Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
Honourable members, my name is Sébastien Carrière. As Chief of Protocol of Canada, I have the pleasure of meeting with you today to explain the role of the Office of Protocol of Canada in organizing official visits to Canada from heads of state or foreign governments.
The Office of Protocol of Canada is responsible for managing and coordinating state protocol international functions, which include a range of services to the diplomatic corps, high-level visits and official events hosted by the Prime Minister.
Receiving heads of state is an important expression and instrument of Canada’s foreign policy. Some of the main goals in receiving international visits include promoting Canada, strengthening Canada’s relationships with international partners and deepening people-to-people ties.
The office of protocol coordinates all visits to Canada by foreign dignitaries invited by the Prime Minister and serves as the channel of communication between the representatives of the visitor and federal partners such as the parliamentary protocol office, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Privy Council Office.
We establish and maintain a high-level diplomatic framework within which effective planning between the two governments can take place and issues can be resolved. We provide high-level advice on matters of diplomacy, protocol and logistics. We develop and implement the visit program in support of the mutual foreign policy objectives of the visitor and the host.
In the planning stages of the visit, we are the main interface with the visiting country’s embassy or high commission. We develop the program and implement logistical arrangements together with the federal partners with whom we closely coordinate.
As for the aspects of the program implemented in the Parliamentary Precinct, we work closely with the Parliamentary Protocol Office on the coordination and logistics of activities held at Parliament.
When a potential or confirmed visit includes an activity taking place within the Parliamentary Precinct, we undertake discussions about the desired program elements and their consequences on Parliament’s activities.
In the case of an address to Parliament taking place in the House of Commons, we act as the interface between parliamentary protocol and the foreign visitor on matters of logistics and program implementation.
On the day of the address itself, we work collaboratively with parliamentary counterparts to ensure the scenario unfolds as agreed to by all stakeholders, including the foreign visitor.
As the committee already heard, invitations to a parliamentary speech are sent through the Parliamentary Protocol Office. The Office of Protocol of Canada does not have access to the complete guest list. However, we contribute to the list of members for official delegations and the Ottawa diplomatic corps who must attend an event.
Thank you very much.
I would now be happy to answer questions from committee members.