorism, human
trafficking, the fight against
HIV-AIDS, sustainable
development, the
environment, and on crisis
regions such as Iraq, Afghanistan
and Haiti. These meetings
in turn increase the
senators' knowledge
of, and their ability
to work on, these and
similar issues in the domestic
context.
Bilateral Associations
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Canada-China Legislative
Association
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Canada-France
Inter-Parliamentary Association
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Canada-Japan
Inter-Parliamentary Group
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Canada-United Kingdom
Inter-Parliamentary Association
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Canada-United States
Inter-Parliamentary Group
Multilateral Associations
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Assemblée parlementaire de la
Francophonie
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Canada-Africa Parliamentary
Association
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Canada-Europe Parliamentary
Association / Organization for
Security and Co-operation in
Europe
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Canadian NATO Parliamentary
Association
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Commonwealth Parliamentary
Association
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Inter-Parliamentary Forum of
the Americas
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Inter-Parliamentary Union
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