Category: CPA Activities

The Canadian Scene

This entry is part 4 of 7 in the series Vol. 48 No. 3 (Autumn)

The Canadian Scene

61st Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Canadian Regional Conference

More than 80 delegates took part in the 2025 CPA Canadian Regional Conference hosted by the Assemblée nationale du Québec. The week-long event, which included the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians’ (CWP) Canadian Regional Conference, brought together attendees from all federal, provincial, and territorial parliaments, in addition to special guests from CPA Headquarters, and parliamentarians from Scotland and Wales. Continue reading “The Canadian Scene”

The Canadian Scene 

This entry is part 11 of 13 in the series Vol 48 No. 2 (Summer)

The Canadian Scene 

New Alberta Speaker

On May 13, 2025, Calgary-Hays MLA Ric McIver was elected by his peers to serve as Alberta’s 15th Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. The election for a new Speaker was called when the former Speaker Nathan Cooper accepted a new role in Washington DC as a provincial trade representative for Alberta.

Following the election, Speaker McIver told Members that he was grateful for the honour. He added, “I’m committed to everybody on both sides, to honour the traditions of this place, to be nonpartisan, and to help us get through the business of the day every day. You know what? If we have a little fun, great. Not too much fun. Better fun than nastiness. When that happens, we’ll deal with that, too. It’s all part of what we do here. I’m just so grateful.”

Continue reading “The Canadian Scene “

The Canadian Scene

This entry is part 8 of 10 in the series Vol 48 No. 1 (Spring)

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.”

Continue reading “The Canadian Scene”

The Canadian Scene

This entry is part 9 of 11 in the series Vol. 47 No. 1 (Spring)

The Canadian Scene

New Clerk of the House of Commons

On December 18, 2023, Eric Janse was appointed the new Clerk of the House of Commons. Mr. Janse had been serving as Acting Clerk since February 2023, following the retirement of former Clerk Charles Robert.

Of the appointment, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: “Mr. Janse is a dedicated public servant with a proven track record of providing reliable, non-partisan advice. I am confident that he will continue to be a valuable asset in helping uphold the integrity of the House of Commons and ensuring the efficiency of its proceedings.”

Continue reading “The Canadian Scene”

The Canadian Scene

This entry is part 8 of 11 in the series Vol 46 No. 4 (Winter)

The Canadian Scene

New House of Commons Speaker

Greg Fergus, Member of Parliament for Hull- Aylmer, was elected as the new Speaker of the House of Commons on October 3, 2023. Replacing outgoing Speaker Anthony Rota, Speaker Fergus becomes the 38th Speaker and the first Black Canadian to serve in the position. He defeated six other challengers, including Chris d’Entremont, Carol Hughes, Alexandra Mendes, Sean Casey, Elizabeth May, and Peter Schiefke.

Since his first election as a Liberal MP in 2015, Speaker Fergus has served on several parliamentary committees and as Parliamentary Secretary to a number of cabinet ministers including the President of the Treasury Board and the Minister of Health. One of the Directors of the Canada-Africa P a r l i a m e n ta r y Association, Speaker Fergus also founded the Parliamentary Black Caucus and served as its co-chair for six years.

Continue reading “The Canadian Scene”

The Canadian Scene

This entry is part 9 of 12 in the series Vol 46 No. 3 (Autumn)

The Canadian Scene

59th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Canadian Regional Conference

From July 22-29, 2023, 61 delegates and a dozen other accompanying persons attended the 59th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Canadian Regional Conference in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Conference

Continue reading “The Canadian Scene”

The Canadian Scene

This entry is part 8 of 11 in the series Vol 46 No. 2 (Summer)

The Canadian Scene

New PEI Speaker

On May 12, 2023, Darlene Compton, MLA for Belfast – Murray River, was elected as the new Speaker for P.E.I.’s legislative assembly. The 69th Speaker in the province’s history (pre- and post-Confederation), she is also the sixth woman to hold the position. Speaker Compton replaces Colin LaVie, former MLA for Souris-Elmira, who did not reoffer in the recent general election.

PEI Premier Dennis King said the new Speaker “has a strong rapport with all members of the house, is a strong supporter of good governance and respects the role of the legislative branch of government.” Premier Dennis King said in a statement.

Continue reading “The Canadian Scene”

The Canadian Scene

This entry is part 7 of 10 in the series Vol 45 No. 4 (Winter)

The Canadian Scene

New President of the National Assembly

Montarville MNA Nathalie Roy was acclaimed as the new President of the National Assembly on November 30, 2022. Replacing outgoing President François Paradis, Ms. Roy becomes only the second woman to serve in the position in nearly 230 years of parliamentarianism.

Continue reading “The Canadian Scene”
Top