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CPA Activites: The Canadian Scene

45th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference 

The annual conference of the Canadian Region of the CPA will take place in Winnipeg, Manitoba in July 2007.  The first day of the conference, Tuesday July 24, will be devoted to sessions organized by the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians.  Eight Business sessions will be held in the Fairmont hotel on July 25, 27 and 28.  On July 25 delegates will have an opportunity to participate in one of four optional tours designed to acquaint them with various aspects of Manitoba.  The Regional Council meeting of CPA will be held on Friday, July 15. 

New Clerk in Ontario 

The new Clerk of the Ontario Legislative Assembly is Deborah Deller.  Her appointment was announced by Speaker Michael Brown and became effective on March 21, 2007. 

Ms Deller is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario.  She has worked for the Assembly in numerous capacities since 1979.  In the course of her career she has held many positions with the Assembly including Information Officer, Committee Clerk, Clerk Assistant, Deputy Clerk and Director of Legislative Services. 

In addition to her responsibilities at the Ontario Legislative Assembly, Ms Deller has been actively involved in several international advisory projects and missions. In February of 2006, Ms Deller was asked by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to be part of a team conducting a post election seminar in Tanzania.  This was an interactive training seminar aimed at sharing expertise with newly elected Tanzanian Members on certain key areas of Parliamentary roles and processes including the role of the Speaker, the role of the Opposition, privilege and financial oversight processes.  Ms Deller was the only Clerk on the team which otherwise consisted of the Speaker of the House from Kenya and the Leader of the Opposition from Ghana. 

Currently Ms Deller is the Team Leader for a CPA initiative for the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).  This Technical Assistance Program for the OECS involves the updating and harmonization of Standing Orders for 9 member states.  The project is expected to be completed in the spring with a workshop organized by the project team to follow. 

Ms Deller has been a presenter and participant in various forums including the Canadian Association of Clerks-at-the-Table, the American Society of Legislative Clerks and Secretaries; Australia and New Zealand Society of Clerks-at-the- Table and the Association of Chief Clerks of Mexico's State Legislatures and the Federal District of Mexico. 

Ms Deller is a regular participant in an education program operated jointly by the Canadian Study of Parliament Group and the Association of Clerks-at-the-Table in Canada.  Under the auspices of this speaking tour program Ms Deller has undertaken speaking engagements at various universities including: Trent, Waterloo, McMaster; and Queen's. 

New Clerk in the Yukon 

The new Clerk of the Yukon Legislative Assembly is Floyd McCormick.  He replaces Patrick Michael, who retired at the end of March 2007. 

Dr. McCormick has been Deputy Clerk of the Legislative Assembly since August 15, 2001. He earned a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Alberta, and a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts, also in political science, from the University of Western Ontario. He is a member of the Society of Clerks-at-the-Table in Canada, having served on that organization’s technology and professional development committees. He is also a member of the Society of Clerks-at- the Table in Commonwealth Parliaments. Dr. McCormick has been a member of the Canadian Political Science Association and the Société québécoise de science politique since 1990. Prior to accepting the position of Deputy Clerk, Dr. McCormick was a political commentator for CBC Yukon and the Yukon News. He also taught a political science course on Yukon First Nations land claims and self-government at Yukon College.