Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

Last updated

Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Raj Chouhan (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Raj Chouhan
since December 7, 2020
Style The Honourable
Mr/Madam/Honourable Speaker (In the House)
AppointerElected by the members of the Legislative Assembly
Term length Elected at the start of each Parliament
Inaugural holder James Trimble
Salary$150,000 (2017)

The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is the presiding officer of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.

Contents

The office of Speaker in British Columbia

The Speaker is elected by the Members of the Legislative Assembly ("MLAs") by means of a secret ballot at the commencement of a new parliament, or on the death or retirement of the previous Speaker. Cabinet Ministers are the only MLAs not entitled to stand for election as Speaker. The business of the Legislative Assembly cannot continue without a Speaker. Under British Columbia's parliamentary tradition, the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia will not open Parliament until a Speaker is elected.

Prior practice had been for the Premier to select the Speaker and have that selection ratified by a vote of the legislative assembly. The Legislative Assembly also appoints a Deputy Speaker, who presides in the absence of the Speaker. During the 38th Parliament, which was elected in the BC general election held on May 17, 2005, the position of Assistant Deputy Speaker was created. This office is usually held by an MLA who represents the official opposition party.

Traditionally, the Speaker has been a member of the governing party, though Speaker Darryl Plecas was an exception from 2017-2020; however, while holding the office of Speaker that MLA must act neutrally and treat all other MLAs impartially, and to preserve this impartiality the Speaker follows Speaker Denison's rule in breaking ties. The Speaker presides over the debates and procedures of the Legislative Assembly. The Speaker enforces the Rules of Procedure, commonly referred to as the Standing Orders. Any disputes or procedural rulings are made according to the Standing Orders or, in absence of a rule governing a specific situation, to parliamentary precedence and convention. The Speaker does not vote, except in the case of a tie.

Until the early 1990s, the traditional form of address and reference to the Speaker was "Mr. Speaker". Today, the office holder is now referred to as simply the "Speaker", but during debates the MLAs may continue to address the office holder as "Mr. Speaker" or "Madam Speaker". In accordance with parliamentary tradition, all speeches are addressed to the Speaker, and not the other MLAs.

The Speaker is responsible for the legislative precincts, including the Parliament Buildings. The Speaker also sponsors the British Columbia Legislative Internship Program. The Speaker represents the voters of their constituency as a member of the Legislative Assembly.

The channel televised proceedings is Hansard TV.

Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

No.PortraitName
Electoral district
(Birth–Death)
Term of officePartyParliament
1 James Trimble
MLA for Victoria City
(1817–1885)
1872–1878Independent 1st
2nd
2 Frederick W. Williams
MLA for Esquimalt
1878–1882Independent 3rd
3 John Andrew Mara
MLA for Yale
(1840–1920)
1883–1886Independent 4th
4 Charles Edward Pooley
MLA for Esquimalt
(1845–1912)
1887–1889Independent 5th
5 David Williams Higgins
MLA for Esquimalt
(1834–1917)
1890–1898Independent
6th
7th
6 John Paton Booth
MLA for North Victoria
(1837–1902)
1898Independent 8th
7 William Thomas Forster
MLA for Westminster-Delta
(1857–1938)
1899–1900Independent
(6) John Paton Booth
MLA for North Victoria
(1837–1902)
1900–1902Independent 9th
(4) Charles Edward Pooley
MLA for Esquimalt
(1845–1912)
1902–1906Independent
Conservative 10th
8 David McEwen Eberts.png David McEwen Eberts
MLA for Saanich
(1850–1924)
1907–1916 Conservative 11th
12th
13th
9 John Walter Weart
MLA for South Vancouver
(1861–1941)
1917–1918 Liberal 14th
10 John Keen
MLA for South Vancouver
(1844–1922)
1918–1920 Liberal
11 Alexander Malcolm Manson.png Alexander Malcolm Manson
MLA for Omineca
(1883–1964)
1921–1922 Liberal 15th
12 Frederick Arthur Pauline
MLA for Saanich
(1861–1955)
1922–1924 Liberal
13 John Andrew Buckham
MLA for Columbia
(1873–1931)
1924–1928 Liberal 16th
14 James William Jones
MLA for South Okanagan
(1869–1954)
1929–1930 Conservative 17th
15 Cyril Francis Davie
MLA for Cowichan-Newcastle
(1882–1950)
1931–1933 Conservative
16 Henry George Thomas Perry
MLA for Fort George
(1889–1959)
1934–1937 Liberal 18th
17 Norman William Whittaker
MLA for Saanich
(1893–1985)
1937–1947 Liberal 19th
LiberalConservative
coalition
20th
21st
18 Robert Henry Carson
MLA for Kamloops
(1885–1971)
1948–1949 LiberalConservative
coalition
19 Canadian politician John Hart.png John Hart
MLA for Victoria City
(1879–1957)
1949 LiberalConservative
coalition
20 Nance.jpg Nancy Hodges
MLA for Victoria City
(1888–1969)
1950–1952 LiberalConservative
coalition
22nd
21 Thomas Irwin
MLA for Delta
(1889–1962)
1953–1957 Social Credit 23rd
24th
25th
22 Lorne Shantz
MLA for North Okanagan
(1920–1999)
1958–1963 Social Credit
26th
23 William Harvey Murray
MLA for Prince Rupert
(1916–1991)
1964–1972 Social Credit 27th
28th
29th
24 Gordon Dowding
MLA for Burnaby
(1918–2003)
1972–1975 NDP 30th
25 Ed Smith
MLA for Peace River North
(1928–2010)
1976–1978 Social Credit 31st
26 Harvey Schroeder
MLA for Chilliwack
(born 1933)
1979–1982 Social Credit 32nd
27 Walter Davidson
MLA for Delta
(born 1937)
1982–1986 Social Credit
33rd
28 John Reynolds
MLA for
West Vancouver-Howe Sound

(born 1942)
1987–1989 Social Credit 34th
29 Stephen Rogers
MLA for Vancouver South
(born 1942)
1990–1991 Social Credit
30 Joan Sawicki
MLA for Burnaby-Willingdon
(born 1945)
1992–1994 New Democratic 35th
31 Emery Barnes..jpg Emery Barnes
MLA for Vancouver-Burrard
(1929–1998)
1994–1996 New Democratic
32 Dale Lovick
MLA for Nanaimo
(born 1945)
1996–1998 New Democratic 36th
33 Gretchen Brewin
MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill
(born 1938)
1998–2000 New Democratic
34 William James Hartley
MLA for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows
(born 1945)
2000–2001 New Democratic
35 Claude Richmond
MLA for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows
(born 1935)
2001–2005 Liberal 37th
36 Bill Barisoff
MLA for Penticton-Okanagan Valley
(until 2009)
MLA for Penticton
(from 2009)

(born 1948 or 1949)
2005–2013 Liberal 38th
39th
37 LindaReid2016.jpg Linda Reid
MLA for Richmond East
(born 1959)
2013–2017 Liberal 40th
38 Steve Thomson 2011.jpg Steve Thomson [1]
MLA for Kelowna-Mission
(born 1951 or 1952)
2017 Liberal 41st
39 DarrylPlecas.jpg Darryl Plecas [2] [3]
MLA for Abbotsford South
(born 1951)
2017–2020 Liberal
Independent
40 Raj Chouhan (cropped).jpg Raj Chouhan
MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds
2020–present New Democratic 42nd

See also

Notes

  1. "Steve Thomson resigns as speaker of the B.C. legislature". The Georgia Straight. June 29, 2017. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  2. "BC Liberal goes against party wishes, acclaimed as Speaker of the House". www.citynews1130.com. September 8, 2017. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  3. "BC Liberals expel Darryl Plecas from party after Speaker move | CBC News".

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives</span> Presiding officer of the lower house of the Parliament of Australia

The speaker of the Australian House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the Australian House of Representatives, the lower house of the Parliament of Australia. The counterpart in the upper house is the president of the Senate. The office of the speakership was established in 1901 by section 35 of the Constitution of Australia. The primary responsibilities of the office is to oversee house debates, determine which members may speak, maintain order and the parliamentary and ministerial codes of conduct during sessions and uphold all rules and standing orders. The current speaker of the House of Representatives is Milton Dick, who was elected on 26 July 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President of the Australian Senate</span> Presiding officer of the upper house of the Australian Parliament

The president of the Senate is the presiding officer of the Australian Senate, the upper house of the Parliament of Australia. The counterpart in the lower house is the speaker of the House of Representatives. The office of the presidency of the senate was established in 1901 by section 17 of the Constitution of Australia. The primary responsibilities of the office is to oversee senate debates, determine which senators may speak, maintain order and the parliamentary code of conduct during sessions and uphold all rules and orders of the senate. The current president is Sue Lines, who was elected on 26 July 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speaker (politics)</span> Presiding officer of a legislative body

The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speaker of the House of Commons (Canada)</span> Presiding officer of the House of Commons of Canada

The speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. A member of Parliament (MP), they are elected at the beginning of each new parliament by fellow MPs. The speaker's role in presiding over Canada's House of Commons is similar to that of speakers elsewhere in other countries that use the Westminster system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives</span> Presiding officer of the New Zealand House of Representatives

In New Zealand, the speaker of the House of Representatives, commonly known as the speaker of the House, is the presiding officer and highest authority of the New Zealand House of Representatives. The individual who holds the position is elected by members of the House from among their number in the first session after each general election. They hold one of the highest-ranking offices in New Zealand. The current Speaker is Gerry Brownlee, who was elected on 5 December 2023.

Official party status refers to the Westminster practice which is officially used in the Parliament of Canada and the provincial legislatures of recognizing parliamentary caucuses of political parties. In official documents, this is sometimes referred to as being a recognized party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliament of Sri Lanka</span> Supreme legislative body of Sri Lanka

The Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the supreme legislative body of Sri Lanka. It alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all other political bodies in the island. It is modeled after the British Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario</span> Parliamentary position of the legislature of Ontario, Canada

The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario is the presiding officer of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland</span>

The speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland is elected by the members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly to preside over sittings of the Assembly and to maintain orderly proceedings. The Speaker must be a member of the Legislative Assembly. The position is currently held by Curtis Pitt, a former Treasurer of Queensland who was elected to the post on 13 February 2018.

The Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly is the presiding officer of the Legislative Assembly, New South Wales's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is Greg Piper, who was elected on 9 May 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linda Reid</span> Canadian politician

Linda Reid is a Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of British Columbia, representing Richmond East from 1991 to 2017, and Richmond South Centre from 2017 to 2020. A caucus member of the British Columbia Liberal Party, she served in the cabinets of premiers Gordon Campbell and Christy Clark as Minister of State for Early Childhood Development from 2001 to 2005, Minister of State for Childcare from 2005 to 2009, and Minister of Advanced Education in 2017. She was also the 37th Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 2013 to 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John van Dongen</span> Canadian politician (born 1949)

John van Dongen is a Canadian politician who formerly served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of British Columbia, representing the riding of Abbotsford from 1995 to 2001, Abbotsford-Clayburn from 2001 to 2009, and Abbotsford South from 2009 to 2013. Part of the British Columbia Liberal Party caucus from 1995 to 2012, he served in several cabinet posts under Premier Gordon Campbell. He briefly sat in the legislature as a member of the BC Conservatives in 2012, before leaving that party later that year to serve out the remainder of his term as an independent politician.

The Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly is the presiding officer in the Legislative Assembly. The office has existed since the creation of the Legislative Assembly in 1890 under the Constitution Act 1889. The 31st and current Speaker is Labor MLA Michelle Roberts, who has held the role since the 2021 state election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abbotsford South</span> Provincial electoral district in British Columbia, Canada

Abbotsford South is a provincial electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, established by the Electoral Districts Act, 2008. It came into effect in the 2009 provincial general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sabah State Legislative Assembly</span> Legislative branch of the Sabah state government

The Sabah State Legislative Assembly is a part of the legislature of Sabah, Malaysia, the other being the governor of Sabah. The assembly meets at the Sabah State Legislative Assembly Building at Likas in the state capital of Kota Kinabalu.

The President of the New South Wales Legislative Council is the presiding officer of the upper house of the Parliament of New South Wales, the Legislative Council. The presiding officer of the lower house is the speaker of the Legislative Assembly. The role of President has generally been a partisan office, filled by the governing party of the time. As of May 2023, the president is Ben Franklin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarawak State Legislative Assembly</span> Unicameral legislature of the Malaysian state of Sarawak

The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly is the legislative chamber of the unicameral legislature of the Malaysian state of Sarawak; the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak forms the other part of the legislature. The Assembly is modelled after the traditions of the Westminster parliamentary system, which originates from the practices of the British Parliament. The executive branch of government is drawn from the elected members of the Assembly. The State Legislative Assembly sits at the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building located in Petra Jaya in Kuching, the state capital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darryl Plecas</span> Canadian politician

Darryl Plecas is a Canadian politician, who was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia for Abbotsford South from 2013 to 2020, and served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 2017 to 2020. He was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in the 2013 provincial election as a member of the British Columbia Liberal Party; after 2017 he sat as an independent after the BC Liberal Party revoked his membership for accepting his election as Speaker. In 2023, Plecas became a member of the BC NDP, but did not disclose any future political plans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">41st Parliament of British Columbia</span> 2017 to 2020 session of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly

The 41st Parliament of British Columbia was in session from June 22, 2017, to September 21, 2020. It consisted of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, as elected by the general election of May 9, 2017, and subsequent by-elections, and the Queen in right of British Columbia, represented by the lieutenant governor of British Columbia. It was the first parliament following the increase in size of the legislature from 85 to 87 seats. Immediately following the election, Christy Clark, the incumbent premier, asked the lieutenant governor to remain governing until the final votes were counted and it would be known if there would be a majority or minority government. Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichon agreed and Clark appointed a cabinet of 21 ministers and 13 parliamentary secretaries, which were sworn in on June 12, 2017.

References