Debates of June 2nd, 2011

The 40th Parliament having been dissolved by proclamation on Saturday, March 26, 2011, and writs having been issued and returned, a new Parliament was summoned to meet for the dispatch of business on Thursday, June 2, 2011, and did so accordingly meet on that day.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

This being the day on which Parliament was convoked by proclamation of His Excellency the Governor General of Canada for the dispatch of business, and the members of the House being assembled:

Audrey O'Brien, Clerk of the House of Commons, read to the House a letter from the Secretary to the Governor General informing her that the Deputy Governor General would proceed to the Senate chamber today at 11 o'clock to open the first session of the 41st Parliament of Canada.

A message was delivered by the Usher of the Black Rod as follows:

Honourable Members of the House of Commons:

It is the desire of the Right Honourable Deputy of His Excellency the Governor General, that this Honourable House attend her immediately in the Senate chamber.

Accordingly the House went up to the Senate chamber, where the Speaker of the Senate said:

Honourable Members of the Senate, Members of the House of Commons:

I have it in command to let you know that His Excellency the Governor General of Canada does not see fit to declare the causes of his summoning the present Parliament of Canada until a Speaker of the House of Commons shall have been chosen, according to law; but tomorrow afternoon, Friday, June 3, at the hour of three o'clock His Excellency will declare the causes of him calling Parliament.

And the House being returned to the Commons chamber:

First Session--41st Parliament

[The Clerk of the House]

Honourable members, pursuant to Standing Order 3, I invite Mr. Louis Plamondon, member for the electoral district of Bas-Richelieu—Nicolet—Bécancour, to take the chair and preside over the election of a Speaker.

Election of Speaker

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

Dear friends, this is the second time that I have had the opportunity to sit in this prestigious chair, and I must admit that I am starting to enjoy it.

Allow me to congratulate all of you on your election to the House of Commons. As I sit in this prestigious chair, I would like to acknowledge my constituents in my riding of Bas-Richelieu—Nicolet—Bécancour, who placed their trust in me for the ninth time this past election. I had always been able to ride the wave, but this time the wave was coming right at me. I found it different, but tiring.

I would also like to acknowledge my companion Manon, who has always supported me, my children, Catherine and Lucie, as well as my grandchildren. I also thank my election committee, which was a huge help in this election. Let us begin.

The list of members who have withdrawn or who are ineligible as candidates has been placed on each member's desk and is available at the table.

The list of those members who are eligible as candidates has also been placed on each member's desk and is available at the table.

Before we begin, I want to invite any member whose name is on the list of candidates but who does not want to stand for election to rise and inform the Chair accordingly.

The hon. member for Papineau.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Irrespective of my written efforts to decline the opportunity to become speaker, fate has decreed, with a little help from Canada Post, that I must consider it. Therefore, consider it I have.

Despite my desire to have what may be a better seat in the House, I am making the difficult decision to decline. I would have liked to see a francophone included on this list. However, I must withdraw my candidacy for the honour of being Speaker of the House.

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

You had five minutes, maximum.

Following that statement, the list of candidates is revised.

Pursuant to Standing Order 3.1, the House must proceed to the speeches from each candidate for the office of the Speaker.

Notwithstanding any Standing Order or any procedure and practice adopted by this House, and to help the newly elected members identify the candidates for the office of Speaker, I will recognize in alphabetical order each candidate by name and by electoral district.

When the last candidate to address the House completes his speech, I will leave the chair for one hour, after which members will proceed to the election of the Speaker.

I will now call upon Mr. Dean Allison, the hon. member for Niagara West—Glanbrook, to address the House for not more than five minutes.

[Dean Allison, Conservative, Niagara West—Glanbrook, ON]

Let me begin by offering my sincere congratulations to all my esteemed colleagues on their election to this distinguished place. To those returning, welcome back.

I wish to welcome those who are in this House for the first time.

The Canadian people have chosen each individual in this room to represent them. With that endorsement comes an incomparable level of duty and responsibility. From coast to coast to coast, Canadians have spoken and expect each of us to work in their best interests by coming together to make this historic 41st Parliament not only work, but also work well.

And that is what we must do.

We have an opportunity and, indeed, a duty to transcend perfunctory courtesies and bring back to this great chamber a level of honour and respect befitting Canada's House of Commons.

I challenge each of you to consider your role as a member here.

I challenge you to consider not only how you perceive your responsibilities but also how you are perceived by those who have placed their trust in you by giving you the honour and the privilege of working in this hallowed place to the benefit of all Canadians.

By nature and by duty, we are all fiercely loyal to our beliefs and our political leanings, but as individuals and as representatives of our constituents, our conduct should be no less than exemplary. The political composition of this House embodies the great democratic values that are the foundation of Canada. They reflect the many different interests that naturally exist across our great country.

As we work to advance these interests, we must remember that this is not the time for political posturing and self-aggrandizement. The work of this chamber is greater than merely the sum of its parts.

If selected by you to serve as your Speaker, I would uphold the time-honoured traditions of this chamber. I would call for thoughtful discernment and appropriate consultation, and would then execute all the duties of the position to the best of my ability.

As Speaker, I would employ all means within my capacity to maintain the sanctity of this place, especially when it relates to members' decorum. It is ultimately up to each hon. member, however, to make the conscious decision and exercise the appropriate level of professionalism, respect and restraint.

As elected representatives of the Canadian people, we all share the privilege and fundamental right to freedom of speech in this place: the right to speak without fear of barrier, the right to express any opinion or to speak on any matter that we consider to be in the interests of our constituents or the country as a whole.

However, with the right to freedom of speech comes great responsibility, responsibility to our hon. colleagues and, indeed, responsibility to the institution and the rules of the House.

It is the duty of the Speaker to ensure that the right of free speech is protected and exercised to the fullest possible extent. This is accomplished by presiding over debate in the House and interpreting and enforcing all rules and practices. The Speaker is to preserve the order and decorum in the chamber, which is tantamount to the success of Parliament itself.

As members know, the Speaker is also the chief administrative officer of the House and in this capacity requires a cognizant stewardship as well as experience and capacity to execute these duties. As well, the Speaker has the honour to represent Parliament in its relations with persons and authorities outside of this Parliament, and in this capacity the Speaker must succinctly convey the principles, jurisdictions and views held by Parliament.

Hon. members of this place, today I stand before you humbly.

I submitted my candidacy for the office of Speaker because I want the honour of serving you.

I entered political life over a decade ago with a desire to serve. During my tenure in this place, I have worked diligently on behalf of my constituents. I have served my party, both in opposition and on government benches. I have served the House in the capacity of chair on many committees where, I hope my colleagues will agree, I have always sought to be fair and impartial, and sought consensus among all members. I have always sought and will continue to seek ways to build a better Parliament and a better Canada.

I am here to advocate for the support of all members to be selected as Speaker. As Speaker of the House, I will continue to serve members of Parliament and the people of Canada, for this is the primary function of the position.

I have the necessary experience. I have the required talents and abilities.

I wish to serve.

Now, all I need is the support of the members. Thank you for your consideration

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

I now call upon Barry Devolin, the hon. member for Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, to address the House for not more than five minutes.

You have the floor.

[Barry Devolin, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

I stand here today as one of eight candidates applying for a job. That means that the other 300-some members of Parliament constitute the hiring committee in this process. In my view, today they bear a significant responsibility to themselves, to one another, and to all Canadians to carefully consider each of the candidates before deciding which one they think would make the best Speaker of this House of Commons.

This is about more than party politics, more than helping a friend, and more than who asked them first. Today, the members will decide as a group who will be offered a four-year non-revocable contract to manage this place and to help steer the ship of Canadian democracy.

In a few minutes, we might hear my colleague, the hon. member for London West, say that experience in business is a big asset for managing the day-to-day operations of this place. I agree with that, which is why my experience as a successful businessman in real estate and running a communications company before I entered politics should be important to members. I know the importance of managing a budget and looking after customers.

I also expect that in a few minutes we might hear my colleague from Calgary Centre suggest that a broad range of life experience is necessary for our Speaker to serve as an ambassador for Canada on a global stage. I could not agree more. As we know, our Speaker stands fifth in the order of precedence and has many ceremonial and diplomatic responsibilities. That is why I place great value in my academic and international background.

I have a bachelor's degree from Carleton University and a master's degree from the State University of New York. I have also lived for a year or more in Europe, the United States and Asia. Collectively, these experiences will be a great asset if I have the opportunity to serve as the Speaker in Canada and abroad.

I expect that in a few moments, my hon. colleague from Victoria will argue that the Speaker of the House should speak both official languages. She is quite right. I believe that bilingual candidates have a clear advantage. I feel it is a matter of respect for all members of the House.

Six years ago, I could not put together a single sentence in French. Today I consider myself bilingual, perhaps not perfectly bilingual, but I can communicate in French most of the time. However, if a complicated issue or a point of order is raised, I must rely on our interpreters, because making a fair decision is paramount.

After that, I think my hon. colleague from Regina—Qu'Appelle will tell you that one must have experience in the House and in the chair in order to step into the position. I would have to agree. In the vast majority of professions, one must go through a period of training in order to master all aspects of the job. I think the same holds true here. That is why I believe that the candidate from Regina—Qu'Appelle, the candidate from Victoria and I have an advantage in this contest.

Later, I expect one thing we will hear from the member for Simcoe North is that having the right temperament is key, that having an approachable and fair-minded facilitator, someone with a calm and contemplative nature, is critically important to have in the chair.

Once again, I agree with my colleague. I believe I have the temperament well-suited to this position. I listen carefully, consider all points of view, and seek consensus when resolving delicate situations.

Finally, I expect that the candidate from Brandon—Souris across the aisle will highlight his experience managing multi-million dollar budgets as a provincial cabinet minister.

I also agree with my colleague that experience managing large public sector budgets is invaluable training to serve as Speaker of the House. While never having been a provincial cabinet minister, I have served as chief of staff for two in Ontario and played a major role managing a budget of tens of millions of dollars.

I have also served as the director of research for a national political party where I hired and managed a staff of more than 30 persons.

As I reflect back on all the positive things I have said about my fellow candidates, it seems to me that we might be able to construct the perfect Speaker if we could take the best from each of them. Alas, that is not possible. The perfect candidate is not available.

The reality is that 300 members must decide which of the eight candidates they believe would be best able to serve in this role. If it is felt that on balance I am the strongest candidate in this group, then I ask for the support of the members. If I am elected as Speaker, I will work hard every day to warrant that trust and to serve members to the best of my ability.

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

I will now call upon Mr. Ed Holder, the hon. member for the electoral district of London West, to address the House for not more than five minutes.

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

Hon. colleagues, allow me first to congratulate you on your election. You are here because this is important to you and you have decided to make a difference.

Having campaigned to become a member of Parliament sets you apart from the 34 million other Canadians, especially considering that only 5,000 Canadians have been elected to this House since Confederation.

My friends, I recall I was in awe when I first came to this place. Even with my 30 years of business experience, I could not help but feel like a young person going to his first job. When I took my seat in this House, I was so excited. I knew this is where I should be. It was inspiring.

To the new hon. members, allow me to welcome you to Parliament and to your new parliamentary family. Savour this experience: it will become a part of you. We are proud to have you as colleagues and we sincerely wish you all the best.

It is tremendous to have our colleagues who are returning back in Parliament. Today, it is my honour to present myself to all members for their thoughtful consideration as Speaker of the House.

I stand before the members today because I was first approached by a member of the opposition upon the announcement of the pending retirement of Speaker Milliken. Although a thoughtful compliment, it was not until several members from all parties suggested strongly that I consider the role that I was compelled to take it more seriously. After some deliberations and strong encouragement, I have agreed to let my name stand.

Colleagues, today we have our first duty, which is to elect our Speaker. I am honoured to be joined by several friends who have allowed their names to stand. I know these people as exceptionally honourable and I consider them worthy choices.

My friends, I am a great believer in the importance of tradition, especially when it comes to this place, the House of Commons.

In the spirit of that tradition, I have not overtly campaigned for the position. It will be decided today if that was the right approach.

Instead, I have tried whenever possible to meet with you personally to introduce myself and talk to you about issues that matter to you, about your ideas and your expectations of the Speaker of the House. I will do the same as Speaker. I believe it is the hon. members who make this place so extraordinary and that is why I did not submit my candidacy in a letter or through the media. As the Speaker, my door will always be open. In fact, I encourage all of us to build new relationships with our colleagues.

What we have heard from candidates is the need for greater decorum and civility in the House; that we must show greater respect among one another. Ironically, nothing separates any of the candidates in that regard. We have all learned through our parents to treat each other with respect and civility, and we know this to be true. I was taught that by my Cape Breton mother.

However, that is only one part, albeit an important part, of the role of Speaker. The Speaker is also chair of the Board of Internal Economy and, as such, is responsible for the whole parliamentary precinct. The budget and staff for this is significant, and my experience as chief executive officer of a successful large company, I believe, positions me well for this responsibility.

At the same time, there is a necessity to show fiscal prudence. Our bosses, the Canadian taxpayers, deserve no less. I will commit to taking the same business approach to the budget as I did when I ran my own company, with a critical eye and a compassionate, caring style.

Colleagues, we also need to return to a time of representing the traditions of this House when parliamentarians were the ones responsible for our affairs. This is our place. These are our choices and it begins by building respectful relationships with each other.

The Speaker has a role to play in supporting these relationships. Speaker Milliken did a superb job in encouraging members from all parties to come together in a non-partisan fashion on a regular basis through various events and receptions. It is my intention to carry on with these important traditions.

The Speaker is the servant of this House. If you give me the honour of serving, I will do so with humility and respect.

We have all come here with the goal of making Canada better.

With the thoughtful support of members, we can do it together. I thank them for their thoughtful consideration.

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

I will now call upon Mr. Lee Richardson, the hon. member for the electoral district of Calgary Centre, to address the House for not more than five minutes.

[Lee Richardson, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

First of all, I would like to thank my long-time colleague in the House of Commons, the dean of this House, my friend, the hon. member for Bas-Richelieu—Nicolet—Bécancour.

We have an important decision to make today in choosing one of our number to preside over the House for the 41st Parliament.

Each of us has a strong personal interest in making this a better place. I will not dwell on the obvious: the incivility of recent years, the lack of decorum and the lack of mutual respect. We all know what must be done and I think we know it can be done. Today we will choose the person among us who we think can get it done, presiding over the House as its firm guiding hand.

In making your decision, you will seek strength of character, parliamentary experience, knowledge of history and an understanding of the people and the regions whose interests we represent. You will want an individual in whom you have confidence to represent the House with fairness, dignity and respect.

Throughout my life, this House has been like a home to me. I first stepped into the visitors gallery of this place in 1972 as executive assistant for the Right Hon. John Diefenbaker. I watched some of the greatest parliamentarians of their day. I served on the senior staff of Prime Minister Mulroney for five years and, in 1988, I sought election and was privileged to serve in the government caucus.

Over these years, I have learned about victory and I have learned about defeat. I learned why running for Parliament is one of the greatest sacrifices we can make as men and women, fathers and mothers. I hold in the highest regard any man or woman who puts his or her reputation on the line to seek election and serve their community and country in this place.

Throughout my time here, I have seen great Speakers, those whose words uttered with great calmness and authority could cool a boiling House of Commons. I have seen others who tried with every ounce of their energy and intellect but could never quite manage the hard political conflict that, left unchecked, could turn debate into disrepute. I have learned from them all as I have learned from the oratorical masters of this place for nearly four decades.

That is why my commitment, if chosen as Speaker, is to earn and keep earning the respect of this House, to defend the sacred rights of MPs and to deal with each member as an equal.

I know that the Speaker's authority comes from the members and from the members only. The Speaker must inspire their confidence and earn their trust through a relationship founded on fairness, integrity, mutual respect and character.

I know from experience that members will accept a decision when they understand it was arrived at fairly, with impartiality and with due regard for tradition, precedent and the rules of procedure.

When members look at their choice for Speaker, they should see an individual with experience, judgment and character, and the personal fortitude to put those qualities to the service of members.

As has been said, the Speaker is also an ambassador for Parliament, a parliamentary host of visiting dignitaries, as well as representing this House and Canada in international parliamentary meetings. I shall represent members and this Parliament with dignity, purpose and honour.

In closing, I would like to quote from my maiden speech in this House 23 years ago when I said, “We have built one of the world's greatest nations, not on might, but on justice and tolerance. Tolerance is the basis of a civilized society”.

That reality is reflected in the celebration of our two official languages, French and English.

Growing up in Ottawa my children had an opportunity, which I did not have growing up in Calgary, to learn French.

So although they are both bilingual, their father is not, at least not yet.

I will do everything possible to improve my French, and I assure you that I will defend the equality of French and English in the House if I have the honour of serving you as Speaker.

As my dear colleagues can hear, my French is a work in progress but it is progressing.

I seek to serve this House as Speaker. I put before my colleagues my goals, my commitment and the skills I bring to restore dignity and respect. In service to members, I will make this institution an honourable place for the people's representatives to debate and shape important public policy once again.

I would be honoured to have your support.

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

I now invite Ms. Denise Savoie, the hon. member for the riding of Victoria, to take the floor for not more than five minutes.

[Denise Savoie, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I would like to congratulate all of my colleagues here today.

It is an honour and a privilege to sit in this House, to represent our constituents’ interests and values, and to advance public policy.

Before I begin, I would like to offer my sincere condolences to the member for Kitchener—Conestoga whose wife passed away recently.

I present myself today to serve as Speaker with a singular focus on raising the tone of debate in the House to a level that restores the confidence of Canadians in their politicians and in this democratic institution. I offer to facilitate a process by which each of us and our parties commit to a higher standard of conduct, that we monitor our progress and that we make concrete procedural changes to support our goal.

During the last election campaign, many Victorians told me that Parliament should work in the interest of Canadians, not the interest of parties. In the time I have been here, I have tried to operate under that exact principle. Of course this is a partisan place. It is adversarial by design, and for good reason. However, unlike high school debates, the idea of parliamentary debate is not to score points but to make good public policy.

Each of us here represents different perspectives that our electors have judged deserve to be heard and, I dare say, incorporated in public policy so that government and Parliament truly work for all Canadians. It is absolutely not the Speaker's job to determine substantively how this is to happen, but it can be the Speaker's job to nurture, to foster and to maintain an environment where this approach can succeed. It is absolutely important that this be allowed to happen.

Imagine for a moment a parliament that functions well, a parliament where debate is intelligent, informed, witty and, above all, respectful.

Imagine a parliament where our interaction leads to more inclusive public policy, and thus to win-win situations for all Canadians.

I am not proposing a utopian project, but an objective that must be met to reverse the cynicism that Canadians feel toward their politicians and democratic institutions.

So I stand today, fully committed to the Speaker’s chief duty to preserve order and decorum in the proceedings of this House.

I also promise to protect the rights and privileges of every member, and to balance them with our responsibility to serve the interests of all Canadians, according to the rules of procedures of Parliament.

The Speaker cannot do this alone. All members of this House must also be committed to these goals.

I thus ask for the support of members today only if they are prepared to do their part to improve decorum, to work with me to improve the way we conduct business, our debates, question period and all of our interactions. I pledge as your Speaker to be guided solely by the will of the House and, if that will is resolute in the pursuit of a well-functioning Parliament, together we can restore the faith of Canadians in their Parliament.

Our outgoing Speaker said recently that federal politics had become less democratic and more partisan since he was a rookie MP. I hope that one of the rookie MPs here today will retire as MP one day and can say the exact opposite. Let us say today that the 41st Parliament was the turning point. Let that change begin today.

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

I now call upon Mr. Andrew Scheer, the hon. member for Regina—Qu'Appelle, to address the House for not more than five minutes.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Chair and hon. members, first let me also congratulate the members present today. Whether this is your first term or, like you, Mr. Chair and the dean of the House, your ninth, I am sure you will agree that there is nothing like entering the House of Commons for the first time after an election.

If I can beg the indulgence of those members who heard my speech in the 40th Parliament in a similar circumstance, I would like to use the words of Speaker William Lenthall to describe the nature of the position of speaker.

When King Charles went into the House in 1642 and demanded to know the whereabouts of certain MPs, Speaker Lenthall told the king:

May it please Your Majesty, I have neither eyes to see, nor tongue to speak in this place, but as the House is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am here....

In my view, that is the primary role of the Speaker. The Speaker must serve the House first. It is the Speaker's responsibility to ensure that all members can exercise their rights and privileges in the House. The Speaker's authority comes from all the members, and that allows the House to function properly.

I believe I can carry on that legacy thanks to the experience I have gained over the last several years. I have spent the last five years in the Speaker's chair and, up until about an hour ago, as deputy speaker. Before that, I was the assistant deputy speaker from 2006 to 2008.

It is an old maxim that one learns by doing and I have certainly learned a great deal with first-hand experience in the chair. Experience and expertise should count for a lot and, while every candidate has many different experiences in different areas that will no doubt be helpful to them, I believe there is nothing quite like on-the-job training. As deputy speaker, I learned the rules, procedures and precedents while actually being in the chair.

In speaking with many members, I have received very positive feedback on the impartial and fair way I have presided over the House. I have always taken care to ensure that all parties and, indeed, all individual members were treated fairly while I presided.

I have heard some feedback about my age and I know that I am getting quite old now. The current speaker of the House of Commons in the United Kingdom, Mr. John Bercow, also faced questions about his age as he was relatively young when he successfully ran for speaker. I am sure he will not mind my retelling one of his stories. In his speech asking members for their support, one particular MP said to him:

Certainly not, Bercow. You are not just too young; you are far too young—given that, in my judgment, the Speaker ought to be virtually senile.

I hope that no one here feels that way.

Many of you have spoken to me about decorum and courtesy.

I absolutely agree that the speaker needs to play a more assertive role in improving the tone of debate in this place. I believe it is time for the speaker to use the Standing Orders that already exist and are available to more strictly enforce the rules regarding behaviour.

When I was in the chair, often throughout debate we would see particular members, and I will not mention any names, consistently be disruptive and discourteous to their colleagues. Because their names were on a list, they would stand in question period, give a statement and expect the floor to be given to them. We should have a system and a speaker in place to ensure that members do not receive respect from their colleagues until they learn to give it.

Rest assured that I will make certain that members who refuse to follow the rules of debate will not be allowed to speak until they have demonstrated the respect deserved by an institution as important as the House of Commons.

In the last Parliament, I also noticed the way toxic language has crept into debate. We have a list of unparliamentary words but we need to go beyond that. I do not think unparliamentary language should be constricted to only a technical list. The speaker should ensure that members follow not just the letter of the rules regarding unparliamentary language but the spirit as well.

Base name calling and questioning the motives of other hon. members create a toxic environment, which I think is what Canadians feel let down the most about. By showing each other the mutual respect that we would expect from anyone else is very important.

As Speaker, I would like to see a respectful and courteous House of Commons in which members can freely discuss laws and ideas, knowing that their rights and privileges are protected. We have a duty to all Canadians to ensure that the House functions properly.

To my francophone colleagues, I can say that I learned French in school for 13 years, but when I moved to Saskatchewan, I forgot some vocabulary and verb conjugations. However, I am making a concerted effort to improve my French. I am learning the subjunctive, despite the imperfect nature of my discourse.

Protecting the rights of individual MPs is also an important task for any Speaker. If you select me, I will ensure that each member has the right to be heard. Our rights should be protected collectively, but each individual MP needs to have his or her rights upheld as well.

Based upon my experience, my passion for this place, and my fair enforcement of the rules, I humbly ask for your support.

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

I will now call upon Mr. Bruce Stanton, the hon. member for the electoral district of Simcoe North, to address the House for not more than five minutes.

[Bruce Stanton, Conservative, Simcoe North, ON]

Mr. Chair, this being the first opportunity I have to speak in the 41st Parliament, I would like to take time to thank the great people of Simcoe North for giving me their confidence for a third term.

I would like to congratulate the hon. members who have been elected and welcome those who are sitting here for the first time.

Canadians have elected their first majority Parliament in 11 years. It is the first time since 2004 that a federal election is not looming and it is a first term for more than one-third of hon. members. We have an opportunity to make the House of Commons work better for Canadians. Today is a big part of that; our choice for Speaker.

To help inform members in order to make a decision today, I would like to take a moment to give some of my background, relate some of my experience and share my thoughts on the role and responsibilities of Speaker.

During the 25 years I spent learning to run our family's tourism business in central Ontario, it became clear to me that our success relied on the relationships we built with the people we worked with: our family members, clients, staff and competitors.

We know that the same holds true for the work we do in public life. Listening to and understanding our constituents, colleagues, team members, volunteers, and even our political opponents, greatly determines our accomplishments.

This is the life experience that has guided my work in public life to this day. They are the lessons which helped me in chairing the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development in the last Parliament.

In committee, I learned that the judicious and impartial use of procedural rules and profound respect for each member allowed the proceedings to take place in a civil and frank manner.

We are all aware that Canadians would like to see an improvement in the level of civility and decorum in the House. So, too, I expect, would members.

The difficulty lies in balancing the protection of a member's rights and privileges—freedom of speech—with respect for order and decorum. It is a careful balance, one that the Speaker must maintain.

As a servant of the House, the Speaker can only preside within the limits that the House and hon. members grant.

Achieving an improvement in civility and decorum will take a combined effort, the will of members, the fair and consistent application of procedural rules by the Speaker, and a strong working relationship among the Speaker and our House leaders and whips. This is a task that I would look forward to working through so that Canadians could take greater pride with our work here.

To conclude, I believe it is crucial that the Speaker be able to communicate in both official languages. My French teacher has told me that I am at an intermediate level and that, with some hard work, I could be functionally bilingual within a year. I am making that commitment here before you, Mr. Presiding Officer, and before the members.

I would like to thank the hon. members for having listened to me today. I would be honoured to have your support.

I thank hon. members for your consideration today and I would be honoured to have your support.

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

I now call upon Mr. Merv Tweed, the hon. member for Brandon—Souris, to address the House for not more than five minutes.

[Merv Tweed, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would first like to congratulate everyone who was re-elected and welcome all the newly elected members. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my constituents in Brandon—Souris for their unfailing support.

Brandon—Souris is located in the southwest corner of Manitoba, a province which I call le coeur du Canada, because we are the heart of this body called Canada. Manitoba is also home to Canada's newest NHL hockey team of which we are all very proud.

I am honoured to be considered for the very important role of Speaker of the House.

I have served at the municipal, provincial and federal levels of government in many roles, including deputy reeve, Manitoba minister of industry, trade and tourism and chair of the very productive House committee here, transport, infrastructure and communities.

In over 20 years of public life I have experienced the highs and the lows of forming a government and forming an opposition, which gives me a unique perspective and an understanding of the balance a Speaker must preserve in a progressive chamber.

These insights and experiences on both sides of the House have taught me the benefits of working with all parties in a constructive manner and as your Speaker I will continue to do so.

Colleagues, over the last several years we have experienced a severe decline in decorum in this wonderful chamber. I find it disturbing that members attack each other, not only from a policy perspective, but on a personal level and this behaviour has to stop. Make no mistake, if you elect me as your Speaker, I will do all within my power to correct this decline.

I believe the Speaker of the House has a crucial role to play in preserving decorum in this House.

However, as Speaker, I cannot do this alone. Above all other reasons, my pursuit of this position is to ensure that our Canadian democracy is delivered in a productive and respectful way. I have always treated members with respect and I believe that if asked, those with whom I have served would say the same.

As Speaker, I would commit to all members of this chamber to be accessible to you at all times.

As Speaker, I will serve as every member's Speaker, regardless of their party colours, and I promise to be accessible to each and every one of you.

I have experience from years of public service. I have demonstrated a non-partisan demeanour throughout my career. I would fully commit every hour of my day to this important position. I would work to restore decorum in the House while treating all with respect.

As Speaker, I would also represent members of Parliament throughout Canada and the world with dignity and honour.

Today, we, as members of Parliament, have an opportunity to prove to Canadians that this Parliament of Canada will be one where very much needed decorum and respect are once again the order of the day.

By electing me Speaker, I would provide the confidence and direction to conduct the orders of the House according to the time tested rules. I have been serving Canadians with respect and dignity for the better part of my adult life and I would continue this ethic should my name be the final one chosen today.

I humbly ask for your support and thank you.

I humbly submit my name for your consideration.

Sitting Suspended

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

Before I suspend the sitting for one hour, I wish to remind hon. members that the bells to call the members back to the House will be sounded for not more than five minutes. You therefore have one hour to reflect before returning to the House to vote.

When you are done reflecting, perhaps you will have time to discuss the Canucks' fantastic win last night.

The sitting is suspended to the call of the Chair.

(The sitting of the House was suspended at 12:13 p.m.)

(The House resumed at 1:18 p.m.)

Sitting Resumed

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

Order, please. Pursuant to the Standing Orders, the House will now proceed to elect a Speaker.

A list of those members who are eligible as candidates has been placed in each polling station and at the table.

May I please have the ballot box, Sergeant-at-Arms?

After the Clerk has unsealed the ballots, I will suggest a method of proceeding which will help to accelerate the voting process.

As we are about to begin the voting procedure, may I remind hon. members to print the first and last name of their candidate on their ballot.

I would suggest that members leave their desk, exit through the curtains and come to the table using the doors on the left and the right of the Chair on their respective side of the House. A clerk will issue a ballot paper to each member.

After casting their ballot, members are asked to leave the voting area.

The polling booths are now open.

(Members were issued ballots and marked their ballots in secret at voting stations)

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

If there are any members who have not voted and wish to do so, will they please vote now.

If any hon. members have not yet voted and wish to do so, will they please vote now?

All members having voted, I now instruct the Clerk of the House to proceed with the counting of the ballots after I have cast my ballot. Would the Sergeant-at-Arms please bring the ballot box forward?

Suspension of House

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

Before I suspend the sitting may I bring to the attention of members that when the counting of the ballots has been completed the bells to call the members back to the House will be sounded for not more than five minutes.

The sitting is suspended to the call of the Chair.

(The sitting of the House was suspended at 1:44 p.m.)

(The House resumed at 2:09 p.m.)

Sitting Resumed

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

It is my duty to inform the House that a second ballot will be necessary.

The names of members eligible for the second ballot are as follows:

Barry Devolin

Ed Holder

Lee Richardson

Denise Savoie

Andrew Scheer

Merv Tweed

We will now proceed to the second ballot. If any members whose names I have just read wish to withdraw as a candidate for the second ballot, would they please rise in their places and state their reasons.

(Members were issued ballots and marked their ballots in secret at voting stations.)

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

All members having voted, I do now instruct the Clerk to proceed with the counting of the ballots after I have cast my ballot.

Suspension of Sitting

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

The sitting is suspended to the call of the Chair.

(The sitting of the House was suspended at 2:36 p.m.)

(The House resumed at 2:58 p.m.)

Sitting Resumed

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

Order, please. It is my duty to inform the House that another ballot will be necessary. The names of members eligible for the next ballot are as follows:

Barry Devolin

Lee Richardson

Denise Savoie

Andrew Scheer

Merv Tweed

If any members whose names I have just read wish to withdraw as candidates for the next ballot, will they please rise in their places and do so.

For the benefit of hon. members a revised alphabetical list of candidates for the next ballot will be placed in each polling station within the next five minutes at which time voting will commence.

(Members were issued ballots and marked their ballots in secret at voting stations.)

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

If there are any members who have not voted and wish to do so, will they please vote now.

All members having voted, I do now instruct the Clerk to proceed with the counting of the ballots after I have cast my ballot.

Suspension of Sitting

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

The sitting is suspended to the call of the Chair.

(The sitting of the House was suspended at 3:20 p.m.)

(The House resumed at 3:39 p.m.)

Sitting Resumed

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

Order, please. It is my duty to inform the House that another ballot will be necessary.

The names of those members who can be considered on the next ballot are as follows:

Lee Richardson

Denise Savoie

Andrew Scheer

Merv Tweed

If any hon. members whose names the Chair has just announced to the House wish to withdraw as a candidate on the fourth ballot, will they please rise in their place and do so.

A revised alphabetical list of candidates for the fourth ballot will be placed in each polling station shortly.

(Members were issued ballots and marked their ballots in secret at voting stations)

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

Order. If there are any hon. members who have not yet voted and who wish to do so, will they please vote now.

Are you ready to count the ballots?

All members having voted, I do now instruct the Clerk to proceed with the counting of the ballots after I have cast my ballot.

Suspension of Sitting

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

The sitting is suspended to the call of the Chair.

(The sitting of the House was suspended at 4:00 p.m.)

(The House resumed at 4:19 p.m.)

Sitting Resumed

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

Order, please. It is my duty to inform the House that another ballot will be necessary.

The names of the members eligible for the next ballot are as follows:

Lee Richardson

Denise Savoie

Andrew Scheer

If any members whose names I have just read wish to withdraw as candidates for the next ballot, would they please rise in their places and do so.

Let us have the vote.

(Members were issued ballots and marked their ballots in secret at voting stations.)

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

If there are any hon. members who have not yet voted and who wish to do so, will they please vote now.

All members having voted, I do now instruct the Clerk to proceed with the counting of the ballots after I have cast my ballot.

Suspension of Sitting

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

The sitting is suspended to the call of the Chair.

(The sitting of the House was suspended at 4:39 p.m.)

(The House resumed at 4:58 p.m.)

Sitting Resumed

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

Order. It is my duty to inform the House that another ballot will be necessary.

The names of the members eligible for the next ballot are as follows:

Denise Savoie

Andrew Scheer

(Members were issued ballots and marked their ballots in secret at voting stations)

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

All members having voted, I do now instruct the Clerk to proceed with the counting of the ballots after I have cast my ballot.

We will suspend the sitting to count the ballots, and you will be informed of the winner in approximately 20 minutes.

I would point out that we will proceed with another ballot in the event of a tie. This happened in 1994.

Suspension of Sitting

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

The sitting is suspended to the call of the Chair.

(The sitting of the House was suspended at 5:20 p.m.)

(The House resumed at 5:37 p.m.)

(The Clerk of the House having provided the Presiding Officer with the name of the member having received a majority of the votes cast:)

Election of Speaker

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

Order, please. It is my duty to inform the House that a Speaker of the House has been duly elected.

It is with great pleasure that I invite the hon. member for the electoral district of Regina—Qu'Appelle to take the chair now.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

I now invite the right hon. Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition to escort the hon. Andrew Scheer to the chair.

(The Presiding Officer having vacated the chair, and the mace having been laid under the table, the right hon. Prime Minister and the hon. Leader of the Opposition conducted Mr. Andrew Scheer from his seat in the House to the chair)

[The Presiding Officer, Bloc, Louis Plamondon]

Thank you all for your co-operation and civility today. I hope this cordiality will continue for the rest of the session.

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Hon. members, I would like to express my humble thanks for the great honour the House has given me by electing me Speaker.

I beg to return my humble acknowledgments to the House for the great honour my colleagues have conferred upon me by choosing me to be their Speaker.

This is one time in a session when there is a little bit of liberty in whom the Speaker recognizes. I would be remiss if I did not point out my lovely wife and my latest son, Henry, in the gallery. I would not have had any seat in the House of Commons, never mind this seat, if it were not for the support and love she has given me over the years. My parents, James and Mary Scheer, are here as well. A good friend of mine, all the way from Regina, Joan Baylis, is here as well.

I am very honoured by the trust you have put in me today.

As I mentioned in my speech, over the past few years I have had the honour to be deputy speaker and assistant deputy speaker. It truly has made me appreciate all that every member brings to this House.

I have often said that we are all motivated by the same thing. We may disagree fundamentally on issues and ideas, but we all do sincerely want Canada to be the best country it can be. I have come to appreciate that on a personal level with each and every member. Thank you very much for supporting me today, it really means a lot.

It has been a long day of voting, a little longer than last time, so I will keep my remarks short.

I promise that I will do my best to live up to the trust placed in me. I cannot claim that I will ever be perfect, but members can count that I will give 100% to the job they have given me today.

And the mace having been laid upon the table:

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, congratulations on your election.

I know this is something you have been preparing yourself for, through very hard work, for a very long time. I know it is a great day for you and your family and I again congratulate you. I also recognize, after all these years of work, that in the last few minutes you have shown a traditional reluctance to take the position. When we brought you to the chair, the Leader of the Opposition had a weapon. In any case, I am sure, nevertheless, that this is a proud day for everyone in your home.

Today's election served as a stellar example of how all members of the House have a say in its operation and how we can all work together in reaching an important decision.

All of the members who were in contention for this role deserve recognition. The same holds true for the Clerk and the dean of the House, the hon. member for Bas-Richelieu—Nicolet—Bécancour, who has so impartially overseen the vote today. I was worried, and I assume you were as well, Mr. Speaker, to see how comfortable he was becoming in the role.

Your election by secret ballot demonstrates the great confidence that the members of the House have in you, your fairness and, above all, your ability to maintain the dignity and decorum associated with respectful debate.

Mr. Speaker, clearly the members of the House have as much confidence in you as your constituents, the good citizens of Regina—Qu'Appelle. In this job you are the custodian of a great parliamentary tradition.

Let me observe the following at this time, with the eyes of the nation and indeed the hockey world focused on Vancouver. It bears noting, Mr. Speaker, that you are the nation's top referee and its linesman, too. Your guidance will ensure that nobody crosses the line or goes offside. Most importantly, we will do our best to ensure there are no fights for you to break up.

Members on both sides of the House will work with you to play fair so that we can shake hands like hockey players after the big game.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, please accept from all members on this side of the House, not only our sincere congratulations but also our full co-operation as you undertake these very important responsibilities in Parliament and in our country.

[Jack Layton, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, a bit of history was made today in that it is the first time that a Speaker of the House has been wrestled up the aisle to that chair by a New Democrat. These special moments need to be noted for the record in Hansard. New Democrats extend sincere congratulations to you on your election today.

I also want to commend all members who took the opportunity to present themselves as speaker of this place and for the words they shared with all of us. If we could put them all together and follow the spirit that was laid out, Canadians would be very proud of what we have been able to accomplish. Let us set that as an objective.

Mr. Speaker, it is also important to reference the contribution over 10 years of your predecessor, someone who I know, as you earlier reminded me, had taught you so much. We want to take this moment to acknowledge the Speaker of the House for the last 10 years, the former member for Kingston and the Islands.

If your predecessor were here, I do not think that he would hesitate to tell you that his robe—which you are not wearing now, but will be wearing tomorrow—was not always easy to wear, especially in recent years. I have seen high school teachers leave the public gallery, clearly embarrassed by the behaviour of the elected officials their students were here to observe. That must change.

I have seen accomplished women from all of the parties face intimidation simply because they were women. Some of them have even told me that they now hesitate to rise in the House. That must change and we can do it. I want to tell all members of Parliament that we can do things differently in this 41st Parliament.

We will disagree passionately at times but passionate debate is essential in this place. We may disagree but we must show each other respect at all times because Canadians elected each and every one of us here. When we do not show respect for each other as individuals, then we are not showing respect for the Canadians who sent us here.

I believe that together we can restore civility to this place and that we can choose to focus on the values we share and the work we have to do.

I am here to make a commitment before all members today that we will change. We are committed to doing our best to fix what is wrong in Ottawa and, to start, we have agreed that there will be no heckling from the 103 members of our caucus in this House of Commons and we will do our very best to ensure that is the case.

With that commitment, Mr. Speaker, and on behalf of the official opposition, congratulations once again on your election and best wishes in what lies ahead.

We are prepared to make the House of Commons an institution of which Canadians can be proud.

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his kind words.

The hon. member for Toronto Centre.

[Bob Rae, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleagues, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in offering you our warmest congratulations on this significant personal achievement.

I think all members of the House have noticed your great interest in the affairs of this place and have noticed, as well, your commitment to an even-handed treatment of all members of the House in your previous responsibilities. I can assure you that we shall look forward very much to working closely with you and with your colleagues in ensuring that the House of Commons is as great and good a place which, at its best, I think we all know that it can be.

I will make a couple of further comments, Mr. Speaker, because this is one of the few opportunities that I have not to get cut off by you.

I first want to say that it is a tribute to the democracy of this place. Some of us who have been in previous Parliaments will know that there was a time when the speaker was not chosen by the members of the House. The speaker was chosen by the first minister of the day. The fact that it took six ballots, Mr. Speaker, for you to be chosen is a reflection of the democratic traditions of this place and of the fact that we have all participated in the toing and froing in the discussions that have taken place. It has been quite a remarkable day in that respect. You, sir, have come out as the winner and we continue to express our strong support, not only for you but for the institution.

Being where we are now in the House, I have to say that we pay special tribute to those who were not successful at the end with respect to the sixth ballot.

I join with my colleagues in expressing my appreciation to all those who presented themselves to the people who spoke so frankly and so candidly, and who presented themselves as effectively as they did.

I would like to say to my dear colleague from Bas-Richelieu—Nicolet—Bécancour that we have a great deal of respect for his work as the dean. We are well aware that he is no longer a member of an official party in the House. However, I can assure you that we believe that all members of the House have an important role to play in this parliament, and we will continue to respect the traditions of all members, even those who are not members of an official party, and even if we do not share all the aspirations of that party.

I congratulate you, Mr. Speaker, for your efforts and your accomplishments. I join you in paying tribute to Mr. Milliken and all speakers before you, who have done an outstanding job. We expect to continue our efforts to ensure that the House works well.

For my friend, the Leader of the Opposition, whom we congratulate today on achieving this position with which those of us on this side are quite familiar, speaking personally, I will not be making any such declarations with respect to the complete and total silence of the members of my caucus when comments are made. I know we are all deeply in favour of decorous behaviour, of behaviour that respects the civility of this place, but I am also a profound realist. I have the scars in front and the scars in my back to prove it.

I am looking forward to the first sign of life from the official opposition, to the first heckle and to the first joke. I, myself, will be keeping book on how many days, indeed hours, it will be before he sees that happen.

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

I appreciate the kind words from the member for Toronto Centre.

I see that the hon. member for Bas-Richelieu—Nicolet—Bécancour is rising to speak.

[Louis Plamondon, Bloc, Bas-Richelieu—Nicolet—Bécancour, QC]

Mr. Speaker, before I congratulate you, allow me to thank all the members of the House for their co-operation today and to tell them how much I appreciated their cordiality all day long. I hope to see this same cordiality throughout the entire session.

I want to thank the Prime Minister for his kind words. I also want to thank the hon. member for Toronto Centre for his commitment to respect the rights of every member.

I want to take this opportunity to say, on behalf of the many members here from the Bloc Québécois, that we hope you will support us in defending our rights and privileges as members of Parliament.

We offer you our most sincere congratulations and our co-operation.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to congratulate you on your victory today and to commend, as well, the hon. members who all spoke so eloquently of the dreams we share for a House of Commons that lives up to the aspirations of the citizens of Canada, who desire nothing more than that they can allow their children to watch question period without fear of learning bad habits.

I have heard such good and strong sentiments today, and I want to speak personally to you, Mr. Speaker.

Congratulations. Today I am very proud of your efforts and your hard work. When the time came to elect a new speaker, the members decided to elect someone quite young.

I am speaking frankly. We know you are a young Speaker, but this is a young House. We have more young members of Parliament than we have had before and, as the only woman leader of a federal political party, I note with pride we have more women, at 25%, in the House of Commons.

Perhaps with this new spirit of co-operation we can indeed deliver greater decorum, greater co-operation and greater respect. I am very proud to join the leader of the official opposition in pledging that my entire caucus will not heckle.

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

I sincerely thank all hon. members for their very kind words. I also pay tribute to all the other candidates who ran today. It has been a great process. I have spoken to a lot of you personally over the past few weeks and I think we have all expressed a deep appreciation for the role of the Chair. You are all great, wonderful people. It has been a pleasure to work with you, and to continue to work with you.

I should also absolutely thank the good people of Regina—Qu'Appelle. They first placed their trust in me back in 2004. It seems like so long ago, but it is only seven years. To have that continued support from my friends and neighbours back home means the world to me. There is nothing you can do in Ottawa unless you have the support of your friends and neighbours back home, and I think that is something we all need to remember every day.

Thank you once again all hon. members for your support.

There is one more piece of business before we can leave.

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

I have the honour to inform the House that I have received the following message:

Rideau Hall

June 2, 2011

Mr. Speaker,

I have the honour to inform you that His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, and Her Excellency Sharon Johnston will arrive at the Peace Tower at 2:30 p.m. on the 3rd day of June, 2011.

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 Forty-First Parliament of Canada.

Yours sincerely,

Stephen Wallace

This House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 2:35 p.m., at which time the House will proceed to the Senate where His Excellency will open the first session of the 41st Parliament.

(The House adjourned at 6:02 p.m.)