Canada's MPs gather to vote on next speaker as Parliament returns
Newly elected MPs will vote by secret ballot when Parliament returns today to decide who will become the next Speaker of the House of Commons.
The last Speaker, Liberal MP Greg Fergus, is seeking to win the role back — although he faced criticism in the last Parliament of being overly partisan.
He will face off against half a dozen contenders, including former deputy Speaker and Conservative MP Chris d'Entremont as well as former deputy government House leader and Liberal MP Sherry Romanado.
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Green Party Leader Elizabeth May was also eyeing the job, but she backed out of the running since she is the only Green MP in Parliament and the non-partisan Speaker position would limit what she can weigh in on.
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The Speaker plays an important role in keeping the Legislature functioning smoothly — especially in minority parliaments like this one, which can quickly become raucous and upend the government's agenda.
The job also comes with a diplomatic component and some significant perks — including a $309,000 annual salary, a driver, a sizable hospitality budget and an official residence on a rustic country estate in Gatineau Park.
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