Speaker of the
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Président de l'Assemblée législative de l'Ontario
Incumbent
Ted Arnott
since July 11, 2018
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Member ofProvincial Parliament
SeatQueen's Park, Toronto
FormationDecember 27, 1867 (1867-12-27)
First holderJohn Stevenson

The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario (French: Président de l'Assemblée législative de l'Ontario) is the presiding officer of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

Notable elections

1920

Nelson Parliament was a Liberal representing Prince Edward riding, who was named Speaker when the United Farmers of Ontario and Labour Party formed a coalition government in the 15th Legislative Assembly of Ontario. A considerable number of members in the governing party were either freshly elected or chosen to serve as government ministers (which made them ineligible to be elected).[1] As a result, the Premier, E.C. Drury, looked to the opposition benches for a Speaker, and chose Parliament, who had served as an MPP since 1914. Upon becoming Speaker, Parliament resigned from the Liberal caucus and sat without party affiliation, as a compromise for his election. While this is the normal practice in the British House of Commons, it is the only time it has happened in Ontario.

1977

Jack Stokes was the NDP MPP for Lake Nipigon, and was named Speaker by Progressive Conservative Premier Bill Davis. His election is an example of an instance where a member of an opposing party was elected to the position. Davis was elected to lead a minority government and having an opposition MPP as Speaker was a means of denying the opposition one vote (as the Speaker only votes in the occasion of a tie and then must vote by precedent).

1985

Liberal Party MPP Hugh Edighoffer (Perth) was named Speaker following the 1985 provincial election that returned a slim minority Progressive Conservative government under Frank Miller. The opposition Liberals and NDP together controlled a majority of seats and so Miller nominated Edighoffer as Speaker, with Liberal leader David Peterson seconding the nomination, and Edighoffer was acclaimed.[2] Days later, the Miller government was brought down by a Motion of Non-Confidence and, as a result of an accord between the Liberals and the NDP, Liberal leader David Peterson was asked to form a government without the legislature being dissolved and a new election. Edighoffer, a Liberal MPP, remained Speaker for the duration of the Peterson government as well.

1990

NDP MPP David William Warner (Scarborough-Ellesmere) was elected Speaker on the second ballot, in the first election held for the position by secret ballot, as the result of a reform introduced by the newly-elected Ontario New Democratic Party government of Bob Rae. Warner won over Liberals Jean Poirier (Prescott and Russell) and Gilles Morin (Carleton East) and PC MPP Norm Sterling (Carleton).[3][4][5]

1996

On the seventh ballot, PC MPP Chris Stockwell (Etobicoke West) was elected Speaker, defeating fellow PC MPP Margaret Marland (Mississauga South), who was the preferred choice of Premier Mike Harris.[6] Candidates eliminated in the previous six ballots were PC MPPs David Tilson (Dufferin-Peel) Jack Carroll (Chatham-Kent), Gary Leadston (Kitchener-Wilmot), and Derwyn Shea (High Park—Swansea), NDP MPP Floyd Laughren (Nickel Belt) and Liberal Gilles Morin (Carleton East).[7]

2011

There were nine candidates for the position of Speaker in the 40th Ontario legislature, held after the 2011 provincial election returned a minority Liberal government. The Liberal candidates were Donna Cansfield, who was supported by Premier Dalton McGuinty,[6] Kevin Flynn, Dave Levac and David Zimmer. A fifth candidate, Progressive Conservative MPP Frank Klees withdrew after his bid failed to receive sufficient support from either side of the aisle.

David Zimmer dropped off after the first ballot. On the second ballot, Dave Levac was elected Speaker. The actual vote totals were not released.[8]

2014

Liberal MPP Dave Levac was re-elected to a second term as Speaker at the first session of the 41st Parliament held on July 2, 2014, becoming the first Speaker since Hugh Edighoffer to serve more than one term. Levac defeated NDP MPP Paul Miller and Progressive Conservative Rick Nicholls on the third ballot. NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo was eliminated on the first ballot and Liberal MPP Shafiq Qaadri was eliminated on the second ballot. Actual vote totals were not released.[9]

2018

PC MPP Ted Arnott was elected as Speaker at the first session of the 42nd Parliament held on July 11, 2018 on the first ballot, defeating Randy Hillier, Jane McKenna and Rick Nicholls. Arnott was one of the three longest serving members of the legislature at the time of election.

2022

Arnott was re-elected Speaker on August 8, 2022, defeating a challenge by fellow PC MPP Nina Tangri, who had been endorsed by Premier Doug Ford.[6]

Election

Chamber of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Speaker's dais is in direct center of image in the front of the chamber.

As with other Speakers that are modeled on the Westminster system, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly is elected using a secret ballot.[10] Since 1990, the position has been elected by MPPs in this manner. Previously, the Speaker had been appointed directly by the Premier of Ontario after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition and the leader of the third-largest party, and then ratified by the legislature. David Warner was the first Speaker to be elected by his or her peers. This change reflects a similar reform undertaken by the federal House of Commons in 1986.[1]

The Speaker is usually a member of the governing party. The only exceptions have been Jack Stokes, Nelson Parliament and Hugh Edighoffer.

The Speaker is required to perform his or her office impartially,[10] but does not resign from his or her party membership upon taking office.[11] This is identical to the system in place in the federal House of Commons, but stands in contrast to the Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.[12] The only Speaker of the Legislative Assembly to have resigned his party affiliation upon election was Nelson Parliament, who was elected in 1920.[13]

List of speakers of the Legislative Assembly

Key:

  Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (and predecessor names)
No. Portrait Name
Electoral district
(Birth–Death)		 Term of office Party Parliament
Term start Term end
1 John Stevenson
MPP for Lennox
(1812–1884)		 December 27,
1867		 December 7,
1871		 Conservative 1st
2 Richard William Scott
MPP for Ottawa
(1825–1913)		 December 7,
1871		 December 21,
1871		 Liberal 2nd
3 James Currie
MPP for Welland
(1827–1901)		 December 21,
1871		 March 29,
1873		 Liberal
4 Rupert Mearse Wells
MPP for Bruce South
(1835–1902)		 January 7,
1874		 January 7,
1880		 Liberal
3rd
5 Charles Clarke[lower-alpha 1]
MPP for Wellington Centre
(1826–1909)		 January 7,
1880		 February 10,
1887		 Liberal 4th
5th
6 Jacob Baxter
MPP for Haldimand
(1832–1912)		 February 10,
1887		 February 11,
1891		 Liberal 6th
7 Thomas Ballantyne
MPP for Perth South
(1829–1908)		 February 11,
1891		 February 21,
1895		 Liberal 7th
8 William Balfour
MPP for Essex South
(1851–1896)		 February 21,
1895		 July 14,
1896		 Liberal 8th
9 Alfred Évanturel
MPP for Prescott
(1846–1908)		 February 10,
1897		 March 10,
1903		 Liberal
9th
10 William Andrew Charlton
MPP for Norfolk South
(1841–1930)		 March 10,
1903		 March 22,
1905		 Liberal 10th
11 Joseph St. John
MPP for York West
(1854–1907)		 March 22,
1905		 April 7,
1907		 Conservative 11th
12 Thomas Crawford
MPP for Toronto West
(1847–1932)		 April 8,
1907		 February 7,
1912		 Conservative
12th
13 William Hoyle
MPP for Ontario North
(1842–1918)		 February 7,
1912		 February 16,
1915		 Conservative 13th
14 David Jamieson
MPP for Grey South
(1856–1942)		 February 16,
1915		 March 9,
1920		 Conservative 14th
15 Nelson Parliament
MPP for Prince Edward
(1877–1967)		 March 9,
1920		 February 6,
1924		 Independent[lower-alpha 2] 15th
16 Joseph Thompson
MPP for Toronto Northeast
(1867–1941)		 February 6,
1924		 February 2,
1927		 Conservative 16th
17 William Black
MPP for Addington
(1867–1944)		 February 2,
1927		 February 5,
1930		 Conservative 17th
18 Thomas Kidd
MPP for Kingston
(1889–1973)		 February 5,
1930		 February 20,
1935		 Conservative 18th
19 Norman Hipel
MPP for Waterloo South
(1890–1953)		 February 20,
1935		 September 2,
1938		 Liberal 19th
20th
20 James Clark
MPP for Windsor—Sandwich
(1888–1952)		 March 8,
1939		 February 22,
1944		 Liberal
21 William James Stewart
MPP for Parkdale
(1889–1969)		 February 22,
1944		 March 21,
1947		 Progressive Conservative 21st
22nd
22 James de Congalton Hepburn
MPP for Prince Edward—Lennox
(1878–1955)		 March 24,
1947		 February 10,
1949		 Progressive Conservative
23 M. C. Davies
MPP for Windsor—Walkerville
(1897–1970)		 February 10,
1949		 September 8,
1955		 Progressive Conservative 23rd
24th
24 Wally Downer
MPP for Dufferin—Simcoe
(1904–1994)		 September 8,
1955		 January 26,
1960		 Progressive Conservative 25th
25 William Murdoch
MPP for Essex South
(1904–1984)		 January 26,
1960		 October 29,
1963		 Progressive Conservative 26th
26 Donald Morrow
MPP for Ottawa West
(1908–1995)		 October 29,
1963		 February 14,
1968		 Progressive Conservative 27th
27 Frederick Cass
MPP for Grenville—Dundas
(1913–2000)		 February 14,
1968		 December 13,
1971		 Progressive Conservative 28th
28 Allan Reuter
MPP for Waterloo South
(1914–1982)		 December 13,
1971		 October 22,
1974		 Progressive Conservative 29th
29 Russell Rowe
MPP for Northumberland
(1914–1994)		 October 22,
1974		 October 17,
1977		 Progressive Conservative
30th
31st
30 Jack Stokes
MPP for Lake Nipigon
(1923–2000)		 October 17,
1977		 April 21,
1981		 New Democratic
31 John Melville Turner
MPP for Peterborough
(1922–2013)		 April 21,
1981		 June 4,
1985		 Progressive Conservative 32nd
32 Hugh Edighoffer
MPP for Perth
(1928–2019)		 June 4,
1985		 November 19,
1990		 Liberal 33rd
34th
33 David William Warner
MPP for Scarborough—Ellesmere
(born 1941)		 November 19,
1990		 September 26,
1995		 New Democratic 35th
34 Al McLean
MPP for Simcoe East
(born 1937)		 September 26,
1995		 September 26,
1996		 Progressive Conservative 36th
35 Ed Doyle
MPP for Simcoe East
(born 1935)		 September 26,
1996		 October 3,
1996		 Progressive Conservative
36 Chris Stockwell
MPP for Etobicoke West
(1957–2018)		 October 3,
1996		 October 20,
1999		 Progressive Conservative
37 Gary Carr
MPP for Oakville
(born 1955)		 October 20,
1999		 November 19,
2003		 Progressive Conservative 37th
38 Alvin Curling
MPP for Scarborough—Rouge River
(born 1939)		 November 19,
2003		 August 19,
2005		 Liberal 38th
39 Michael A. Brown
MPP for Algoma—Manitoulin
(born 1950)		 October 11,
2005		 November 28,
2007		 Liberal
40 Steve Peters
MPP for Elgin—Middlesex—London
(born 1963)		 November 28,
2007		 November 21,
2011		 Liberal 39th
41 Dave Levac
MPP for Brant
(born 1954)		 November 21,
2011		 May 8,
2018		 Liberal 40th
41st
42 Ted Arnott
MPP for Wellington—Halton Hills
(born 1963)		 July 11,
2018		 Incumbent Progressive Conservative 42nd
43rd
  1. ↑ Charles Clarke was also Clerk of the Assembly from 1892-1907, being the only Member to serve as both Speaker and Clerk.
  2. ↑ Nelson Parliament was a member of the Liberal Party, however the Liberals sat in the opposition in the 15th Parliament. As no one in the governing coalition had experience in the Legislature, Parliament was selected from the Opposition to become Speaker by the Premier; he subsequently resigned his party membership and sat as an independent.

List of current presiding officers

The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly is assisted by four other MPPs who are, along with the Speaker, collectively known as the presiding officers.[14][15] Standing Order 2 of the Legislative Assembly requires that up to three of the five presiding officers hail from the Official Opposition.[15] In the 43rd Parliament, however, the tradition of appointing three Official Opposition presiding officers was broken when three members from the governing Progressive Conservatives were appointed: Ted Arnott by secret ballot, and Donna Skelly and Patrice Barnes by the Government House Leader Paul Calandra, despite the fact that the Official Opposition NDP had put forward Jill Andrew and Jennifer French—in addition to eventual presiding officer Bhutila Karpoche—as appointees. Calandra dismissed Andrew's and French's appointments and selected Karpoche, Barnes and Lucille Collard from the Liberals, despite the Liberals not holding official party status in the Legislature. Skelly's appointment to the Deputy Speaker position was also unusual in that the role was traditionally given to the runner-up of the Speaker's election, which Skelly did not contend in (the true runner-up was Nina Tangri, who was Arnott's only challenger).

The Deputy Speaker is first in line to take the Chair in the absence of the Speaker. The Deputy Speaker is also ex officio the Chair of the Committee of the Whole House. The next three presiding officers are entitled deputy chairs of the Committee of the Whole House.

As with the Speaker, the other presiding officers are required to remain impartial in the Chair, but are not required to resign from their political party. They may participate in debate and vote as with any other member, when not in the Chair.[16]

Title Incumbent[17] Party[14]
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Ted Arnott Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
Deputy Speaker and Chair of the Committee of the Whole House Donna Skelly Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
First Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole House Bhutila Karpoche New Democratic Party of Ontario
Second Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole House Patrice Barnes Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
Third Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole House Lucille Collard Ontario Liberal Party

Residence

The Speaker once had both reception space and an apartment within the Ontario Legislative Building. After the closure of Chorley Park in 1937, the reception space was transferred over to the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, as a non-residential vice regal suite. The Speaker maintains a residence at the Legislature, known as the Speaker's Apartment.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 brenthollandshow (2014-10-17), Peter Miliken Speaker Of The House Canada Parliament Ottawa Brent Holland Show, archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2019-07-16
  2. ↑ "Hansard Transcripts 1985-Jun-04 | Legislative Assembly of Ontario".
  3. ↑ Hall, Chris (November 18, 1990). "3 area MPPs after Speaker's job in legislature's first free vote; Toronto New Democrat is fourth entry in race". The Ottawa Citizen. p. D2.
  4. ↑ "Elected speaker promises to keep MPPs 'thoughtful'". The Windsor Star. November 20, 1990. p. A2.
  5. ↑ "Hansard Transcripts 1990-Nov-19 | Legislative Assembly of Ontario".
  6. 1 2 3 "MPPs defy Doug Ford, re-elect Ted Arnott as speaker of the Ontario Legislature". Toronto Star. August 8, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Hansard Transcripts 1996-Oct-03 | Legislative Assembly of Ontario".
  8. ↑ Howlett, Karen (November 21, 2011). "Dave Levac elected Ontario Speaker". Globe and Mail. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Levac re-elected Speaker". Belleville Expositor. July 2, 2014. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
  10. 1 2 "Role of the Speaker | Legislative Assembly of Ontario". www.ola.org. Retrieved 2019-07-16.
  11. ↑ "Current MPPs". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Retrieved 2019-07-16.
  12. ↑ "Office and Role of Speaker". UK Parliament. Retrieved 2019-07-16.
  13. ↑ Ontario. Legislative Library; Dale, Clare A. (1992). "Whose servant I am" : speakers of the assemblies of the province of Upper Canada, Canada and Ontario, 1792-1992. Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Toronto : Ontario Legislative Library.
  14. 1 2 "The Speaker". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Retrieved 2019-07-16.
  15. 1 2 "Standing orders | Legislative Assembly of Ontario". www.ola.org. Retrieved 2019-07-16.
  16. ↑ "Presiding officers and Clerks | Legislative Assembly of Ontario". www.ola.org. Retrieved 2019-07-16.
  17. ↑ "Orders and Notices 2022-Aug-17 | Legislative Assembly of Ontario".
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