Debates of Oct. 4th, 2004

Election of Speaker

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I know I speak for all the people in this caucus, in your riding and throughout the House when I say that your success today is well earned.

Would you tell me, Mr. Speaker, if I am allowed to speak?

[The Speaker]

Yes.

[Paul Martin, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

Now I can.

Mr. Speaker, I was delighted to hear your speech of recognition and gratitude. All of us in the House would have liked to have heard your campaign speech. I would have liked to have known what your promises were going to be.

We are delighted that you acknowledged your family in the gallery. We all hope that you will give us the same privilege. I remember you called me out of order in the last House for that very thing.

[The Speaker]

The Prime Minister now knows that Speakers are allowed to do those things but others cannot.

[Paul Martin, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

Mr. Speaker, you preside now over the first minority Commons in 25 years. When you return to your office you will find an appropriate congratulatory gift. We have sent you an extra strength bottle of painkillers. I hope you use them well.

I believe it is more than symbolic that the first act of this 38th Parliament was to re-elect a Speaker who during his first term was recognized and praised for his impartiality and his constructive approach to resolving disputes.

The challenge that confronts all members of our minority in the Commons is straightforward. It is to make this Parliament work for Canadians and to do so we will need to be able to forge a consensus. We will need to be constructive.

Mr. Speaker, you will face new challenges in this Parliament, as will all of us in the House. Minority government means increased responsibilities for you and for those of us in the government caucus, and indeed for all members.

The government can no longer be certain that it will secure passage of legislation. The opposition parties can no longer simply vote against government bills without consequence.

The dynamic has changed but change is often invigorating. As we begin the work of the 38th Parliament, I want you and all Canadians to know that we as a government are committed to doing what it takes to achieve progress for the people of this country.

I congratulate you, Mr. Speaker, and I wish you sound judgment and ample patience as you again take up your important duties.

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, speaking personally and on behalf of all the Conservative members of this Parliament, I would like to offer my congratulations on your election today.

Mr. Speaker, I noted that it is tradition that you are pushed into the Chair with some reluctance by the Prime Minister and myself. I must tell you, though, as much as I admire your performance and abilities, your reluctance was not very convincing.

We all know the reason for that. We know that you do love this job. Over the years, on several different occasions, we have had the opportunity to talk about the job. I remember we had dinner and lunch, and would often banter about these kinds of things. What I learned in those days was not just your interest in the Speaker's position but your love of procedure and rules.

I was always very impressed with your knowledge of Erskine May, Beauchesne's and all of the various ins and outs of the Standing Orders. Of course, it made me wonder a great deal about you. It did obviously eminently qualify you on the surface for the job, but you have demonstrated a much greater qualification than just these academic credentials.

You have demonstrated in the past four years an exceptional ability as Speaker. It is reflected in the vote today and the unanimity. The job obviously loves you, and you should take a great deal of honour and pleasure from the fact that you would get the unanimous support of every member of every caucus. I can certainly tell you, as leaders, we would appreciate the unanimous support of just our own caucuses. You have achieved a tremendous endorsement today because of the job you have done in the past.

As the Prime Minister alluded to, and I will try not to comment too much on what the Prime Minister said today, we of course will try to ensure that we work by consensus rather than governing as if we have a majority, to quote an infamous phrase.

Mr. Speaker, you will face, as you know, some challenging times. You are going to face a new situation and also some new rules. You can be assured on my part, and I am sure the part of all of my colleagues, that we will give you our fullest and reasonable cooperation in all of the difficult tasks you have to perform. We wish you wisdom and patience in your own deliberations.

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, first I want to congratulate you on your election. In the past, we have learned to work together and I believe we have done so with mutual respect, responsibility and rigour. We must be guided by a desire to agree on how to disagree. God knows this will be important in this minority Parliament. We must demonstrate rigour, and so must you, to the fullest extent. You can count on the support of all members of the Bloc to assist you in your duties, which are not easy.

Of course, we shall assume our responsibilities consistently in every vote that takes place here, as we have always done. We in the Bloc have never had a stubborn, blindly partisan attitude that we must oppose something because it comes from the red party, the blues, the greens, the purples or the party with little yellow dots. All proposals merit attention, regardless of who makes them.

Our only criterion, in the Bloc, is whether the proposals being made are in the best interests of Quebeckers, no matter whether they come from the Liberals, the Conservatives, the NDP or ourselves. The new rules of Parliament will give all parties more opportunity for initiative. I believe we shall see the end of the unilateralism that has too often characterized the Liberal government. They will have to have a more respectful attitude toward the opposition parties.

Of course, we wish to work by means of consensus. Still, it sometimes happens that a consensus is impossible. You, Mr. Speaker, will have to determine who has the majority and who does not on a certain number of points. You will be faced with new rules. I know that from now on, deputy speakers will no longer be appointed by the government, but that you will propose them and the House will ratify them. That is greater democracy, which is what the people asked for in the June 28 election. We must always respect the will of the people, which is to have a Liberal government, albeit in a minority position, and an opposition that has an equally legitimate mandate to represent them here. You can count on our support, Mr. Speaker.

[Jack Layton, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the last time you said my name, I was among the spectators and not a member of this House. I am delighted to be here now as an elected representative. Thank you very much.

I want to acknowledge first of all the role that was just played by the dean of the House and to indicate that it is typical of the role that the New Democratic Party will be able to play in the future in pulling perhaps disparate points of view together around a common cause, the first act of which was your acclamation, Mr. Speaker.

Your acclamation sends a very strong signal that the members of the House wish to work together in order to achieve common objectives. I think it is going to place before you a challenge the likes of which has not been seen for quite some time. In actual fact, on each and every vote the results will by no means be predetermined.

This is going to put you and all members of the House into an interesting position. We are all going to have to work a lot harder. We are going to have to be considering the will of Canadians a lot more carefully because nothing will be prescribed in advance.

Our role as a political party will be to pursue our perspectives, and to hope and count on you to ensure that your wisdom, your eyesight and your intuition will cause you to notice that we are down at the far end of the chamber wishing to raise our points of view.

In addition, we will not to be facing a House of Commons with proposals coming simply from the government. We will be having proposals for interesting legislation and initiatives emerging from all parts of the House, and certainly from this corner. It will be very important that your judgment and your role here ensure that all members of the House are able to bring forward effectively the kind of recommendations that Canadians want to see, and to allow the votes and decisions to reflect that broad consensus of Canadians that exists out there.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to extend to you my congratulations and a cordial welcome. Let me assure you that we will be working hard in the interest of all Canadians, as will all the members of this Parliament. I expect to have many interesting discussions with you and my new House of Commons colleagues.

[The Speaker]

I would like to thank the leaders of all parties in the House for their kind remarks.

I want to reiterate how important it is for the role of the Speaker to have the cooperation of all hon. members, their support and enthusiastic endorsement of the Speaker's rulings. I look forward to that very much from all sides of the House.

Opening of Parliament

[The Speaker]

I have the honour to inform the House that a communication has been received, which is as follows:

Rideau Hall

September 27, 2004

Mr. Speaker

I have the honour to inform you that Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada and His Excellency John Ralston Saul will arrive at the Peace Tower at 15:00 on Tuesday, the 5th of October, 2004.

When it has been indicated that all is in readiness, Their Excellencies will proceed to the Chamber of the Senate to formally open the First Session of the Thirty-Eighth Parliament of Canada.

Yours sincerely,

Curtis Barlow

Deputy Secretary

Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 3 p.m., at which time the House will proceed to the Senate where Her Excellency will open the first session of the 38th Parliament.

(The House adjourned at 11:59 a.m.)