As Parliament returns, routine proceedings will see some novel twists, flair and a visit from King Charles
First order of business will be to elect a Speaker before King Charles presents the throne speech
Parliament will return on Monday after nearly six months away and will feel a little different than usual thanks to some unusual circumstances.
Each parliamentary session typically opens with some routine proceedings, which include the election of a Speaker of the House of Commons and a throne speech.
But added political attention on the Speaker position and the arrival of King Charles on Monday will add some twists and flair to the proceedings.
Heightened attention on Speaker election
The Constitution states that electing a Speaker should be the first order of business when Parliament returns after an election. Technically, the House cannot sit until a Speaker is chosen.
The Speaker is an MP chosen by other MPs to preside over the business of the House of Commons, act as an impartial arbiter of House proceedings and maintain order during debates. A Speaker has the authority to demand that MPs apologize if they use unparliamentary language — and can even order an MP removed from the chamber.
The Speaker is elected by a secret ranked-ballot, meaning MPs list the candidates in order of preference. If nobody wins on the first ballot, the last-place candidate is dropped and their votes are redistributed until someone claims a majority.
The election is overseen by the "Dean of the House" — the MP with the longest unbroken sitting record who isn't a minister or party leader. Bloc Québécois MP Louis Plamondon, who was first elected in 1984, will be overseeing his seventh Speaker election.
While the Speaker is elected as a member of a party, the role is considered non-partisan — the Speaker does not sit in any party caucus.
Speaker
of the House of Commons Greg Fergus, pictured during question period in
the House of Commons last May, is looking to be re-elected to the
Speaker role. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
Typically, the Speaker position doesn't garner much attention, and the MP chosen for the role generally remains in the chair until the House is dissolved.
But the Speaker's role has become more politicized during the last parliamentary session.
Former Speaker Anthony Rota resigned from the role in September 2023 after he invited a Ukrainian veteran who fought with a Nazi unit in the Second World War to sit in the House of Commons during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's address to Parliament.
Rota's resignation prompted a rare mid-session Speaker election, which Liberal MP Greg Fergus won.
Fergus remained as Speaker until Parliament was dissolved in March but faced calls from opposition parties to step down over actions they believed were overly partisan for his role.
The re-election of a Speaker when Parliament returns is never guaranteed — former Speaker Geoff Regan lost the role to Rota in 2019 despite having been re-elected as an MP. And other MPs, besides Fergus, have expressed interest in running for the job in Monday's vote.
All MPs who are not a leader of a recognized party or a minister are automatically considered candidates for Speaker unless they notify the House clerk in writing.
Five other Liberal MPs have officially put their names forward, according to a list released by the House of Commons on Sunday night: P.E.I. MP Sean Casey, who put his name forward to replace Rota in 2023, Ontario's Rob Oliphant, and Quebec MPs Alexandra Mendès, Sherry Romanado and Francis Scarpaleggia.
Opposition Speaker could make difference for Liberals on cusp of majority
The Liberals also might opt to back a Speaker from the Opposition given that they're just three seats shy of a majority.
The Speaker doesn't vote in the House unless there is a tie, in which case they traditionally vote with the government.
Two Conservative MPs are planning to let their name stand for election.
Conservative MP Chris d'Entremont has been deputy Speaker since 2021. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press)
Conservatives Chris d'Entremont and John Nater are vying for the role, according to the list released Sunday night. D'Entremont, a Nova Scotia MP, has served as deputy Speaker since 2021 and had sent a letter to fellow MPs expressing interest in the Speaker's chair. Nater has been an Ontario MP since 2015.
Conservative MP Tom Kmiec of Alberta had also sent a letter pitching himself for the role but was not on Sunday night's list of candidates.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May — who previously vied for the job in 2019 and 2023 — initially expressed interest in running for Speaker a third time. But on Sunday, May announced she would be taking her name off the ballot.
"I cannot let down Canadians who know we need a at least one Green voice in this place to address critical threats to our children's future," May wrote in a letter to her fellow MPs.
The House will convene for the day after the election and return just before the throne speech on Tuesday.
Monarch will read throne speech for just 3rd time in history
Every parliamentary session is generally opened by a speech from the throne.
The speech is usually read by the governor general in the Senate. But because King Charles will read the speech this time — only the third time a monarch has done so since Confederation — there will be more flair to the proceedings.
The King and Queen will travel to the Senate in Canada's state landau — the ceremonial horse-drawn carriage used for royal and viceregal transport in Ottawa — from outside the Bank of Canada on Wellington Street.
The carriage will be drawn by 28 horses of the RCMP musical ride, with 14 horses travelling in front of the carriage and the rest following behind.
At the Senate, the King will receive full military honours, including a 100-person guard of honour from the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment, an inspection of the guard and the band, followed by a 21-gun salute.
Once the King arrives in the Senate, the Usher of the Black Rod will be sent to the House to summon MPs for the throne speech.
The Usher is the King's messenger in Parliament and is also responsible for Senate security and other ceremonial and administrative duties. The job originated in England in 1348. Former RCMP superintendent J. Greg Peters has served in the role since 2013.
The knock at the door
Traditionally, when the Usher arrives at the doors of the House chamber, he knocks three times and informs MPs that the governor general "desires" their presence for the throne speech.
But because the King is presenting this throne speech, Peters will tell MPs that "the King commands this Honourable House to attend His Majesty immediately in the chamber of the honourable the Senate."
At Issue | Carney sets up throne speech The Speaker will then present themselves to the King along with the MPs in attendance.
The throne speech is always read in the Senate due to the tradition that the monarch (or their representative) cannot enter the House of Commons — a tradition derived from the British Parliamentary system that dates back to 1642.
By the same token, MPs can attend the throne speech but cannot enter the Senate chamber past the brass bar at the entrance — a barrier meant to symbolize the independence of both houses of Parliament. The prime minister is the one exception to this rule and may enter the chamber for the speech.
Then
Speaker of the House of Commons Anthony Rota speaks before the delivery
of the throne speech in the Senate chamber in Ottawa on Dec. 5, 2019.
This time, the throne speech will be delivered by King Charles. (Chris Wattie/The Canadian Press)
More routine proceedings will return following the throne speech. Both the Senate and House will introduce "pro-forma" bills — a Latin term meaning "for the sake of form."
Bill C-1, "An Act respecting the Administration of Oaths of Office," will be given a first reading but won't proceed any further and won't be discussed again. A similar step will take place in the Senate with the introduction of Bill S-1. The introduction of these bills is a symbolic ritual meant to assert the independence of both houses from the Crown.
The House will then either begin debate on the throne speech or turn to administrative business, such as appointments to the Board of Internal Economy and the procedure and House affairs committee.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With files from The Canadian Press
New Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia asks for 'a little grace period' as Parliament opens
Speaker to oversee busy session as government moves to reshape trade relationships
Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia, who represents the Quebec riding of Lac-Saint-Louis, is the new Speaker of the House of Commons and will preside over what Prime Minister Mark Carney has told his caucus will be a "very, very" busy few weeks and months ahead.
The Speaker is an MP chosen in a secret ranked ballot by other MPs to preside over the business of the House of Commons, act as an impartial arbiter of House proceedings and maintain order during debates.
While the Speaker is elected to Parliament as a member of a party, they do not sit in any party caucus because the role is considered non-partisan.
"I will remind members that we are at the beginning of a mandate in the selfish hope that you will afford me a little grace period," he said after being ushered to the Speaker's chair by Carney and interim Opposition leader Andrew Scheer.
"Once again thank you for your confidence. I have few words, because well, we all have things we want to accomplish and we have been away. Thank you, colleagues."
Prime Minister Carney makes his first speech in House of CommonsCarney stood in the House for the first time on Monday, thanking those who voted for him personally and all members of the House of Commons, before going on to congratulate Scarpaleggia.
"I have much to learn from the members of this great House," Carney said. "I will make mistakes. I have no doubt that you will call them out for good reason, because this House has rules, it has traditions and it's on those traditions that our Athenian democracy is founded," he said.
"Yes we are Athens, they are Rome," Carney said, referencing Scarpaleggia's campaign speech for the speakership earlier in the day. "We will prevail. We are in the golden age of Athens. Thank you Mr. Speaker, you have my support."
An all-Liberal race
Scheer, who served as Speaker from 2011 to 2015, congratulated Scarpaleggia, telling the House that he has the support of the Conservative Party.
"You have taken charge of an office that's almost as old as Parliament itself," Scheer said Monday, noting seven previous speakers of the British House of Commons had been beheaded by the monarch.
Interim Opposition leader Andrew Scheer welcomes and warns the new Speaker of the House"It might no longer be a requirement to stand up to kings and queens, but you may find yourself having to stand up to other offices of authority," Scheer said.
"If such an opportunity presents itself, we trust you will stand with those Speakers who came before you, who defended this institution on behalf of the people."
Scarpaleggia defeated Greg Fergus, the MP for the Quebec riding of Hull-Alymer who had served as Speaker since October 2023.
Greg Fergus was Speaker when Parliament was dissolved earlier this year. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
On Sunday evening, there were officially eight candidates for the post, but at the outset of Monday's proceedings in the House, Conservatives Chris d'Entremont, a Nova Scotia MP who served as deputy Speaker since 2021, and John Nater, who represents the Ontario riding of Perth-Wellington, pulled out of the race.
With both Conservative candidates withdrawing their names, that left five Liberals aside from Scarpaleggia: Sean Casey, (Charlottetown), Rob Oliphant (Don Valley West), Alexandra Mendès (Brossard-Saint-Lambert), Sherry Romanado (Longueuil-Charles-LeMoyne) and Fergus.
'Canada's greatest asset is its democracy'
Scarpaleggia was first elected to the House in the 2004 federal election and has been re-elected seven consecutive times since then.
From 2011 until 2021, he served as the Liberal caucus chair, and has chaired multiple Commons committees including environment and sustainable development, and electoral reform.
In his campaign speech in the House Monday morning, he said that it is possible to hold passionate, substantive, debates without engaging in personal insults or intimidation, and that if elected he would work to improve decorum in the Commons.
Francis Scarpaleggia elected as new Speaker of House of Commons"Canada's greatest asset is its democracy, and democracy lives and breathes here in this chamber," he said.
"It is rightly said that there can be no true freedom without order. Likewise, we can't have a truly meaningful exchange of ideas without an orderly, rules-based House of Commons."
Scarpaleggia said he was in favour of robust debate where "board-rattling" bodychecks take place in the corners, but that a problem begins to emerge "when sticks go high."
"Canadians want to see sticks on the ice and it's the responsibility of the Speaker to make this so," he said.
"Our neighbour to the south may be modern-day Rome in size and power; we are Athens in culture, values and democracy.… That is how we must see ourselves. That is who we must be."
A Speaker has the authority to demand that MPs apologize if they use unparliamentary language — and can even order a member removed from the chamber.
The Speaker also oversees the administration and finances of the House. They manage staff and communicate between the Senate and the Crown.
The Speaker earns a $99,900 top-up on their $209,800 MP salary, along with a car allowance. The job comes with a small apartment in West Block and an official estate in Gatineau Park known as The Farm.
There are some ceremonial duties that also come with the role, such as hosting dignitaries and diplomats and representing the Commons abroad, for which the Speaker has a large hospitality budget.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia elected new Speaker of the House of Commons
Speaker to oversee busy session as government moves to reshape trade relationships
Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia, who represents the Quebec riding of Lac-Saint-Louis, is the new Speaker of the House of Commons and will preside over what Prime Minister Mark Carney has told his caucus will be a "very, very" busy few weeks and months ahead.
The Speaker is an MP chosen in a secret ranked ballot by other MPs to preside over the business of the House of Commons, act as an impartial arbiter of House proceedings and maintain order during debates.
While the Speaker is elected to Parliament as a member of a party, they do not sit in any party caucus because the role is considered non-partisan.
"I will remind members that we are at the beginning of a mandate in the selfish hope that you will afford me a little grace period," he said after being ushered to the Speaker's chair by Carney and interim Opposition leader Andrew Scheer.
"Once again thank you for your confidence. I have few words, because well, we all have things we want to accomplish and we have been away. Thank you, colleagues."
Francis Scarpaleggia elected as new Speaker of House of CommonsCarney stood in the House for the first time on Monday, thanking those who voted for him personally and all members of the House of Commons, before going on to congratulate Scarpaleggia.
"I have much to learn from the members of this great House," Carney said. "I will make mistakes. I have no doubt that you will call them out for good reason, because this House has rules, it has traditions and it's on those traditions that our Athenian democracy is founded," he said.
"Yes we are Athens, they are Rome," Carney said, pointing to the opposition benches. "We will prevail. We are in the golden age of Athens. "Thank you Mr. Speaker, you have my support."
An all-Liberal race
Scheer, who served as Speaker from 2011 to 2015, congratulated Scarpaleggia, telling the House that he has the support of the Conservative Party.
"You have taken charge of an office that's almost as old as Parliament itself," Scheer said Monday, noting seven previous speakers of the British House of Commons had been beheaded by the monarch.
"It might no longer be a requirement to stand up to kings and queens, but you may find yourself having to stand up to other offices of authority," Scheer said.
"If such an opportunity presents itself, we trust you will stand with those Speakers who came before you, who defended this institution on behalf of the people."
Greg Fergus was Speaker when Parliament was dissolved earlier this year. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
Scarpaleggia defeated Greg Fergus, the MP for the Quebec riding of Hull-Alymer who had served as Speaker since October 2023.
On Sunday evening, there were officially eight candidates for the post, but at the outset of Monday's proceedings in the House, Conservatives Chris d'Entremont, a Nova Scotia MP who served as deputy Speaker since 2021, and John Nater, who represents the Ontario riding of Perth-Wellington, pulled out of the race.
With both Conservative candidates withdrawing their names, that left five Liberals aside from Scarpaleggia: Sean Casey, (Charlottetown), Rob Oliphant (Don Valley West), Alexandra Mendès (Brossard-Saint-Lambert), Sherry Romanado (Longueuil-Charles-LeMoyne) and Fergus.
Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia elected new Speaker of the House of Commons
Speaker to oversee busy parliamentary session as government moves to reshape global trading relationships
Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia, who represents the Quebec riding of Lac-Saint-Louis, has been elected the new Speaker of the House of Commons and will now preside over what Prime Minister Mark Carney has told his caucus will be a "very, very" busy few weeks and months ahead.
The Speaker is an MP chosen in a secret ranked ballot by other MPs to preside over the business of the House of Commons, act as an impartial arbiter of House proceedings and maintain order during debates.
While the Speaker is elected to Parliament as a member of a party, they do not sit in any party caucus because the role is considered non-partisan.
"I will remind members that we are at the beginning of a mandate in the selfish hope that you will afford me a little grace period," he said after being ushered to the Speaker's chair by Carney and interim Opposition leader Andrew Scheer.
"Once again thank you for your confidence. I have few words, because well, we all have things we want to accomplish and we have been away. Thank you, colleagues."
Carney stood in the House for the first time on Monday, thanking those who voted for him personally and all members of the House of Commons, before going on to congratulate Scarpaleggia.
"I have much to learn from the members of this great House," Carney said. "I will make mistakes. I have no doubt that you will call them out for good reason, because this House has rules, it has traditions and it's on those traditions that our Athenian democracy is founded," he said.
"Yes we are Athens, they are Rome," Carney said, pointing to the opposition benches. "We will prevail. We are in the golden age of Athens. "Thank you Mr. Speaker, you have my support."
This breaking story will be updated.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
From: McPherson, Heather - M.P. <Heather.McPherson@parl.gc.ca>
Date: Mon, May 26, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Subject: Automatic reply: Sean Casey said he thinks there's an opportunity for a positive reset Yea Right
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
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Date: Mon, May 26, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Subject: Automatic reply: Sean Casey said he thinks there's an opportunity for a positive reset Yea Right
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
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Date: Mon, May 26, 2025 at 11:01 AM
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Subject: Réponse automatique : Sean Casey said he thinks there's an opportunity for a positive reset Yea Right
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Date: Mon, May 26, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Subject: Setting up New Office Re: Fwd: Sean Casey said he thinks there's an opportunity for a positive reset Yea Right
To: <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, May 26, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Subject: Fwd: Sean Casey said he thinks there's an opportunity for a positive reset Yea Right
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Sean Casey keeps his name in the hat for Speaker of the House of Commons
Liberal MP from P.E.I. also let his name go forward for the prestigious role in 2023
Charlottetown MP Sean Casey says he's letting his name go forward to be considered for the role of Speaker in the House of Commons.
With a third of MPs having been newly elected in the April 28 general election, the five-term Liberal MP said there's a unique opportunity for a reset in terms of how members treat one another in the House.
"I've seen the gradual decline in the level of civility, decorum, respect for the institution, respect for the Speaker's office. I think that I can play a role in making that better," Casey told CBC News on Friday.
"Running for Speaker is a chance for me to use my experience in a way that will make a contribution to the country. And the fact that I was passed over for cabinet is one of the reasons that I am in the race," he said.
The Speaker will be elected by the MPs on Monday as Parliament's first order of business. Tradition holds that all members other than party leaders and cabinet ministers are considered to be running unless they take their name out of contention by 6 p.m. ET on the business day before the vote.
Casey was also contending for the position in 2023 after former Liberal MP Anthony Rota stepped down from the position. But MPs at that time elected Liberal Greg Fergus, who is expected to be in the running again.
The Speaker's position comes with a salary top-up of nearly $100,000, an official residence in a nearby part of Quebec, and an apartment and office within Parliament's Centre Block building.
There has never been a Speaker of the House of Commons from P.E.I.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With files from Wayne Thibodeau
From: Blanchet, Yves-François - Député <Yves-Francois.Blanchet@parl.
Date: Mon, May 26, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Subject: Réponse automatique : Sean Casey said he thinks there's an opportunity for a positive reset Yea Right
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
(Ceci est une réponse automatique)
(English follows)
Bonjour,
Nous avons bien reçu votre courriel et nous vous remercions d'avoir écrit à M. Yves-François Blanchet, député de Beloeil-Chambly et chef du Bloc Québécois.
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L'équipe du député Yves-François Blanchet
Chef du Bloc Québécois
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From: Fergus, Greg - Député/MP <Greg.Fergus@parl.gc.ca>
Date: Mon, May 26, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Subject: Automatic reply: Sean Casey said he thinks there's an opportunity for a positive reset Yea Right
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Nous vous prions de bien vouloir noter que si votre correspondance est à l'attention du Président de la Chambre des communes, il est recommandé de la diriger vers le Bureau de la présidence à l'adresse électronique suivante : Speaker.President@parl.gc.ca.
Kindly be advised that should your correspondence be directed towards the Speaker of the House of Commons, it is recommended to address it to the Speaker's Office using the following electronic address: Speaker.President@parl.gc.ca.
[English follows]
Bonjour,
Nous vous remercions d'avoir communiqué avec le bureau de l'honorable Greg Fergus, Député de Hull-Aylmer.
Nous apprécions que vous ayez pris le temps de nous écrire. Ce message confirme que notre bureau a reçu votre courriel et qu'il sera examiné sous peu.
Toute la correspondance est lue, mais en raison du volume élevé de courriels reçus, il se peut que les campagnes de lettres types et la correspondance provenant de l'extérieur de Hull-Aylmer ne reçoivent pas de réponse directe.
La priorité est accordée aux commettants de Hull-Aylmer. Veillez donc à indiquer votre nom complet et votre adresse personnelle, y compris votre code postal et votre numéro de téléphone, dans tous vos courriels.
Cordialement,
Bureau de l’honorable Greg Fergus, Député de Hull-Aylmer
Good day,
Thank you for contacting the office of the Honourable Greg Fergus, Member of Parliament for Hull-Aylmer.
We appreciate you taking the time to write to us. This message is to acknowledge that our office has received your email and it will be reviewed shortly.
All correspondence is read, however, due to the high volume of emails received, form letter campaigns and correspondence from outside Hull-Aylmer may not receive a direct response.
Priority is given to constituents of Hull-Aylmer. Please be sure to include your full name, and home address, including postal code and phone number, on all emails.
Kind Regards,
Office of the Honourable Greg Fergus, M.P. for Hull-Aylmer
From: Oliphant, Rob - M.P. <Rob.Oliphant@parl.gc.ca>
Date: Mon, May 26, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Subject: Automatic reply: Sean Casey said he thinks there's an opportunity for a positive reset Yea Right
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Thank you for emailing the office of Robert Oliphant, Member of Parliament for Don Valley West.
All correspondence is read, however due to the high volume of emails received, form letter campaigns and correspondence from outside Don Valley West may not receive a direct response. Priority is given to constituents of Don Valley West, so please be sure to include your full name, home address, including postal code and phone number, on all emails.
Regards,
Office of Rob Oliphant, MP
Don Valley WestFrom: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Mon, May 26, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Subject: Sean Casey said he thinks there's an opportunity for a positive reset Yea Right
To: Sean.Casey <Sean.Casey@parl.gc.ca>, Greg.Fergus <Greg.Fergus@parl.gc.ca>, Alexandre.Boulerice <Alexandre.Boulerice@parl.gc.
Cc: pm <pm@pm.gc.ca>, Marco.Mendicino <Marco.Mendicino@parl.gc.ca>, <francois-philippe.champagne@
Several MPs make pitches to colleagues to become next Speaker of the House of Commons
OTTAWA — Among the tour groups converging on Parliament Hill under umbrellas this week, new and newly re-elected members of Parliament are getting acquainted with their offices and colleagues ahead of the opening of the House of Commons next week.
The first order of business for MPs is the selection of a new House Speaker on Monday morning, and at least six returning members are asking their colleagues to support their bid to take the chair.
That includes former Speaker Greg Fergus, a Liberal MP, who faced accusations of partisanship from the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois in the last Parliament that led to calls for his resignation.
Fergus was elected to the position in late 2023 after Anthony Rota was forced to resign due to a scandal that made international headlines.
Rota had invited a Second World War veteran to the House of Commons during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy without realizing the man fought for a Nazi division.
In a letter sent to MPs on May 16, Fergus acknowledged the challenge posed by those circumstances.
"To be frank, it was a difficult time for anyone in that role," he wrote.
"Partisanship was high; patience and traditional collaborative efforts were low. It was in this context that I learned the ropes of the job, often getting it right, and learning every time when I didn't."
Former deputy Speaker Chris d'Entremont and fellow Conservative MP Tom Kmiec have also sent letters to MPs asking for their support.
D'Entremont highlighted his experience during key debates, saying he made more procedural decisions than any other deputy Speaker in the past.
"The House of Commons needs an experienced Speaker now more than ever — someone who has proven their dedication to this institution, who understands the demands of the role, and who can ensure our work proceeds with respect, order and fairness," he wrote.
He said Canadians expect "co-operation, civility, and results" from Parliament — a theme echoed by many of his colleagues.
The fall sitting of the last Parliament was particularly dysfunctional. The Conservatives used a privilege motion to stall debate for 48 of the 56 days, grinding nearly all government business to a halt. Opposition parties repeatedly threatened to topple the minority government and forced three non-confidence votes.
Fergus struggled to maintain order during question period, where members were frequently reprimanded for using unparliamentary language and heckling.
Kmiec pledged to enforce the ban on unparliamentary language.
"Speakers have repeatedly tried to enforce decorum by interrupting the debate or questions and chastising MPs for bringing disorder to the House. This has not worked," he wrote.
"Decorum has not improved. It has brought the Speaker into sharp conflict with MPs instead of their role as facilitator."
P.E.I. Liberal MP Sean Casey said he thinks there's an opportunity for a positive reset.
"Decorum, civility, and respect for Parliament and the office of the Speaker have dramatically declined over the last decade at an accelerating pace. Only members can restore it, and it is for the Speaker to set the tone early, vigorously and consistently," Casey wrote.
He added that a "collegial approach, cajoling repeat offenders, has proven ineffective" and pledged "the consistent application of progressive discipline."
Liberal MP Rob Oliphant, who was first elected in 2008, said he is considering running, and wrote to colleagues that he would "very much welcome your thoughts."
"Westminster tradition is clear: no one should really want this job!" he wrote. "It is with both a significant amount of humility, as well as confidence, that I imagine myself in the Speaker's chair."
Sherry Romanado, another Liberal MP, said as deputy government House leader she has navigated "complex parliamentary dynamics with fairness and a steady hand."
"I will work tirelessly to uphold the integrity of the House, to maintain order, and to cultivate a proper environment for constructive debate — a space where members can engage in the important business of the nation with civility and purpose," she wrote.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said she's still mulling whether to run for a job she considers to be a "life's dream."
"I have a conflicted sense of duties: the idea of the duty to the Parliament, could I be a really good Speaker, and would it make a difference to Parliament?" she said in an interview.
"Or, does my duty lie with all the people across the country who want at least one Green voice in Parliament? And I would be immediately silencing myself as that one Green voice if I were to become Speaker."
What she is sure of is that she wants reform in the role, which she said has "played second fiddle to backroom party whips" who decide which members ask questions in question period.
"It's a monumental job, and to do it well is challenging," she said.
"We can't have our Parliament be as dysfunctional as it was right before Christmas ever again."
The final list of people running for Speaker will be released on Sunday evening.
Members are considered to be in the running unless they ask to have their name withdrawn before 6 p.m. EDT on Sunday. It's not uncommon for members to forget to withdraw their names.
When Parliament opens on Monday morning, the candidates will each have five minutes to address the House before MPs vote in a preferential secret ballot.
It's possible that not all 343 members will be able to vote, however, because of the short time frame between the April 28 election and the May 26 return to Parliament.
Elected members can only be sworn in once the results from their ridings are officially reported and the writs returned by Elections Canada, and that process can take time. There have also been recounts in a number of close ridings.
Officials who gave a briefing to reporters this week said they had completed about half the swearing-in ceremonies, with more scheduled through the weekend. It has happened in the past, officials said, that a small number of members were not sworn in by the time Parliament resumed.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 23, 2025.
Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press
Electoral Reform Committee on Oct. 7th, 2016
On the agenda
Members speaking
Before the committee
Liberal
David Amos As an Individual
Mr. Chair, I ran for public office five times against your party. That said, I ran against Mr. DeCourcey's boss right here in Fredericton in the election for the 39th Parliament.
I was not aware of this committee meeting in Fredericton today until I heard Mr. DeCourcey speaking on CBC this morning. I don't pretend to know something I don't, but I'm a quick study. I thought I had paid my dues to sit on the panel. I notified the clerks in a timely fashion, but I received no response. At least I get another minute and a half.
The previous speaker answered the $64,000 question: 338. I can name every premier in the country. Governor Maggie Hassan is my governor in New Hampshire. The people there who sit in the house get paid $100 a year plus per diem expenses. I think that's the way to run a government. There are lots of seats in the house for a very small state.
My understanding of this hearing is that you have to report to Mr. Trudeau by December 1, because he said during the election that if he were elected Prime Minister, the 42nd Parliament, which I also ran in, would be the last first-past-the-post election. You don't have much time, so my suggestion to the clerks today, which I published and sent to the Prime Minister of Iceland and his Attorney General, was to do what Iceland does. Just cut and paste their rules. They have no first past the post. They have a pending election.
A former friend of mine, Birgitta Jónsdóttir, founded a party there, for which there is no leader. It is the Pirate Party. It's high in the polls right now with no leader. That's interesting. I tweeted this. You folks said that you follow tweets, so you should have seen what I tweeted before I came here this evening.
That said, as a Canadian, I propose something else. Number one, my understanding of the Constitution and what I read about law.... There was a constitutional expert named Edgar Schmidt who sued the government. He was the man who was supposed to vet bills for Peter MacKay to make sure they were constitutionally correct. He did not argue the charter. He argued Mr. Diefenbaker's Bill of Rights.
In 2002 I read a document filed by a former deputy minister of finance, Kevin Lynch, who later became Mr. Harper's clerk of the Privy Council. Now he's on an independent board of the Chinese oil company that bought Nexen. As deputy minister of finance, he reported to the American Securities and Exchange Commission on behalf of the corporation known as Canada. It is a very interesting document that I saved and forwarded to you folks. It says that he was in a quandary about whether the charter was in effect.
Liberal
As an Individual
According to Mr. Lynch, because of the failure of the Meech Lake and Charlottetown accords, he was in a quandary as to whether the charter was in effect. I know that the Supreme Court argues it on a daily basis. That charter, created by Mr. Trudeau and Mr. Chrétien, his attorney general at the time, gave me the right to run for public office and vote as a Canadian citizen. However, in the 1990s, Mr. Chrétien came out with a law, and because I am a permanent American resident, I can't vote. Yet the charter says I can.
As an Individual
That said, that's been argued in court. In 2000, Mr. Chrétien came out with a law that said I couldn't vote. Right? He also took away my social insurance number.
As an Individual
No, he did.
As an Individual
I did prove, after I argued with Elections Canada's lawyers in 2004.... You might have taken away my right to vote, but you can't stop me from running for public office, and I proved it five times.
As an Individual
Very experienced.
Liberal
The Chair Francis Scarpaleggia
—does that experience provide you with a particular insight on the voting systems we're looking at?
As an Individual
In Mr. Trudeau's words, he has to come up with a plan and no more first past the post. My suggestion to you, in my contact today, is to cut and paste Iceland's rules.
As an Individual
It's just what you need, just what Mr. Trudeau is ordering now. It's proportional elections.
As an Individual
I tweeted you the beginner's book for Iceland.
Liberal
The Chair Francis Scarpaleggia
Okay, we'll look at Iceland.
We're just checking on the kind of system they have, but I appreciate the input, especially from a candidate, from somebody who has run many times.
But we do have—
As an Individual
I have two other points, because I don't think you can pull this off. I don't think it will happen.
As an Individual
Here is my suggestion. You guys are going north.
As an Individual
Look how parliamentarians are elected in the Northwest Territories. There is no party, and I like that.
Liberal
The Chair Francis Scarpaleggia
That's true. We were just up in Yellowknife, in fact, and we learned all about that. That's why it's good for us to be travelling the country.
But, sir, I—
As an Individual
I have one more suggestion.
As an Individual
Mr. Harper changed the Canada Elections Act and I still couldn't vote.
As an Individual
Anyway, that said, when you alter the Canada Elections Act, make it....
The biggest problem we have is, look at the vast majority of people who, like me, have never voted in their life. Apathy rules the day.
Liberal
As an Individual
Let me finish.
I suggest that you make voting mandatory, such as Australia does. Make it that if you don't vote, it costs you money, just like if you don't report to Statistics Canada.
Liberal
The Chair Francis Scarpaleggia
Well, we're talking about that. That is part of our mandate, to look at mandatory voting and online voting.
You already had your last suggestion.
As an Individual
Put in the line, “none of the above”, and if “none of the above” wins—
As an Individual
Well, I haven't.
As an Individual
You and I will be talking again, trust me on that one, by way of writing.
You answered my emails, Ma'am.
Liberal
Elizabeth May
Green MP for Saanich—Gulf Islands (B.C.)
Won her last election, in 2025, with 39% of the vote.
John Nater
Conservative MP for Perth—Wellington (Ontario)
Won his last election, in 2025, with 53% of the vote.
Electoral Reform Committee on Oct. 25th, 2016
Liberal
The Chair Francis Scarpaleggia
We are beginning our 43rd meeting of the Special Committee on Electoral Reform. If I'm not mistaken, this is the last meeting in which we will hear from witnesses. So we are reaching the end of this stage, which has been extremely interesting and during which we have learned a great deal about electoral systems. We have had an opportunity to hear from many Canadians in our tour of the country.
Today, we are hearing from five groups of witnesses who will have 10 minutes each for their presentations.
From the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, we are welcoming R. Bruce Fitch, the interim leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick.
Welcome, Mr. Fitch.
We also have Jerome Dias, the national president of Unifor.
John Aldag Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
Okay.
Mr. Fitch, in your opening comments, I heard you say you really are a supporter of a referendum for major changes. It's always that line, about what's major and what's minor. We've heard from some witnesses that it might be too much to be going to a wholesale change, so there is the idea of incrementalism.
I'm sitting here thinking, well, what if, for 2019, we introduced an element of proportionality. We've heard from many Canadians that they want to see some sort of PR system. What if we came up with x number of seats—it could be 10 seats, or 30—to introduce Canadians to what this might look like and gain the support and the comfort with it? In your opinion, would that kind of incremental change require a referendum?
Interim leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick
It does cause a bit of problem in that now you're not electing everyone on an equal footing. You're going to now elect a certain portion of the MPs one way and then the others another way. So if you're staying with first past the post for 80% of the MPs, but then we're going to have this particular, if I understand you correctly, region or geographic region in the province or in the federation to do it another way—
Liberal
John Aldag Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
I don't know what it would exactly look like, but yes, it could be at a provincial level. We heard that often there are disproportionate results. We heard when we were in the Atlantic provinces that, although we like to think that everyone there is a Liberal, as we saw in the results of the vote, there are probably a couple of supporters for another party. How would we allocate some sort of proportionality in that situation to deal with some of the skewed results we do get from our current first-past-the-post system?
Interim leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick
I could comment on the division of votes, and maybe you could have a convert here, and that means we'd have probably four seats now in New Brunswick on a federal level.
Again, the people spoke with authority to say, “We're not pleased with the present government, and we want the seats to go a certain way”. They won it fair and square with first past the post. I wouldn't come off my position that if you delineate away from first past the post, then you should get the authority from the people through a referendum.
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Francis Scarpaleggia
We've been in a listening mode, and now we have some heavy lifting ahead, but that will be informed and inspired by the testimony we've heard this evening and over the course of the last few weeks.
I thank the witnesses for coming here in the evening to talk about electoral reform. I thank Professor Lupia for piping in through the use of modern technology. It was very interesting. We heard interesting insights from everyone.
We hope you'll read our report when it's published, and maybe even buy it for Christmas for somebody.
Liberal
The Chair Francis Scarpaleggia
I will just mention to the members that tomorrow we have an open-mike session here on the Hill. It was supposed to start at 6:30, but because of votes it will be delayed until about 7 o'clock, if we're lucky. We'll see everybody tomorrow night for some citizen input.
Thank you. The meeting is adjourned.
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