MPs return to house, must elect new Speaker
Posted Jun 2, 2011 06:11:14 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The break is over and this morning MPs will make their return to the House of Commons.
It’s been one month since the election that saw Canadians elect a Majority Conservative government with the NDP now the official opposition.
The throne speech is tomorrow with the budget on Monday; but, before MPs can get to work on that, they have to take care of their first priority, electing a new Speaker of the House.
By law, the new parliament isn’t allowed to do anything until it’s chosen a new speaker.
There are eight MPs running for the position, including Conservative Andrew Scheer. He says he wants to stop all the rude behavior in the House.
“Like a referee calling a hockey game, once the Speaker sets the new tone for what’s allowed and what’s not allowed, the rest of the members will adapt,” says Scheer, who was Deputy Speaker in the last parliament.
If elected, Scheer would be the youngest speaker ever.
MPs will vote by a secret ballot and it’s expected to take up to five hours until someone has a majority of the vote.
Some of the perks for the Speaker’s position include a $230,000 salary and a country home in Quebec.
