Ist General Assembly of COPA
Québec
September 18 to 22, 1997
At the initiative of the National Assembly of Québec, with the collaboration of the Parliament of Canada and of the regional Parliaments and interparliamentary organizations of the Americas, the Parliamentary Conference of the Americas brought together, for the first time in the history of the hemisphere, parliamentarians from throughout the region on the theme "Towards the Americas of the Year 2005: Democracy, Development and Prosperity", in Quebec City from September 18 to 22, 1997.
Over 1,000 participants, including 400 parliamentarians from 28 countries of the hemisphere, took part in the deliberations to share their viewpoints on the issues and impacts of the economic integration process of the Americas as well as to consider how to adapt their means of action to face the new hemispheric realities.
At the conclusion of the Conference, the parliamentarians agreed, in a Closing Declaration, to create a Steering Committee with the mandate to study the details of the framework for the establishment of the inter-American dialogue on a permanent basis.
Closing declaration
Plenary Sessions
- Plenary Session 1
- Plenary Session 2
- Plenary Session 3
Workshops
- Friday, September 19
Democracy
Human Rights
Free Trade and Employment
Education and Job Training
Social Security and Health Policies
Cultures, Languages and Communications
Sustainable Development
- Saturday, September 20
Democracy
Human Rights
Free Trade and Employment
Education and Job Training
Social Security and Health Policies
Cultures, Languages and Communications
Sustainable Development
Ceremonies
- Inaugural Session
- Keynote Speech by Mr. Oscar Arias Sánchez
- Closing Session
- Luncheon hosted by the Prime Minister of Québec, The Honourable Lucien Bouchard
- Luncheon hosted by the Prime Minister of Canada, The Right Honourable Jean Chrétien
- Dinner hosted by the President of the National Assembly of Québec and President of the Conference, Mr. Jean-Pierre Charbonneau