Complex sentence: Despite the economic situation, Canada was gaining international stature and Bessborough acted as host to the leaders who, in July 1932, converged on Ottawa for the Imperial Economic Conference and he also presided over the opening of the Welland Canal the same year.
Split into simpler sentences: Despite the economic situation, Canada was gaining international stature and Bessborough acted as host to the leaders who, in July 1932, converged on Ottawa for the Imperial Economic Conference. He also presided over the opening of the Welland Canal the same year.