MPs voting on new Speaker of the House of Commons today
CBC
The House of Commons is holding a rare mid-session election for a new Speaker Tuesday, after the position was vacated by MP Anthony Rota last week.
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.
Rota officially left the role last Wednesday but MPs agreed that the House can continue sitting with Bloc Québécois MP Louis Plamondon acting as interim Speaker.
Plamondon is what's known as the "Dean of the House" — the MP with the longest unbroken sitting record who isn't a minister or party leader.
As the Dean, Plamondon — who was first elected in 1984 — oversees Tuesday's election.
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.
All MPs who are not leaders of recognized parties or cabinet ministers are automatically considered unless they notified the House clerk in writing before 6 p.m. last night.
Here are the seven MPs letting their name stand for election:
Each candidate was invited to give a five-minute speech to MPs on Tuesday.
Casey promised to vigorously enforce the rules and said he wants to restore public confidence to an institution that has seen its reputation battered by the Yaroslav Hunka affair.
Casey said the quality of debate in the Commons is poor and is undermined by sniping and constant heckling.
"If members are comfortable with the current state of decorum — please don't vote for me," he said.
D'Entremont, who recently served as a deputy Speaker, said he wanted to foster a more collegial Commons.
"I wish to ensure that we can restore dignity and nobility to this place," he said. "Canadians are currently still going through a lot and they're looking for stability at the core of our country's democracy."
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