Our monthly round-up of the latest news, events and activities with the CPA and in Parliaments and Legislatures around the Commonwealth

This edition includes:

• Canada’s Northern Speakers sign Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen democratic institutions
• King Charles addresses Isle of Man’s Parliament Tynwald
• New Zealand Parliament welcomes Women MPs from across the Pacific
• Papua New Guinea Parliament launches new website
• Manitoba welcome young women for Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Outreach Programme
• National Assembly of Seychelles raises awareness of autism and hearing loss
• Commonwealth Accredited Organisations meet at Marlborough House
• Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting held ahead of Glasgow 2026 Games
• 51st Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Saint Lucia
• Québec Speaker elected as President of the Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie
• Speaker of the House of Representatives of Trinidad and Tobago leads Parliamentary delegation to the United Kingdom
• Malaysia Speaker visits Australian Parliament
• Trinidad and Tobago Speaker attends Tynwald Day 2026 in the Isle of Man
• New Zealand Committee Chair visits Malaysia Parliament
• New Zealand Speaker leads delegation visit to UK Parliament and Welsh Senedd

Canada’s Northern Speakers sign Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen democratic institutions 

On Nunavut Day (9 July 2026) and in the margins of the CPA Canadian Regional Conference in British Columbia, the Speakers of the Legislative Assemblies of the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that formalises their commitment to collaboration in support of strong and resilient parliamentary democracy across Canada's North.

Hon. Shane Thompson, MLA, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Northwest Territories, Hon. Yvonne Clarke, MLA, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Yukon and Hon. David Joanasie, MLA, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut signed the MoU which establishes a framework for the three territorial Speakers to meet regularly, share knowledge and best practices, and collaborate on issues of common interest. The agreement reflects a shared commitment to promoting safe, respectful, and effective legislative institutions while protecting the integrity of Canada's democratic traditions.

The signing on Nunavut Day underscores the unique relationship among Canada's three northern legislative assemblies and their shared responsibility to advance good governance in the Northern Regions of Canada.

Above: The Speakers of Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut with their Memorandum of Understanding.

King Charles addresses Isle of Man’s Parliament Tynwald

King Charles III visited the Parliament of the Isle of Man on 14 July 2026 as part of a historic first visit since becoming Lord of Mann. The title is unique to the Isle of Man and reflects a special constitutional relationship between the island and the sovereign. The visit to the Isle of Man marked his first official trip to the island since he became monarch.

Dignitaries including the President of Tynwald, Hon. Laurence Skelly, MLC; the Speaker of the House of Keys, Hon. Juan Watterson, MHK; Chief Minister, Hon. Alfred Cannan, MHK and the Clerk of Tynwald, Jonathan King welcomed the King wearing their ceremonial robes, before the King addressed Tynwald Court at a special sitting of the island's Parliament.

In his address, the King said it was “a very special moment in history” to take part in the proceedings as “only the second Lord of Mann to do so since this chamber was constructed”.

"As the world's oldest Parliament in continuous operation, Tynwald holds a remarkable distinction. This longevity speaks not only to the strength of your institutions, but also to the enduring partnership between the Crown and the people of this island. I cannot help but reflect upon the long association between my family and this ancient Parliament.

My grandfather, King George VI, became the first reigning sovereign for many centuries to preside over the Tynwald Day ceremony. When he visited Ellan Vannin in 1945, his and my grandmother's first sea crossing after VE Day. Ten years later, as a young boy, I accompanied my late mother when she herself came here for the first time as Queen and Lord of Mann. That is a very special memory I have always treasured, and it gives me particular pleasure and a deep sense of continuity to return again to this wonderful island. On this occasion I am proud to be continuing the tradition of visits by my family."

Following the address, the King was presented with the scroll of the loyal address, signed by both the President of Tynwald and the Speaker of the House of Keys.

Above: King Charles III meeting the Presiding Officers of Tynwald, and addressing Members in the Chamber. Images credit: Tynwald.

New Zealand Parliament welcomes Women MPs from across the Pacific

The New Zealand Parliament welcomed 34 women Parliamentarians from various Parliaments across the Pacific for the ‘Tuākana-Teina, Whenua, Talanoa Wānanga - Women in Leadership’ from 28 to 30 July 2026 in Wellington. The theme of the wānanga was ‘Decision-making and influencing change across the Pacific’ and the conference opened with a mihi whakatau, bringing together Parliamentarians to connect, share experiences and strengthen relationships across the Pacific Region.

The Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Gerry Brownlee, MP attended the opening and said:

“Events such as this wānanga are valuable opportunities for women Parliamentarians from across the Pacific to share knowledge, strengthen leadership and influencing skills, and build enduring networks of support. Through the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFAT) funded ‘Tai a Kiwa programme’, New Zealand Parliamentarians are proud to support practical, peer-led engagement that strengthens parliamentary capability and deepens our relationships across the Pacific.”

A series of workshop sessions and presentations focused on the areas of leadership, online harm and gender-based harassment, building alliances and influencing outcomes.

Women Parliamentarians and officials represented many Pacific Legislatures and organisations including the Parliaments of Vanuatu, Niue, Micronesia, Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Bougainville, Samoa, Tonga, Tokelau, New Caledonia, Naoero, Fiji, Kiribati as well as the Tuvalu National Council of Women.

Above: Delegates from across the Pacific at Tuākana-Teina, Whenua, Talanoa Wānanga - Women in Leadership event.

The National Parliament of Papua New Guinea has officially launched its new website in July 2026, a major step towards creating a more open, accessible and digitally connected Parliament for its citizens. The redesigned platform provides citizens with easier access to parliamentary proceedings, legislation, Committee information, publications, news and educational resources through a modern and user-friendly digital gateway. The launch reflects the Parliament’s continued commitment to strengthening transparency, public engagement and access to information through digital innovation.

The project was delivered through the collaborative support of the Papua New Guinea Parliamentary Service with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the ‘Strengthening Parliaments programme’, with support from the PNGAus Partnership.

Manitoba welcome young women for Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Outreach Programme 

The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba welcomed young women from the Province for a two-day mentoring programme on 21 to 22 May 2026. Delegates were welcomed by the Manitoba CWP Branch President, Hon. Billie Cross, MLA and CWP Branch Vice-President, Hon. Carrie Hibert, MLA before meeting with Members, legislative staff and visiting constituency offices.

The programme was held with funding from the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Gender Strengthening Funds which provides annual grants to CPA Branches to advance the CWP’s mission to ‘promote the representation of women in CPA Branches and women's full and equal participation in political and parliamentary leadership at all levels.'

The keynote speaker was former Manitoba Speaker, CWP Manitoba Chair and CWP International Vice-Chair, Hon. Myrna Driedger who spoke about her experiences as a long-time Member of the Legislature. The young women attending the programme also held a panel discussion with Manitoba’s Lieutenant-Governor, Hon. Anita R. Neville, PC, OM at Government House.

Above: Attendees and mentors at the Manitoba programme.

National Assembly of Seychelles raises awareness of autism and hearing loss

Members and parliamentary staff at the National Assembly of Seychelles participated in two sessions aimed to raise awareness of persons with disabilities.

The first deeply moving and eye-opening awareness session was facilitated by Sylvie Faure and Veronica Alphonse from the non-profit organisation, Autism Seychelles.

During the session presentations, Members were able to gain a deeper understanding of Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), including the daily experiences, challenges, strengths and perspectives of autistic persons and their families. The session also highlighted the communities and support networks that have been established in Seychelles, and how these initiatives continue to assist parents, caregivers and families of children with autism.

The second session heard from the Association for People with Hearing Impairment (APHI) with the aim of providing insights into the challenges, culture and various developments of the Deaf Community in Seychelles. APHI Chairperson, Anita Gardner, Deaf teacher, Shana David and teacher Julienne Low-Hong spoke about their experiences and facilitated live sign-language interpretation. The session also examined the barriers faced by the deaf community in accessing education, employment opportunities and public services as well as how Legislators may devise policy to overcome these.

The Speaker of the National Assembly of Seychelles, Hon. Azarel Ernesta, thanked all of the presenters for the sessions provided.

These awareness sessions are being organised at the Seychelles Parliament as part of the broader ‘A Parliament for All’ project being funded through a grant under the ‘Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) Capital Investment Fund’ of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).

Above: Members and parliamentary staff at the National Assembly of Seychelles during the session on the Deaf Community in Seychelles.

Commonwealth Secretariat meets with Commonwealth Accredited Organisations 

As one of the oldest established Commonwealth organisations, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) is an officially Accredited and Associated Commonwealth organisation. 

The Commonwealth is supported by a network of more than 90 Accredited Organisations and nine Associated Organisations all working in specialist areas from education to urban planning. As an Associated Organisation, the CPA is formally recognised as a part of the Commonwealth family and is therefore committed to the values and principles of the Commonwealth, as written in the Commonwealth Charter. CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg attended the latest meeting of the AOs at Marlborough House recently. 

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Hon. Shirley Botchwey, said: 

"Commonwealth Accredited Organisations turn our shared values into practical action, building capacity and actively improving lives in all 56 member countries. It was a pleasure to continue our dialogue and explore how we can strengthen our partnership and build momentum towards the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2026."

She also welcomed six newly accredited organisations, including the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK, the English-Speaking Union, the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) and Isha Foundation.

Above: Members of the Commonwealth Accredited Organisations at Marlborough House

Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting held ahead of Glasgow 2026 Games

The 12th Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting (CSMM) took place in Glasgow, Scotland, on 22 July 2026, ahead of the opening of the 2026 Commonwealth Games. 

The meeting gave Commonwealth Ministers an opportunity to agree on practical priorities for using sport to advance development, inclusion, peace and prosperity across all 56 member countries. 

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Hon. Shirley Botchwey joined Ministers, sporting partners and global sporting leaders at the meeting to discuss how sport can drive progress across health and governance, advance inclusion and gender equality, and attract investment for more resilient economies through stronger partnerships. 

The Commonwealth Secretary-General said: 

“Sport is one of the Commonwealth’s greatest shared assets. It brings people together across borders, cultures and generations, and it inspires excellence, discipline and values that strengthen our societies. As athletes prepared to compete at the Commonwealth Games, our meeting was an important opportunity to examine how sport can deliver practical benefits for our 2.7 billion citizens, especially young people, women and girls and persons with disabilities.” 

The Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting was chaired by Hon. Maree Todd, MSP, the Scottish Government Minister for Mental Wellbeing, Public Health, Sport, Alcohol and Drugs who said:

"Scotland is proud to host Glasgow 2026 and to welcome Ministers to the 12th Commonwealth Sport Minister’s Meeting. Through these important discussions we will draw on key areas of focus for sport and physical activity in Scotland, including addressing inequalities in participation, and using sport to improve public health. This is about turning ambition into action, and I look forward to ensuring that sport delivers lasting benefits for communities across the Commonwealth."

The meeting also reviewed progress against agreed Commonwealth priorities and considered a new, more structured approach to strengthening collaboration and impact in sport - from the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, through to the Malta 2027 Commonwealth Youth Games, and ahead of the Commonwealth Games Amdavad 2030. 

The meeting’s outcomes will also help shape the sport-related discussion during the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which will be held in Antigua and Barbuda in November. 

51st Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Saint Lucia

Parliamentarians from across the CPA Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Region attended the 51st Meeting of the Heads of Government of the CARICOM (Caribbean Community) in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia from 5 to 8 July 2026. 

Delegates were welcomed by the Chair of CARICOM, Hon. Philip J. Pierre, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia and the CARICOM Secretary-General, Dr Carla Barnett.  

The meeting welcomed French Guiana as the 8th Associate Member of CARICOM following the signing of agreements with His Excellency Gabriel Serville, President of the Territorial Collectivity of French Guiana. 

CARICOM members include: Antigua and Barbuda; The Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Dominica; Grenada; Guyana; Haiti; Jamaica; Montserrat; Saint Lucia; St Kitts and Nevis; St Vincent and the Grenadines; Suriname; Trinidad and Tobago. Associate Members: Anguilla; Bermuda; British Virgin Islands; Cayman Islands; Curacao, Turks and Caicos Islands.

Québec Speaker elected as President of the Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie

The President of the National Assembly of Québec, Hon. Nathalie Roy, MNA has been elected as the new President of the Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie (APF) at the close of the 51st session of the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie held at the National Assembly of Cameroon in Yaoundé on 10 July 2026. She succeeds Hon. Hilarion Etong from Cameroon. 

Before becoming its President, Nathalie Roy held the position of first Vice-President of the APF. Through this new term, the President said that she wishes to pay particular attention to the Francophone economic space, to the discoverability of French-language content and to strengthening parliamentary Francophonie. 

During her inaugural speech, the new President declared:

It is an immense privilege to accede to the presidency of the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie. The promotion of the French language being at the heart of my commitment, I am honoured to continue this mission within the organisation. Parliamentary Francophonie is a force for collaboration, united by shared values and oriented toward the future.

Above: President of the National Assembly of Québec, Hon. Nathalie Roy, MNA

Speaker of the House of Representatives of Trinidad and Tobago leads Parliamentary delegation to the United Kingdom 

On 1 July 2026, a parliamentary delegation from Trinidad and Tobago, led by Hon. Jagdeo Singh, Speaker of the Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives, visited the United Kingdom. They were hosted by the Speaker of the UK House of Commons, Rt Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, who said: 

"The UK and Trinidad & Tobago share a strong and enduring bond, built on parliamentary ties and Commonwealth links. There is much that brings us together, and I was glad to welcome Speaker Jagdeo Singh."

As part of the visit, the delegation also met with CPA Deputy Secretary-General, Jarvis Matiya to discuss shared priorities, parliamentary democracy and the upcoming 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in South Africa. 

Above: CPA Deputy Secretary-General Jarvis Matiya with members of the Trinidad and Tobago Parliamentary delegation

Above: Hon. Jagdeo Singh, Speaker of the Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives with Hon. Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the UK House of Commons.

Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malaysia leads delegation on visit to the Parliament of Australia 

The Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) of Malaysia, Hon. Dato Johari Abdul, MP led a delegation to the Parliament of Australia on 3 July 2026. The other members of the delegation were Hon. Dato' Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, the Malaysian Minister of Defence and Hon. Datin Paduka Sharrina Abdullah, the Malaysian High Commissioner to Australia. 

They met with the President of the Senate of Australia and CPA Treasurer, Senator Hon. Sue Lines and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia, Hon. Milton Dick, MP to discuss cooperation with legislative institutions, parliamentary diplomacy and issues of mutual interest. 

The Speaker of Malaysia, Hon. Dato Johari Abdul said: 

"The warmth, friendship and respect extended to the Malaysian delegation throughout our official visit to Australia will always be remembered.

I am deeply honoured by the gracious welcome and overwhelming support shown by the Parliament of Australia, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Speaker Milton Dick MP, President of the Senate Sue Lines, Members of Parliament, Senators and parliamentary officials."

Above: CPA Treasurer and President of the Senate of Australia Hon. Sue Lines; Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) of Malaysia, Hon. Dato Johari Abdul, MP and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia, Hon. Milton Dick, MP.

Speaker of New Zealand leads delegation visit to UK Parliament and Welsh Senedd 

The Speaker of the House of Representatives of New Zealand, Rt Hon. Gerry Brownlee, MP led a delegation of four MPs and three parliamentary staff on a visit to the UK Parliament and the Welsh Senedd from 13 to 16 July 2026.

The New Zealand Speaker-led delegation met with the Speaker of the UK House of Commons, Rt Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, MP before meeting with MPs from the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group of New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands. The New Zealand delegation also met with the Lord Speaker, Rt Hon. Lord Forsyth of Drumlean PC and Member of the House of Lords.  

The New Zealand delegation met with the CPA UK Branch to discuss and exchange on parliamentary practice and procedure before meeting with the CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg to CPA’s work in the Pacific Region.

The New Zealand delegation then travelled to Cardiff to visit the Welsh Parliament (Senedd Cymru) where they met with the Llywydd (Presiding Officer), Rt Hon. Huw Irranca-Davies, MS and several Members before taking a tour of the newly updated Chamber.

The New Zealand delegation included: Hon. Dan Bidois, MP; Hon. Laura McClure, MP; Dr Tracey McLellan, MP; Hon. Tāmatha Paul, MP; Joint CPA New Zealand Branch Secretaries - Dr David Wilson, Clerk of the New Zealand House of Representatives and Rafael Gonzalez-Montero, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Parliamentary Service; and Kirsty Murfitt, CPA Pacific Regional Secretary. 

Trinidad and Tobago Speaker attends Tynwald Day 2026 in the Isle of Man

The Speaker of the Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives, Hon. Jagdeo Singh, MP, participated in the Tynwald Day 2026 celebrations in the Isle of Man on 6 July 2026. Tynwald Day is the vibrant National Day of the Isle of Man, celebrated annually with the oldest continuous Parliament in the world. 

The President of Tynwald, Hon. Laurence Skelly, MLC and the Speaker of the House of Keys, Hon. Juan Watterson, MHK welcomed the Trinidad and Tobago Speaker as well as representatives from the United Kingdom Parliament (Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon. Caroline Nokes, MP); The Scottish Parliament (Rt Hon. Kenneth Gibson, MSP, Presiding Officer) and the States of Guernsey (Sir Richard McMahon, Bailiff of Guernsey and President of the States).

Above: Hon. Jagdeo Singh during his visit to the Isle of Man for Tynwald Day.

New Zealand Committee Chair visits Malaysia Parliament 

The Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee at the New Zealand Parliament, Hon. Timothy van de Molen, MP visited the Parliament of Malaysia on 9 July 2026 as part of a fact-finding mission.

He met with his counterpart, Hon. YB Tuan Wong Chen, MP, Chairman of the Malaysian Select Committee (JKP) on International Relations and International Trade during his visit.

Above: Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee at the New Zealand Parliament, Hon. Timothy van de Molen, MP at the Parliament of Malaysia.

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