Mr. Chair, my dear colleagues, I am thankful for the opportunity to speak today on this very special occasion of the House beginning.
I want to thank the dean of the House for presiding over this election today.
It is always an exciting time when a new Parliament opens, both for new and returning members, and it is something one always remembers.
It is a privilege for me to stand before you today in the House, and it is a privilege to once again be a member of this House. We must never forget that this is a privilege.
I would like to recognize the other excellent candidates. Everyone here in the House was sorry to hear that the fifth candidate had to withdraw, because he would have made a wonderful Speaker.
I want to congratulate all of the new and returning members of Parliament. I know how nice a break can be, but it is also nice to come back. I hope we are all able to do meaningful work here. If I, in my role as Speaker, were able to help all members do meaningful work, that alone would give meaning to my work.
I must now humbly talk about my experience in the House. I have been a member of Parliament for 18 years. I have learned that people across this country have different opinions and that even within parties, members reflect their constituents' different points of view. This helps us to respect other members' right to express opinions that differ from ours.
I have sat in all corners of this House. I think that will help me appreciate the different perspectives of all members, on all sides.
I have been a government backbencher, I have been parliamentary secretary to the government House leader, I have been a minister, and I have been an opposition critic.
Over the past number of weeks, it has been a great pleasure to talk with so many members. I have heard from so many members of their desire for a better atmosphere in this place, for greater respect to be shown among members of Parliament, on all sides, to make this a place where representatives of the people have a real say in the decisions of government, and where our work can have real meaning.
I believe the Speaker should lead discussions about how to reform our procedures to achieve these things and to have measures that ensure that members are better able to focus on their work and carry out their duties, both in Ottawa and in their ridings.
After all, this is the people's chamber and, through them, this is our chamber.
If we achieve this, then I believe that our work would be meaningful for us all and, more important, meaningful for all Canadians.