Canada's Senate Speaker To Attend P-20 Meeting in New Delhi Amid Diplomatic Row

Amid continuing diplomatic tensions, Senate Speaker of Canada, Raymonde Gagne, is expected to visit New Delhi to attend the Parliament-20 meeting (P-20) of the presiding officers of the G20 nations in Delhi from 13-14 October.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the ninth G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit on 13 October.

Confirming Canada's participation in the conference, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said, "all countries have been invited, Canada’s Senate Speaker has just sent the confirmation to us.”

Addressing a press briefing, Birla said while all the matters listed in the agenda will be discussed formally, some issues will be taken up informally.

Birla said that the summit will be held at the newly-constructed India International Convention and Expo Centre (IICC), Yashobhoomi, Dwarka in New Delhi.

He added that apart from G-20 countries, 10 other countries and international organisations will participate in the summit and so far, 50 parliamentarians and 14 secretary generals including 26 presidents, 10 vice presidents, one committee chairman and the IPU president have confirmed their participation.

Birla said that the speakers of the Pan African Parliament will be participating in the P-20 summit in India for the first time.

Birla also said that four high-level sessions on accelerating sustainable development goals (SDGs), sustainable energy transition, women-led development, transformation in people’s lives through public digital platforms, will be organised during the summit.

These sessions will bring together G-20 members and guest countries for wide-ranging discussions on “how parliaments can effectively advance the objectives of the P-20”.

Birla informed that the summit will conclude with a joint statement urging G-20 governments to provide solutions to major global challenges based on equality, inclusivity and peace.

Birla also said that a Parliamentary Forum on LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) will be organised ahead of the summit on 12 October 2023. LiFE was launched on 20 October 2022 by Prime Minister Modi and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in Kevadia, Gujarat.

This initiative is effectively working towards sustainable development based on environmentally-conscious lifestyle and the principle of 'reduce, reuse, and recycle’.

He added that a 'Mother of Democracy' exhibition will also be organised to highlight India's ancient and participatory democratic traditions.