Explainers
G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit: Why Canada and the US are skipping it?
Canada and the US are not attending the G20 Parliamentary Speakers' (P20) summit, starting today. While Ottawa provided no official reason, many speculate the ongoing diplomatic standoff could be the reason for its absence. The US is yet to elect a Speaker following Kevin McCarthy's departure
FP Explainers Last Updated:October 13, 2023 14:32:09 IST 
Canada is notably absent from the schedule for the P20 and Parliamentary Forum. AP
The 9th G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20) was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, 13 October, in the nation’s capital.
Canada is notably absent from the schedule for the P20 and Parliamentary Forum.
This comes in the midst of continuous hostilities between New Delhi and Ottawa following the assassination of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
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Canada had earlier informed the office of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla that Gagne would be present at the summit.
Birla already stated in a press conference last week that he would bring up “several issues” in his informal discussions with the Canadian Speaker.
Canada and the US skip P20 Summit
The Speaker of the Canadian Senate, Raymonde Gagne will not attend the G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20), which will start here on Friday.
“The Canadian Speaker is not attending the Summit. Schedules keep changing,” according to Indian Express which quoted its sources as saying. No reason was given for Canada’s decision. It is unclear if Canada will have any other representatives at the meeting.
The development was confirmed by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in remarks to the media on Thursday. He stated that all G20 members and invited guests had received invitations from India and were free to decide whether or not to attend.
The US, which is also a part of the intelligence-sharing network Five Eyes that also includes the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, is also missing the summit. America is yet to elect a new Speaker following the departure of its previous Speaker, Kevin McCarthy.
Germany and Argentina are also not attending the conference, according to official sources, for “internal reasons.”
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India-Canada tensions
India’s relations with Canada deteriorated after Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau publicly levelled suspicions that Indian agents were involved in the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in a Vancouver suburb.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead by unidentified gunmen outside a Sikh temple on 18 June. India had designated him as a “terrorist” three years earlier.
India has denied the accusation and described it as “absurd” and “motivated.” It has charged Ottawa with failing to take action against Canadian Khalistani separatists.
India asked Canada to remove 41 diplomats by October 10 according to media reports. Canada then moved a majority of its diplomats working in India to either Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, according to PTI.
PTI sources reported that the two nations are holding talks over India’s demand.
“Diplomacy is always better when conversations remain private, and that’s the approach I will continue to take when it comes to India,” Canadian foreign minister Melania Joly told reporters on Wednesday, according to The Times of India.
Countries attending the summit
More than 350 delegates are expected to attend the three-day summit that will see the participation of 50 members of Parliament, 14 general secretaries, 26 vice-presidents, the International Parliamentary Union president and the president of the Pan-African Parliament, according to The Hindu.
Speakers and heads of delegations of Indonesia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Spain, European Parliament, Italy, South Africa, Russia, Turkiye, Nigeria, Australia, Brazil, UAE, Singapore, Japan, Egypt, and Bangladesh will be present at the event.
Following the inclusion of the African Union in the G20 in September, the Pan-African Parliament will attend this summit for the first time, as per Hindustan Times.
The UK and Australia are participating, however, New Zealand was not invited to the summit.
About P20 Summit
The Indian Parliament is hosting the summit as part of a larger initiative for India’s G20 Presidency. Parliaments for One Earth, One Family, One Future is the focus of the 9th P20 Summit.
The summit will concentrate on the following four topics: accelerating SDGs, women-led development, transformation in people’s lives through public digital platforms, and sustainable energy transition.
A pre-summit Parliamentary Forum on LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) was held on Thursday before the summit at Dwarka’s Yashobhoomi. In order to emphasise India’s longstanding and participatory democratic traditions, an exhibition titled “Mother of Democracy” will also be held, Birla had previously stated.
No country is immune to the effects of climate change, Birla said on Thursday at the P20 pre-summit gathering. Speaking to the delegates, he added that ancient books from India demonstrate that individuals who safeguard the environment will also be protected by it.
According to Hindustan Times, referring to the impact of climate change on humankind, he said, “In the changing context, there is no country in the world that remains untouched by the ill effects of climate change. We are aware of the challenges faced by the world. Therefore, firm efforts in this direction are the need of the hour. Mission LiFe inspires everyone to adopt a lifestyle that includes reducing, reusing and recycling. There is a need to adopt a lifestyle that does not harm the environment.”
The environment and climate change are related to the mutual future of the world and environment-related topics have been placed at the centre of discussions at the P20, he pointed out. “I think that this summit in the mother of democracy will help in giving new directions to new parameters. Environment and climate change are related to the mutual future of the world. So we have kept environment-related topics at the centre of discussion at the P20 summit… We all need to contribute collectively by bringing a change in our daily routine,” he said.
With inputs from agencies
