Kenya seeks close parliamentary ties with Canada
The Parliament of Kenya has invited the Canadian House of Commoms to explore areas of collaboration and exchange on best parliamentary practices, in a bid to enhance the capacity of Members of Parliament and Parliamentary staff.
The invitation was extended during a tour of the Centre for Parliamentary Studies and Training (CPST) by the Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons, the Greg Fergus, Thursday afternoon.
The first call for enhanced cooperation was made by Hon. Rachel Ameso, the CPST Board Chairperson, who hosted the 4- member delegation which was on a 4-day study tour of the Parliament of Kenya.
While disclosing that CPST enjoys a close relationship with McGill University in Canada through an MoU which has enabled the Parliamentary Service Commision of Kenya to build capacity of several Members and Staff through their professional Development Programmes, Ameso, observed that the process of visa issuance for Members attending the McGill Parliamentary Programmes should be made easier.
“This May we are sending 10 Members of the National Assembly to McGill for this programme. We would appreciate a structured process of engagement with the House of Commons and kindly, if the process of visa issuance can be made easier. Together we can contribute to a more informed, inclusive and resilient parliamentary landscape,” she said.
The Kenyan Parliament’s partnership with McGill University dates back eight years ago, when the CPST Board formalized the collaboration during a visit to the university.
Ameso also called for enhanced cooperation between the two training institutions in equipping the CPST library with up-to-date resources and enhancing research services.
She also advocated for joint curriculum development initiatives in addressing post COVID challenges.
On her part, the CPST Executive Director, Prof. Nyokabi Kamau observed that the two Parliamentary Training Institutions could partner in coming up with ,and creating gender responsive policies, with the support of the House of Commons which has been at the forefront of advocating for gender responsive budgeting.
While assuring the CPST of their willingness to work together, Fergus stated that indeed there is a lot that both Parliaments can learn from each other.
To navigate the issues of gender responsiveness, Speaker Fergus invited the CPST Board Members to always ask the question “Who is not at the table,” arguing that it is a one of the ways towards including everyone.
According to Fergus, Canada made deliberate efforts to change the narrative four years ago and in 2024, 40 percent of senior positions are occupied by women.
Accompanying Fergus were Christopher Thornley, the Canadian High Commissioner, his Deputy, Richard Cannings (MP), Arielle Kayabaga (MP) and Alexiand s Brunelle-Duceppe (MP).
