CPA Activities: The Canadian Sceme

CPA Regional Seminar in tended including Speaker Bill Assembly made a presentation on Manitoba Barisoff (British Columbia), the work of the Audit Committee in Speaker Roy Boudreau (New that province and Laura Ross MLA pproximately thirty delegates Brunswick), and Speaker Roger of Saskatchewan spoke about the is- Aand observers attended the an- Fitzgerald (Newfoundland and sue of Nurse Recruitment and Re- nual Canadian Regional Seminar of Labrador). tention. the CPA held in Winnipeg from Oc- The first topic dealt with the sub- The final topic was on the Role of tober 16-19, 2008. The federal elec- ject of the Urban-Rural Disconnect Private Members’ Legislation and tion of October 14 precluded any and featured a presentation by Public Policy. It consisted of a pre- delegates from the House of Com- Ralph Eichler MLA of Manitoba. A sentation by Linda Jeffrey, MPP, of mons or the Senate from attending session on Rural Development Ini- the Legislative Assembly of On- but nine other jurisdictions, every tiatives in Prince Edward Island tario. province except Québec, sent dele- was given by Robert Henderson gates to the seminar. Aside from the Business Sessions MLA and Sonny Gallant MLA both The host for the Seminar was members were treated to a number of that province. Speaker George Hickes of Mani- of local cultural events. They had an toba. Several other Speakers also at- Elizabeth Marshall, MHA, New- opportunity to attend Celebrations foundland & Labrador House of Dinner Theatre’s performance of Corner Gassed. The final dinner hosted by Speaker Hickes featured entertain- ment by four different groups – Fabuki Daiko (Japanese Blizzard Drumming), the Prairie Heath Dancers (Scottish folk dancing), The Chingwu Athletic Association (Chi- nese Dragon Dancing) and the Sum- mer Bear Dance Troupe (Aboriginal Dance). The invited delegates and observ- ers were grateful to Speaker Hickes, the Seminar co-ordinators Michele LaPointe and Ellen Douglas, and the entire legislative staff led by Pa- tricia Chaychuk, for making this such a successful event.

New Speaker in Nunavut

The new Speaker of the Nunavut Speaker George Hickes (centre) with delegates and observers to the Legislative Assembly is James 30th CPA Regional Seminar in Winnipeg Arreak. He was first elected to rep- resent the people of Clyde River and

WINTER 2008-2009/CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW 47 candidates were given five minutes each to address the House as to why they should be elected: Mauril Bélanger (Lib), Joe Comartin (NDP), Barry Devolin (Cons), (Cons), Peter Milliken (Lib), (Cons), and Merv Tweed (Cons). Presiding over the election was the Dean of the House, (BQ) first elected in 1984. During their address all candi- dates emphasized the desire for better decorum in the new Parlia- ment than had been the case in the Speaker Peter Milliken Speaker James Arreak 39th Parliament. After five ballots lasting nearly six hours the winner was Mr. Milliken who defeated He was first elected Speaker on Messrs Scheer and Tweed on the fi- January 29, 2001. Following the Qikirtarjuaq in the Second Assem- nal ballot. 2004 general election he was ac- bly of the Legislative Assembly of Speaker Milliken becomes the claimed Speaker of the House and Nunavut in the 2004 general elec- first person to be elected Speaker on re-elected to this office in April 2006 tion. He was re-elected in 2008 as four occasions. The only others to following the election in January of MLA for Uqqummiut. He served on be chosen three times were Lucien that year. He has always run for the the Standing Committee on Infra- Lamoureux 1966, 1968 and 1972 and House of Commons as a Liberal but structure, Housing and Economic 1922, 1925 and he has been elected Speaker under Development and Standing Com- 1926. At some point during the both Liberal and Conservative mittee Ajauqtiit. He was Deputy present Parliament Speaker Governments. Speaker for the last two years. Milliken will surpass the record of In accepting office, the new Before entering public life Mr. Speaker Lamoureux both for years Speaker acknowledged the desire Arreak worked for Nordair which of service in the Chair and number for greater decorum in the House. was the airline of the North in the of days in office as Speaker. He said: 1970’s. He also operated his own business from 1978 to 2004. He has Mr. Milliken was born in Sometimes each party has a held elected positions with the Kingston, and educated at Queen's University, Oxford Univer- different opinion on certain Clyde River Hamlet Council, NWT questions asked of the Legislative Assembly, Clyde River sity and . A Speaker. However, even that provides us with an opportu- Co-op, Aarruya Development , he was a partner with Cunningham, Swan, Carty, Little nity to share ideas and work Council and was one of the found- together. and Bonham from 1973 until his ing Chairs for Kakivak Association. I hope that the party leaders in He was Mayor of Clyde River from election to Parliament in 1988. He the House and I, and all of the has held a number of positions in other members, if necessary, 1984 to 1986. can start working together to- the House including Parliamentary morrow as usual to organize Speaker of the House Re-elected Secretary to the Government House House business. At least from Leader, Deputy Chairman of Com- a procedural point of view, I The House of Commons met on No- hope we can arrange to make mittees of the Whole House Deputy the chamber more orderly.... vember 18, 2008 for the purpose of Speaker and Chairman of the electing a Speaker. The following Committees of the Whole House.

48 CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW/WINTER 2008-2009