Strategic Objective 3
To promote understanding and support the advancement of legislative institutions
To ensure a broader understanding and appreciation of the role the parliamentary system plays in Canadian society, and to increase participation in our country’s democratic institutions, the House Administration must coordinate communications initiatives that inform and inspire Canadian citizens as well as parliamentary counterparts around the world.
Enriching Canada’s parliamentary tradition ”
Enhance learning opportunities for parliamentarians and legislative officials from jurisdictions in Canada and abroad
Regularly approached by international parliamentarians interested in learning more about Canada’s parliamentary system, the House of Commons will continue to welcome delegations from other parliaments and host meetings and conferences for parliamentary associations to which Canada belongs. The House Administration will play a key role in organizing the 127th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in October 2012 in Quebec City. The IPU is the focal point for worldwide parliamentary dialogue; with a total of 1,500 delegates expected, representing almost every national parliament in the world, it will be the largest parliamentary conference ever held in Canada.
Conferences are not the only way the House of Commons shares its knowledge and practices with other legislatures. The Parliamentary Officers’ Study Program a collaboration between the Senate, the House of Commons and the Library of Parliament gives senior staff from other countries the opportunity to learn about Canada’s procedural and administrative practices. Due to the waiting list of eager participants, the House Administration will permanently expand the program, which grew from two to three sessions per year in 2010–2011.
”and sharing that tradition with Canadians
Increase public awareness and sustain the independence and traditions of the House of Commons
Working with both internal and external partners, the House Administration will continue its development of a comprehensive strategy to facilitate a more coordinated approach to outreach and communications. Part of this process will involve clarifying the governance of communication functions so that roles are clearly defined and decision-making processes are streamlined and improved.
A number of marketing initiatives will be implemented to promote the 2012 IPU conference and, at the same time, raise the profile of the House among Canadians. Public relations, social media and other marketing mechanisms will be used as well to support annual recruitment for the House of Commons Page Program and, again, increase awareness of the significance of the institution among Canadian students.