Sean Kilpatrick The Canadian Press Quebec Liberal MP Greg Fergus is elected as Speaker of the House of Commons.
Federal elected officials have chosen Quebec liberal MP Greg Fergus, who on Tuesday becomes the first black speaker of the House of Commons in Ottawa.
“There can be no dialogue , without there being mutual respect”, dropped the member for Hull-Aylmer during a short speech from the top of his new president's chair.
He succeeds his colleague Anthony Rota, who resigned for leading elected officials to give a standing ovation to a former Nazi fighter. Before the vote, Greg Fergus had focused his campaign on mutual respect and collegiality between elected officials. He promised to be “a tireless advocate for the best ideas, no matter where they come from.”
As tradition dictates, the Prime Minister and the leader of the official opposition pretended to drag him by force to his seat as president. He embraced the interim president for a week, the Bloc MP Louis Plamondon, to the applause of his colleagues.
He was warmly congratulated by the Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre, and the Liberal leader, Justin Trudeau, who noted that he is the first black Canadian to occupy this prestigious position.
The parliamentary leader of the Bloc Québécois, Alain Therrien, said he believed he would be a fair president, and New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh called him “one of the friendliest MPs” in Ottawa.
Mr. Fergus obtained more support than three candidates who have already led the work of the House: the conservative Chris d'Entremont who is currently vice-president, as well as the liberal Alexandra Mendès and the NDP Carol Hughes, both vice-president. -Assistant Speakers.
Other MPs who have announced their candidacy are Liberals Peter Schiefke and Sean Casey, and the leader of the Green Party of Canada, Elizabeth May. Liberal MP Stéphane Lauzon withdrew his candidacy the same morning.
The Speaker of the House of Commons has the task of arbitrating the deliberations, interpreting the rules, maintaining order and defending the rights and privileges of Members. The position comes with a bonus of $92,800 and a plush official residence located in Outaouais, Quebec.
With The Canadian Press
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