OTTAWA— Canadian MPs gathered in the House on Tuesday, October 3 to elect a new Speaker and made history by electing the first black Speaker in the nation’s history. Greg Fergus (Liberal, Hull—Aylmer) received the most votes on a secret ranked ballot and was ceremonially dragged to the Speaker’s Chair by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition Pierre Polievre.
Also in the running for the Speaker’s Chair were Liberal Sean Casey, Conservative Chris d’Entremont, Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing’s own NDP Carol Hughes, Liberal Stéphane Lauzon (who withdrew before the vote), Green Party’s Elizabeth May, Liberal Alexandra Mendès and Liberal Peter Schiefke.
The number of ballots cast and the tally of votes for each candidate are kept secret.
MP Hughes noted that she has been in contact with the Parliamentary clerks and confirmed that she and the other Deputy Speakers would be remaining in their current positions.
The unusual mid-term Speaker election was held to replace Anthony Rota, who resigned following his calling for recognition in the House of a Second World War veteran who then received a standing ovation from nearly all in the chamber. It was later learned served in the Waffen SS Galacia Division—a volunteer unit made up of Ukrainian’s fighting against the Soviet Union. The Soviets were, at that time, allies of the West. As a unit serving under the Nazi German regime, the veteran’s recognition was a national embarrassment—especially given that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was addressing Parliament at the time.
Mr. Rota, who is universally recognized as an honorable man and was twice elected Speaker, apologized for the error but had no choice but to resign given the fallout.
