MPs will vote for the next Speaker using a preferential secret ballot, with an absolute majority of votes needed to win.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
At least seven members of Parliament are vying to be speaker of the House of Commons in an election that will take place starting Monday morning.
Candidates who plan to stand in the race include Deputy Speaker Chris d’Entremont, a Conservative, as well as Liberal MPs Francis Scarpaleggia, Sean Casey, Rob Oliphant and Sherry Romanado.
Conservative MP Tom Kmiec and current Speaker Greg Fergus, a Liberal, are also expected to stand, though their offices did not respond before publication.
Green Leader Elizabeth May, meanwhile, says she is considering a bid but is speaking to party members to determine if it is better for her to be Speaker or leader of her party.
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Every MP who is not a minister or party leader is automatically on the list of candidates for speaker. Those who do not want to be considered must withdraw their names by Sunday evening.
MPs vote using a preferential secret ballot, and a candidate needs an absolute majority of the votes to win. Bloc Québécois MP Louis Plamondon, who is the dean of the House, presides over the vote.
The Speaker has ceremonial and diplomatic roles, and also chairs the Board of Internal Economy, which oversees the House of Commons’ administration and finances.
Their most visible role, however, is presiding over the House of Commons – acting essentially as a referee for debates, moderating Question Period and casting a vote only if there is a tie.
While Canadians elected a minority parliament, it is a tight one. The Liberals currently hold 169 seats, three short of a majority, after the results of a judicial recount in a Newfoundland riding. The Conservatives have 144 seats, the Bloc have 22 and the NDP have seven. Ms. May is the only Green seat.
The numbers present an interesting question for the Liberals: If they help elect a speaker from their own benches, they would need to gain another vote to pass legislation. But if they help to elect an opposition MP, they may have someone who is less sympathetic to the Liberal position if a tie needs to be broken.
In 2024, Mr. Fergus came under fire a number of times for various controversies, and the Bloc and Conservatives wanted his resignation.
Mr. d’Entremont said he should be elected because of his experience. The makeup of this House of Commons is tighter than the last one, which means more of an opportunity for equal votes.
“The speaker would have to make a decision one way or another on how certain things will go. That will be a challenge,” he said in an interview.
Another challenge will be ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to speak, he said. The NDP did not meet the 12-seat threshold for recognized status in the House, which means their MPs are seen as independent members and have fewer opportunities to ask questions in Question Period or participate in debates.
Other candidates are also stressing their experience. Mr. Scarpaleggia, Mr. Oliphant and Mr. Casey all noted their years as MPs, as well as their time chairing parliamentary committees and holding other roles.
“I have actually sat on both sides of the House for extended periods,” said Mr. Scarpaleggia, who was first elected in 2004 and has experience with six minority Parliaments. He also chaired the electoral reform committee.
Mr. Oliphant said he would be very clear and unbiased in his judgments. He said that former speaker Peter Milliken would just raise his eyebrow, and because he had the trust and respect of MPs, Mr. Milliken had control of the House.
“I think my role as United Church minister for 25 years will have some impact on elevating the job to that where hopefully I raise my eyebrow and people respect it and really fall in order,” Mr. Oliphant said. “I want the House to be an orderly place.”
Mr. Casey said he is “deeply concerned” about the state of decorum and civility, which would be a key focus for him if he’s elected. Canadians did not send MPs to Ottawa to insult each other, he said.
The House of Commons, the Parliament of Canada and the Office of the Speaker deserve respect, he said, “and those who don’t agree will be promptly brought into line.”
Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia was first elected in 2006. He was first elected in 2004.