The House and its Members / The House of Commons Chamber

Initial sitting of the House in the interim chamber in West Block

Debates, p. 24849

Context

On January 28, 2019, the Speaker made a statement to commemorate the first meeting of the 42nd Parliament in the interim chamber in the renovated West Block. The Speaker noted the tremendous work of all employees of the House administration, the Library of Parliament, the Parliamentary Protective Service, and Public Services and Procurement Canada in completing the construction of the interim House of Commons chamber and in relocating operations to the repurposed building.

Statement of the Chair

The Speaker: My dear colleagues, I would like to begin by acknowledging that we are gathered on the traditional territory of the Algonquin people.

Today, members of the 42nd Parliament gather for the first time in this magnificent interim chamber. This space is a unique marriage of tradition and modernity, of the familiar and the new. Our parliamentary work resumes this morning without interruption, which is no small feat when we consider the scale of effort required to move many of the occupants and contents of the Parliament buildings into West Block.

The employees of the House administration, the Library of Parliament, the Parliamentary Protective Service and Public Services and Procurement Canada have moved mountains, almost literally, to be ready for us today. While there will inevitably be growing pains as we settle into our new space, I know that we will soon make ourselves at home and continue the important work of representing the people of Canada.

Therefore, on behalf of the exceptional team that made this restored West Block a reality, welcome to the new House.