The Cambodia-Canada Legislative Support Project: A Successful First Year

The Canada-Cambodia Legislative Support Program (CCLSP) completed its first year of implementation in March 2003. Through a range of activities results were attained in the project's three main areas of focus: Lawmaking, Representation and Secretariat capacity building.

Lawmaking Component

An objective of the lawmaking component of the CCLSP is to improve the capacity of Parliament to review and analyse draft legislation. The main goal of the project for the first year was to contribute to an improvement of the quality of lawmaking review and analysis, with special attention given to international standards of law as well as the gender and poverty impact of legislation. In addition to working with MPs and Senators, the project also worked with staff from both Secretariats to improve their capacity to analyse policy and compose briefing notes for parliamentarians. Canadian experts from the Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives, in cooperation with Cambodian consultants and civil society organizations, carried out training workshops throughout the year. A notable success of year one was the completion of the first three chapters of the "Parliamentary Best Practices Handbook", a document that compiles the lessons and practices brought forth through project activities into a practical handbook for future use by Parliamentarians and staff.

Representation Component

The objective of the second component of the project, the "representative" stream, is to strengthen and make regular the use of public consultation in the work of parliamentary commissions, in order to help ensure a strong bridge between the people and the state. In cooperation with the World Bank Institute, the CCLSP organized a workshop with MPs and Senators to examine the Royal Government's "Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper" (PRSP) process. During this workshop, MPs and Senators heard testimonies from representatives of Cambodia's poor and disenfranchised communities and discussed their needs and concerns. The CCLSP also supported a field investigation and public consultation carried out by the Senate Banking and Finance Commission to explore the economic implications of border closures following the recent diplomatic breakdown between Thailand and Cambodia.

Secretariat Management Component

The CCLSP carried out a number of activities with staff and senior managers from the National Assembly and Senate Secretariats during the first year of implementation. The CCLSP team leader in this component, Jacques Sabourin, worked with senior managers on strategic planning and human resource development. Advice and support was provided to senior managers in their review of Secretariat internal regulations and the drafting of the Parliamentary Civil Servants Statute. Activities helped develop National Assembly and Senate strategic plans as well as a set of job descriptions for Secretariat staff, both contributing to the development of a politically neutral Secretariat. Other workshops worked with senior managers on their roles and responsibilities, while Cambodian organizations delivered training programs on administrative skills development, including English language and Computer skills training.