The Canadian Scene
New Prince Edward Island Speaker
On March 25, 2025, Morell- Donagh MLA Sidney MacEwen was elected as the new Speaker of the PEI Assembly by secret ballot over O’Leary-Inverness MLA Robert Henderson. The Speakership was vacated when former Speaker Darlene Compton was named to cabinet.
Following the election, Speaker MacEwan told members that he was grateful to them for conferring this honour upon him. He added: “Conscious as I am of my comparative inexperience in parliamentary procedure, I would have hesitated in accepting a position involving so much responsibility were it not for the fact that I know I shall be able, at all times, to rely with confidence upon the courtesy, forbearance, and kindness of every member of this Assembly.”
Born in St. Peter’s Harbour, PEI, Speaker MacEwan graduated from Dalhousie University with an Industrial Engineering degree. Prior to his election as an MLA in 2015, he worked as a Business Consultant for MSRB Consulating, Chief of Staff to former Progressive Conservative Leader Olive Crane, and was employed by the Provincial Department of Health. Speaker MacEwen has also fished lobster and tuna from Red Head Harbour since 2005.
During his time in the Assembly, Speaker MacEwan has served as Opposition Whip, Government House Leader, and Deputy Speaker and been a member of many committees, including Chair of the Committee on Committees in 2019, and Vice-Chair of Public Accounts from 2023-2025
Outside of politics, Speaker MacEwen has been actively involved in his community, including coaching minor hockey and baseball, teaching catechism, and volunteering in local schools.
New Ontario Speaker
On April 14, 2025, Donna Skelly became the 44th Speaker of the Ontario Legislative Assembly and the first woman to hold the position. MPPs opted for Ms. Skelly over Jennifer French in a secret ballot. Speaker Skelly replaces Ted Arnott, who had announced his retirement prior to the recent general election.
Speaker Skelly thanked MPPs for the vote of confidence and told them she was “honoured,” “privileged,” and “humbled” to become the new Speaker.
Born in Capreol (a community outside of Sudbury), Speaker Skelly was drawn to career in journalism from an early age. After graduating from Seneca College’s journalism program, she worked as a broadcast journalist in Fort Coulonge, Quebec, before returning to her home province for tenures at stations in Pembroke and Kingston. In 1988, she was hired by CHCH in Hamilton. With the exception of a two-year stint running her own news Web site around the turn of the century, she stayed with the station until 2015.
After two unsuccessful runs as the Progressive Conservatives candidate in Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale during the 2011 and 2012 provincial general elections, Speaker Skelly was elected to Hamilton municipal council in a 2015 by-election. In 2017, she was elected as the PC MPP for Flamborough-Glanbrook.
As an MPP, Speaker Skelly served as parliamentary assistant to several ministers during her first term and became Deputy Speaker in her second term.
Speaker Skelly said she aimed to bring a more professional tone to proceedings and particularly strived to achieve “less chaos” in Question Period.
“Politics is a very, very tough sport,” she told reporters. “It’s a blood sport, and especially with social media, there are a lot of attacks on our politicians. We don’t need to be attacking each other in the House. You can be passionate, but let’s not make it personal.”
New Nunavut Clerk
On November 7, 2024, Stephen Innuksuk became the Nunavut Assembly’s second Clerk. He succeeds John Quirke, who had held the position since Nunavut became a territory on April 1, 1999.
Premier Pauloosie Jamesie (P.J.) Akeeagok welcomed the incoming Clerk on an Instagram post: “Congratulations to Nunavut’s newly appointed Clerk to the Legislative Assembly, Stephen Innuksuk. Mr. Innuksuk was previously the Deputy Clerk and has been serving at the Legislative Assembly for over 15 years. I am filled with so much pride to see an Inuk take over this position, especially as the official announcement came on International Inuit Day.”