Nipissing-Timiskaming MP Anthony Rota is hoping to be elected as Speaker in the House of Commons.
Electing a Speaker of the House is the first thing that needs to be done at the start of the first parliament session. Today marks the first session since the October 21 election.
Rota’s competition will include another northern MP in the NDP’s Carol Hughes from the Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing riding. Three other candidates include Liberal Geoff Regan, and Conservatives, Bruce Stanton, and Joel Godin.
Regan was the Speaker of the House during the last parliamentary session, while the others all served as deputy, or assistant deputy speakers, with the exception of Godin.
A Speaker’s duty is to provide an impartial interpretation of parliamentary rules and maintaining order in the House of Commons.
In 2015, rules were changed so that the vote for who will be the Speaker will be conducted by secret ballot, and the only information that will be released will be the name of the winner.
Whoever is elected Speaker will an official residence called The Farm in Kingsmere in Chelsea, Quebec, along with an apartment on Parliament Hill.
