Photo gallery
Canadian OSCE Parliamentary Association (2014)
In July 2014, Senator Massicotte took part in the Parliamentary Assembly for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, which took place in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Canada - United States Interparliamentary Group (2014)
From 6-9 June 2014, Senator Janis Johnson and Mr. Gord Brown, M.P., Co-Chairs of the Canadian Section of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group (IPG), hosted the IPG's annual meeting in Ottawa. The meeting was also attended by six Canadian Senators, seven members of the House of Commons, five U.S. Senators and four members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Ministers Peter MacKay, Kerry-Lynne Findlay and Lisa Raitt, and the Honorable Bruce Heyman, the United States Ambassador to Canada, joined the delegates at selected activities. The American delegation was led by Senators Amy Klobuchar and Mike Crapo, and Representative Bill Huizenga. "We were so very pleased to be able to host our counterparts in Canada's beautiful capital," said Senator Johnson. "We spoke about a range of issues that are important to both of our countries, and identified areas where we will continue to support each other as we seek peace and security throughout the world. Of course, we are also committed to working together in ways that will support our competitiveness and prosperity as North American partners for the benefit of our residents and businesses."
Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee (2014)
In May 2014, The Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee took part in a fact finding trip in Canada's North as part of their study on renewable and non-renewable energy development in Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon. Senators met with organizations and individuals involved in the energy sector including Aboriginal and territorial representatives, industry, environmental and community leaders. For a better understanding of energy challenges facing local people, the Committee visited small communities including Kimmirut in Nunavut and Whati in the NWT.
Canada - United States Interparliamentary Group (2014)
From February 21-24, 2014, the Canadian Section of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group (IPG) led a delegation to the annual winter meeting of the National Governors Association (NGA) in Washington, D.C. Founded more than a century ago when President Theodore Roosevelt gathered state governors in order to discuss the nation's resources, the NGA is the collective voice of U.S. governors from the 50 states, three territories and two commonwealths. It is also a public policy organization that represents the governors on Capitol Hill and before the U.S. Administration on federal issues that affect them, and that develops and implements solutions to public policy challenges. The theme for the NGA's activities in 2014 - including the winter and summer meetings - is "America Works: Education and Training for Tomorrow's Jobs." This initiative has been selected by NGA Chair Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin. The four key elements of the initiative, each of which is also applicable in the Canadian context, are: - Articulate and implement a vision that connects education and the workforce in order that more Americans can achieve "the new minimum." - Use data to inform policy decisions, track progress and measure success. - Build partnerships as an aid to results. - Modify resource allocation and incentives to support the vision referenced earlier.
Canadian OSCE Parliamentary Association (2014)
In February 2014, Senator Massicotte took part in the Parliamentary Assembly for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, which took place in Vienna, Austria. The OSCE's unique character derives from its composition, which enables the United States and Canada to participate as full members in an organization that addresses European issues. The OSCE favours inclusive dialogue over selective admission. This enables it to keep communication channels open on key security issues between Western democracies and countries with less exemplary democratic records. It also promotes exchanges between the European Union and Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan) and Mongolia that are not members of the Council of Europe. Whereas the foremost goal of the Council of Europe is to promote and defend democratic development and human rights, and to hold member governments accountable for their performance in these areas, the OSCE aims to foster the development of an expansive, conflict-free geographic area from Vancouver to Vladivostok regardless of the democratic characteristics of the participating states.