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Appendix 2Speakers of the House of Commons Since 1867The Speaker of the House of Commons assumes the position of highest authority in the House and represents the Commons in all its powers, proceedings and dignity. The duties of the Speaker fall into three categories: 1) acting as the spokesperson of the House; 2) presiding over sittings of the House and maintaining order and decorum; and 3) assuming important administrative responsibilities. Provisions for the Speakership are defined in the Constitution Act, 1867, in the Parliament of Canada Act, and in the Standing Orders of the House of Commons. The election of the Speaker by the House is a constitutional requirement. At the beginning of every Parliament, the House must elect a Speaker from amongst its Members. From Confederation until 1985, Speakers were elected by way of motion usually initiated by the Prime Minister. Provisional rules adopted in June 1985, and made permanent in June 1987, have since provided for the election of the Speaker by secret ballot.
[1] On April 28, 1877, the last sitting day of the Fourth Session of the Third Parliament, the Select Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections presented a report to the House of Commons stating its view that Speaker Anglin had, because of certain commercial dealings with the government, violated the Independence of Parliament Act and thus his election was void. Although the report was never adopted, during the recess, Mr. Anglin resigned his seat, and thus the Speakership, and was re-elected in a by-election. On the opening of the final session of the Third Parliament, Prime Minister Mackenzie renominated Mr. Anglin who was elected as Speaker, although the opposition challenged his eligibility and forced a recorded vote on the question (Debates, February 7, 1878, pp. 1-12). [2] Speaker Edgar died in office on July 31, 1899. [3] Speaker Brodeur resigned as a Member, and thus the Speakership, on January 19, 1904, to become Minister of Inland Revenue. Until 1931, Members of the House who accepted Cabinet positions were required, pursuant to the Senate and House of Commons Act, to resign their seats and seek re-election. [4] Speaker Sproule was summoned to the Senate on December 3, 1915, during the recess. [5] Speaker Sévigny resigned as a Member, and thus the Speakership, on January 8, 1917, during the recess, to become Minister of Inland Revenue. [6] Speaker Lemieux, elected as a Liberal, continued to serve as Speaker during the Conservative government of Prime Minister Arthur Meighen which had replaced the government of Prime Minister W.L. Mackenzie King on June 29, 1926, during the Fifteenth Parliament. [7] On January 17, 1935, Prime Minister R.B. Bennett announced to the House that Speaker Black had resigned due to illness. [8] Speaker Casgrain was the second Speaker not to have his nomination supported by the entire House. The motion was agreed to, on division (Journals, February 6, 1936, p. 8). [9] Speaker Macdonald was appointed to the Senate on June 12, 1953. [10] The motion to nominate Speaker Beaudoin to the Chair was seconded by the Leader of the Opposition, George A. Drew. This marked the first time that anyone other than a Cabinet Minister had seconded the nomination of the Speaker. [11] Speaker Lamoureux resigned his party affiliation and sought and won election to the House of Commons as an independent candidate in the general elections held on June 25, 1968, and October 30, 1972. [12] The election of Speaker Jerome to a second term following the general election of May 22, 1979, marked the first time a Member of an opposition party had been nominated by the governing party to preside over the House of Commons. [13] Speaker Sauvé, the first woman to be elected Speaker of the House of Commons, resigned as Speaker on January 15, 1984, during the Second Session of the Thirty-Second Parliament, after having been designated to become Governor General. On May 14, 1984, Mme Sauvé was sworn in as Canada’s first female Governor General. [14] Speaker Bosley resigned the Speakership on September 30, 1986. Two letters dated September 5 and September 25, 1986, and addressed to the Clerk of the House of Commons, were tabled in the House (Journals, September 30, 1986, p. 2). [15] With his election to the Speakership on September 30, 1986, John Fraser became the first Speaker to be elected by secret ballot, following amendments to the Standing Orders adopted on June 27, 1985. Speaker Fraser was elected on the eleventh ballot from an original list of 39 candidates. At the beginning of the Thirty-Fourth Parliament, on December 12, 1988, Mr. Fraser was re-elected as Speaker on the first ballot from a list of 12 candidates. [16] On January 17, 1994, Speaker Parent was elected on the sixth ballot from an original list of 12 candidates. At the beginning of the Thirty-Sixth Parliament, on September 22, 1997, Mr. Parent was re-elected as Speaker on the fourth ballot from an original list of 29 candidates. [17] On January 29, 2001, Speaker Milliken was elected on the fifth ballot from an original list of 32 candidates. On October 4, 2004, after six of the seven candidates withdrew their names from the list before the first ballot, the House, by unanimous consent, dispensed with the ballot and declared Mr. Milliken elected Speaker. On April 3, 2006, Mr. Milliken was re-elected on the first ballot from a list of three candidates. On November 18, 2008, Mr. Milliken was re-elected on the fifth ballot from an original list of eight candidates. |
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