CANADA House of Commons Debates VOLUME 141 Ï NUMBER 001 Ï 1st SESSION Ï 39th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Monday, April 3, 2006 Speaker: The Honourable Peter Milliken CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) Also available on the Parliament of Canada Web Site at the following address: http://www.parl.gc.ca 1 HOUSE OF COMMONS Monday, April 3, 2006 ELECTION OF SPEAKER The Presiding Officer (Hon. Bill Blaikie): Thank you very FIRST SESSION—39TH PARLIAMENT much, dear colleagues. Welcome to the 39th Parliament. Ï (1105) [English] The 38th Parliament having been dissolved by proclamation on Tuesday, November 29, 2005, and writs having been issued and I will begin with just a brief history lesson about this particular returned, a new Parliament was summoned to meet for the dispatch procedure of electing the Speaker by secret ballot, which was of business on Monday, April 3, 2006, and did accordingly meet on recommended in 1985 by the Special Committee on the Reform of that day. the House of Commons, otherwise known as the McGrath committee. It was recommended at that time as a symbol of the Monday, April 3, 2006 independence of the House from the government and the independence of individual members. As members may know, This being the day on which Parliament was convoked by before that, the Speaker was appointed by the Prime Minister. It is in proclamation of Her Excellency the Governor General of Canada for that spirit that I invite you to participate in this particular exercise the dispatch of business, and the members of the House being today. assembled: The list of members who have withdrawn or who are ineligible as Audrey O'Brien, Clerk of the House of Commons, read to the candidates has been placed on each member's desk and is available at House a letter from the Secretary to the Governor General informing the table. her that the Deputy Governor General would proceed to the Senate chamber today at 11 o'clock to open the first session of the 39th Ï (1125) Parliament of Canada. [Translation] A message was delivered by the Usher of the Black Rod as follows: The list of those members who are eligible as candidates has also Members of the House of Commons: been placed on each member's desk and is available at the table. Pursuant to Standing Order 3.1, the House must proceed to the It is the desire of the Honourable the Deputy to Her Excellency the Governor General of Canada that this honourable House attend her immediately in the chamber speeches from each candidate for the office of the Speaker. of the honourable the Senate. [English] Accordingly the House went up to the Senate chamber, where the Speaker of the Senate said: Notwithstanding any standing order or any usual procedure and Honourable Members of the Senate, Members of the House of Commons: practice adopted by this House and to help the newly elected members to identify the candidates for the office of Speaker, I will I have it in command to let you know that Her Excellency the Governor General of Canada does not see fit to declare the causes of her summoning the present recognize in alphabetical order each candidate by name and by Parliament of Canada until a Speaker of the House of Commons shall have been electoral district. chosen, according to law, but tomorrow afternoon, Tuesday April 4, at the hour of three o'clock Her Excellency will declare the causes of her calling Parliament. [Translation] Ï (1120) When the last candidate to address the House completes his [Translation] speech, I will leave the chair for one hour, after which members will proceed to the election of the Speaker. And the House being returned to the Commons chamber: The Clerk of the House: Pursuant to Standing Order 3, I invite I will now call upon the hon. Diane Marleau, the honourable Mr. Blaikie, member for the electoral district of Elmwood— member for the electoral district of Sudbury, to address the House for Transcona, to take the chair as the member presiding. not more than five minutes. 2 COMMONS DEBATES April 3, 2006 Election of Speaker [English] chair occupant now since 1996, either as Speaker or Deputy Speaker Hon. Diane Marleau (Sudbury, Lib.): I say welcome to our hon. or Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole House. colleagues, welcome to this august chamber, the most important [Translation] place in Canadian democracy. Unfortunately, over the past few years Canadians have become quite disillusioned by the behaviour of some During that time I always appreciated the cooperation of the hon. of our colleagues in this august chamber. I would like to say that we members from every party in the House and I wish to be able to owe it to all Canadians to give them an institution they can respect. continue in the role of Speaker during this Parliament. Therefore, when I was approached by some of our colleagues to There are three important aspects to being the Speaker of the allow my name to stand, I agreed. I agreed because I think a positive House. Tomorrow the Speaker will deliver a short speech to the change would make a tremendous difference in how this House of Governor General addressing the most important aspect, namely that Commons is run. the Speaker is a servant of the House. [Translation] [English] My dear colleagues, as you know, I have been a member here in As such, I believe the Speaker has a role to play in moderating this House for over 17 years. I sat as a member of the opposition for debate and choosing who speaks next and so on, but there is also a five years. I have served as the minister responsible for various great deal of cooperation that Speakers demand from members of the portfolios and I proficiently dealt with all matters before me. I have House in making the House function properly. I have always also served on various committees. Furthermore, I am very familiar appreciated and enjoyed the opportunity to work with other with the procedures of this House. members, with the whips and House leaders of the various parties and of course with the independent members to ensure that the I believe it is absolutely essential that we show respect for one House functions, not always smoothly, but that it does function. another in this House. [Translation] [English] The Speaker must also represent the House and the hon. members. This is a House of great debate and, yes, great disagreement, but we have all been elected by Canadians and we share a common bond Over the years, I have often had the opportunity to explain to of association in that we want to make this a better country. We want Canadians the role and responsibilities of the members of Parliament to represent our constituents well. To do that, we must have these and make Canadians aware of the importance of the work that the great debates, but in the end we must respect each other's positions hon. members do here in the House and in their ridings. After all, as I and work together. I propose to be very strict on the language that is said, the Speaker represents the hon. members and I believe it is very used in the House of Commons because it starts with the language. I important to continue to explain their role to Canadians. would call on all of the parties and all of the leaders to work with me [English] to ensure that Canadians regain the respect this institution deserves. I also feel that the Speaker has a role in making very impartial I thank members for their attention. rulings in the House. I have had many occasions when issues have The Presiding Officer (Hon. Bill Blaikie): I will now call upon come before the House that required a decision from the Chair, Mr. Peter Milliken, the hon. member for the electoral district of including, of course, a number of ties on votes, which happens from Kingston and the Islands, to address the House for not more than five time to time and sometimes involves the Speaker in making a minutes. decision. On each occasion I have appreciated the support of hon. Hon. Peter Milliken (Kingston and the Islands, Lib.): Mr. members, even when they were on the losing side of the casting Chairman and hon. colleagues, I want to express to each member my vote, because I think the Speaker has to try to make the decision congratulations on their re-election or first election to the House. based on procedural practice, which of course I have sought to do on the three occasions that have happened during my term as Speaker. Ï (1130) [Translation] In every case I have worked with members in promoting the House and its values, in promoting this place as a debating chamber, It is always a pleasure to serve the House as a member of as a place where we can work together, and where parties are Parliament and I am grateful to the electors of Kingston and the encouraged to work with one another to ensure that the business of Islands for giving me the mandate to represent them here once again. the House gets done. [English] [Translation] For those who are back, I am delighted to see them back. For I feel that over the past few years the House has accomplished those who are new, I express my congratulations, and I hope they quite a bit.