4 WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2017 | THE HILL TIMES News International groups, Conservative & NDP caucuses

Interparliamentary Group Chairs Canada-Moldova Parliamentary Friendship Group Liberal MP Alexandra Mendès Canada-Portugal Parliamentary Friendship Group Liberal MP Alexandra Mendès, Peter Fonseca, M.P. Canada-Palestine Parliamentary Friendship Group Liberal MP Marwan Tabbara Intra-party, all-party Parliamentary Friends of Tibet Liberal MP Arif Virani Canada-Armenia Friendship Group Liberal MP Arnold Chan Canada-Thailand Parliamentary Association Conservative MP Blaine Calkins Canada-Croatia Friendship Group Liberal MP Bob Bratina Canada-Ukraine Friendship Group Liberal MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj caucuses multiplying Canada-Myanmar Parliamentary Friendship Group Conservative MP Bruce Stanton Canada-India Parliamentary Association Liberal MP Chandra Arya Canada-Turkey Friendship Group Liberal MP Judy Sgro With the parties holding end-of-summer Canada-Lebanon Friendship Group Liberal MP Fayçal El-Khoury Canada-Belgium Parliamentary Friendship Group Liberal Sen. Claudette Tardif, Liberal MP Steve MacKinnon Canada-Peru Parliamentary Friendship Group Conservative MP Randy Hoback caucus meetings this week and next, here’s Canada-Indonesia Parliamentary Friendship Group Conservative MP Deepak Obhrai Canada-CARICOM Parliamentary Friendship Group Canada-Mongolia Interparliamentary Group Liberal Sen. Joseph Day your cheat sheet of all-party and intra-party Canada-Taiwan Friendship Group Liberal MP Judy Sgro Canada-Scotland Friendship Group Liberal MP Kirsty Duncan Canada-Serbia Friendship Group Ind. Sen. Larry Campbell caucuses, and interparliamentary associations. Canada-Netherlands Friendship Group Liberal MP Mark Eyking Canada-Hong Kong Friendship Group Conservative MP Michael Chong BY SAMANTHA WRIGHT ALLEN or receptions. All-party issues-based groups don’t The Global Health Caucus on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis Liberal Sen. Mobina Jaffer, Liberal MP Brenda Shanahan, have parliamentary budgets, so groups sometimes and Malaria Conservative MP Dean Allison, NDP MP Don Davies iberal MPs maintain more than two dozen active pool members’ offices budgets to do their work. Canada-United Arab Emirates Friendship Group Liberal Sen. Percy Downe Linternal issues-based caucuses, on everything Prof. Thomas was unsurprised Liberal caucus Canada-Cuba Interparliamentary Group Ind. Sen. Pierrette Ringuette from automobiles to mental health, a number that has chair Francis Scarpaleggia (Lac-Saint-Louis, Que.) de- Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) Conservative Sen. Raynell Andreychuk ballooned since the party formed government in 2015. clined to send The Hill Times a list of issues-based in- Canada-Kazakhstan Parliamentary Friendship Group Liberal MP Robert Nault Internal and all-party policy-focused groups ternal caucuses, citing “internal caucus business” and noting the issues-based caucuses are fluid, sometimes Canada-Iraq Friendship Group Conservative Sen. Salma Ataullahjan are multiplying, according to Carleton University informal, and don’t necessarily meet often. Canada-Morocco Parliamentary Group Conservative Sen. Salma Ataullahjan instructor Paul Thomas, who researches caucuses in Canada. Some, like the all-party Parliamentary Outdoor Canada-Vietnam Parliamentary Association Conservative Sen. Thanh Hai Ngo, Caucus are growing more formalized, with its ap- NDP MP Anne Minh-Thu Quach In a decade, the count moved from fewer than 50 in 2004, most of them country- proximately 53 members handed Canada-Philippines Interparliamentary Group Conservative Sen. Tobias C. Enverga Jr. branded pins and signing on. Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux based friendship groups and nearly no all-party policy-based And they can be influential. Canada-Korea Interparliamentary Friendship Group Conservative Sen. Yonah Martin groups, to nearly 100 in 2014. By The Outdoor Caucus, for in- Canada-Bulgaria Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group Conservative Sen. Yonah Martin, The Hill Times’ count, internal stance “absolutely” helped defeat Liberal MP Joe Peschisolido and all-party caucuses alone a Liberal private member’s Canada-Azerbaijan Friendship Group Conservative MP Jamie Schmale now number about 85—never bill, the Modernizing Animal Canada-Nordic-Baltic Parliamentary Friendship Group Conservative MP Jamie Schmale mind the almost 60 international Protections Act, in October, the Canada-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship Group Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith associations, friendship groups, group’s co-chair said. Canada-Argentina Parliamentary Friendship Group Liberal MP Pablo Rodriguez and interparliamentary groups The Hill Times compiled a list Canada-Pakistan Friendship Group Liberal MP Rob Oliphant, Liberal MP Salma Zahid that work to promote Canada’s of internal and all-party caucuses Parliamentary Friends of the Kurds Conservative MP Tom Kmiec interests abroad, some of which using information from MPs’ and Senators’ offices, party whip and Canada-Mexico Friendship Group Liberal MP William Amos, Liberal MP Julie Dzerowicz receive parliamentary funding and administrative support. caucus offices, Prof. Thomas, Canada-Sri Lanka Friendship Group Liberal MP Yasmin Ratansi and news articles, though it is an Canada-Uzbekistan Friendship Group Conservative MP Ziad Aboultaif “One of the main reasons that I found these groups were grow- incomplete picture. “You’ll never get one,” said Associations and Interparliamentary Groups Leaders ing was they did serve a pur- pose...for MPs by making it look Prof. Thomas. “Even in the U.K. Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association Conservative Sen. Raynell Andreychuk, co-chair, like they were active on a par- where there is an official compul- Liberal MP Robert Oliphant, co-chair sion to register, there’s always a ticular issue,” said Prof. Thomas, Paul Thomas, a Social Science Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association Liberal MPs Scott Simms, president, and conversely they offered an little bit of wiggle room.” John Oliver, vice-president, and Humanities Research Council opportunity for lobbyists to show As soon as caucuses begin Liberal Sen. Percy Downe, vice-president Postdoctoral Fellow at Carleton having structured meetings or clients they were connecting with University, researches all-party groups Canadian Delegation to the Organization for Security and Liberal MP Hedy Fry, director the right Parliamentarians. receiving input from outside Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) in Canada and the U.K. The Hill Times groups, Prof. Thomas said they While parties are fairly open photograph by Laura Ryckewaert Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire Liberal MPs Darrell Samson, president, when asked about regional should register. de la Francophonie (APF) Paul Lefebvre, vice-president, caucuses, information about “Even if it’s not a group that Conservative Sen. Thanh Hai Ngo, vice-president them and their members is not publicly available in meets regularly, it does sort of change the relation- Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Liberal MP Yasmin Ratansi, chair, one central spot, nor are groups required to register. ship to the topic as someone who might be more Association (CPA) Liberal Sen. Elizabeth Hubley, vice-chair, Many caucuses don’t have any formal membership targeted by lobbyists and also someone who feels a NDP MP Irene Mathyssen, vice-chair or registration, prompting some to call for more bit more committed to the cause,” he said. Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Liberal MP David McGuinty, president, transparency. While some caucuses emerge and sur- Subject-specific all-party caucuses have grown Conservative Sen. Salma Ataullahjan, vice-president vive based on the individual interests of MPs, Prof. significantly since 2003, when there were nine. They Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association (NATO PA) Liberal MPs Leona Alleslev, chair, Thomas said, others are sparked by lobby groups, jumped to 14 in 2006 and to 34 in 2014, according to Chris Bittle, vice-chair, some of which organize meetings and fund activities Prof. Thomas’ figures. ByThe Hill Times’ count, there Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant, vice-chair are now 30. Canadian Section of ParlAmericas Liberal MPs Robert Nault, chair, He’s also noticed a fixation on health recently. Es- Randy Boissonnault, vice-chair, Conservative Caucus Chairs Members pecially in the United Kingdom, which he also studies, Ind. Sen. Pierrette Ringuette B.C./North Caucus Bob Zimmer, chair groups will form in reaction to publicity about other Canada-China Legislative Association Liberal Sen. Joseph Day, co-chair, Alberta Caucus Blaine Calkins, chair groups—the “demonstration effect.” It can give politi- Liberal MP Geng Tan, co-chair Saskatchewan Caucus Randy Hoback, chair cal parties and lobbyists the appearance of action on Canada-France Interparliamentary Association Liberal MPs Denis Paradis, chair, Manitoba Caucus Ted Falk, chair files of interest to constituents or clients, though they Michel Picard, vice-chair, Ontario Caucus Dave Van Kesteren, chair may meet a couple times a year or not at all. Liberal Sen. Claudette Tardif, vice-chair; Quebec Caucus Bernard Généreux, chair The longer MPs serve, typically, the more Canada-Japan Inter-Parliamentary Group Liberal Sen. Paul J. Massicotte, co-chair, Atlantic Caucus Sen. Thomas McInnis, chair likely they are to work across party lines said Prof. Liberal MP Terry Sheehan, co-chair CPC Tourism Outreach Blake Richards, chair Thomas, so he’s not surprised to see so many newly Canada-United Kingdom Inter-Parliamentary Association Liberal MPs Frank Baylis, chair, Caucus elected Liberals staying close to the party. John McKay, vice-president, Conservative Hunting and Blaine Calkins, chair John Barlow “That can be an aspect of wanting to get promot- Liberal Sen. Terry M. Mercer, vice-president Angling Caucus ed...[or] they just haven’t had chance to meet people Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group Conservative Sen. Michael L. MacDonald, co-chair, Conservative Automotive Colin Carrie, chair outside of their party,” he said. Liberal MP Wayne Easter, co-chair Caucus At the weekly national caucus, Liberal MPs Conservative Indigenous Cathy McLeod, chair speaking for the various regions get the floor as Affairs Caucus Interparliamentary Groups well as three issues-based groups: women’s, rural, Conservative Natural Kevin Waugh, Tom Kmiec, Canada-Germany Interparliamentary Group Liberal MP Linda Lapointe, chair Resources Caucus John Barlow, Pat Kelly and Indigenous caucuses, said the latter’s chair Don Canada-Ireland Interparliamentary Group Liberal MPs Seamus O’Regan, chair, Rusnak (Thunder Bay-Rainy River, Ont.). James Maloney, Vice-chair NDP Caucus Chairs Members While Prof. Thomas was surprised to see so few Canada-Israel Interparliamentary Group Liberal MPs Michael Levitt, chair, Auto Caucus Brian Masse, chair Conservative and NDP issues-based caucuses (the Marco Mendicino, vice-chair, NDP Quebec Caucus Robert Aubin, chair Guy Caron, Tories have at least about a dozen, the NDP at least NDP MP Randall Garrison, vice-chair, Karine Trudel, vice-chair Pierre-Luc Dusseault four) he said that should change soon, as their lead- Conservative MP David Sweet, vice-chair NDP B.C. Caucus Kennedy Stewart, chair Richard Cannings, ership races wrap up. Canada-Italy Interparliamentary Group Liberal MPs Francesco Sorbara, chair, Alistair MacGregor [email protected] Nicola Di Iorio, Vice-chair, Angelo Iacono, vice-chair NDP Prairie Caucus Erin Weir The Hill Times