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.
For more than three decades, Speaker Fergus has worked in both the private and public sectors and volunteered in his community. Before seeking public office, he worked as a policy adviser in several ministerial offices and as the national director of the Liberal Party of Canada.
Speaker Fergus holds two bachelor’s degrees, one from the University of Ottawa in social sciences and the other from Carleton University in international relations. He has also undertaken graduate studies in international relations. During his time as a student he served as a House of Commons page.
Addressing MPs for the first time as Speaker, he said, “My role as Speaker is to assure you that the rules and regulations will be followed so that you can engage in what I hope will be respectful, friendly, sincere and passionate debates in the House. We need to make sure that we treat each other with respect and that we show Canadians an example, because there can be no dialogue unless there is a mutual understanding of respect.”
New Nova Scotia Speaker
On October 12, 2023, Karla MacFarlane was elected as the Speaker of Nova Scotia’s House of Assembly. She became the province’s first female Speaker.
Elected as an MLA for Pictou West in 2013, she was re-elected in 2017 and 2021. During her tenure as MLA, she served as the critic for a variety of portfolios including Health, Justice, and Environment. She became Interim Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party in 2018, and served as Caucus Chair from 2018 to 2021.
When the Progressive Conservatives formed government in 2021, Speaker MacFarlane was appointed as the Minister for the Department of Community Services, Minister of L’nu Affairs, and the Minister responsible for the Advisory Council on the Status of Women.
Before entering politics, Speaker MacFarlane was a small business owner and community volunteer. She graduated from Husson University (Bangor, Maine) with an associate degree in Business Communications.
Upon taking the chair following her election, Speaker MacFarlane said: “It’s a historic step for Nova Scotia and I’m truly humbled and grateful (and) I take this role very seriously. This is a long time coming. This mattered to all parties and to all people in Nova Scotia.”
New Manitoba Speaker
On November 9, 2023, Flin Flon MLA Tom Lindsey, was acclaimed as the new Speaker of Manitoba’s Legislative Assembly, replacing Myrna Driedger who did not run in the recent election.
Although he told CBC News that he originally didn’t ever think he would become an MLA, he agreed to put his name forward to become a presiding officer when Premier Wab Kinew asked him to consider the position.
First elected in 2016 as an NDP MLA, Speaker Lindsey was reelected in 2019 and 2023. While a member of the Official Opposition, he served as party’s critic for natural resources and northern affairs and gained a reputation for being a vocal advocate for northern Manitoba and organized labour. His horseshoe moustache has also made him instantly recognizable.
Prior to entering politics, Speaker Lindsey worked as a miner and safety officer. He is long-time member of the United Steelworkers (USW) Local 7106.
Upon taking the Chair, Speaker Lindsey said: “I wish to thank the members for the high honour the house has conferred on me… I intend to carry out the important duties as speaker of the legislative assembly with impartiality, to the best of my ability.”
New Northwest Territories Speaker
Shane Thompson was elected as Speaker of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly on December 8, 2023. Premier-designate R.J. Simpson and Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins, the longest serving Members of the Assembly, jokingly dragged him to the Chair as is tradition.
In a speech to MLAs prior to the election for the Speakership, he said while conflict between members in consensus government could be productive, confrontation is not.
“It drains energy and backs people into a corner. Our constituents deserve better,” he said. “This assembly needs somebody who is more than a referee – we need somebody who will be a coach, someone to help members understand their roles and procedures, and how they can best work on behalf of their constituents.”
First elected as the Member for Nahendeh in 2015, Speaker Thompson served as Chair of the Standing Committee on Social Development during his first term and Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs during his second term.
Prior to his time as an MLA, Speaker Thompson served two terms as an elected official with the Fort Simpson District Education Authority, spending his final four years as the chairperson. He was also employed as the Senior Sport and Recreation Coordinator with Municipal and Community Affairs (GNWT) in the Deh Cho region.
Having completed the Community Recreation Leaders Program at Arctic College in 1989, he is currently working on a Masters Certificate on Evaluation at the University of Victoria and Carleton University.
An active volunteer in his community, he has also been a Justice of the Peace since 1991.
Speaker Thompson has seven children and nine grandchildren.
Parliamentarian Lifetime Achievement Award
The CWP Canadian Region Steering Committee is pleased to congratulate Manitoba Speaker Myrna Driedger, who is the 2023 recipient of CPA’s Parliamentarian Life-time Achievement Award. The award was announced at the conclusion of the 66th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) in Accra, Ghana.
This prestigious honour was awarded in recognition of her parliamentary service, her commitment and contributions to the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) network, her work encouraging young women and girls to become active in politics, and 25 years of promoting youth education around the work of Parliament.
Before entering public life, Ms. Driedger had a successful and rewarding career as a registered nurse with experience in general duty, nursing education, quality assurance, medical and nursing research, patient education and nursing administration.
First elected as a Progressive Conservative in the 1998 Charleswood by-election, as an MLA, she has had rare and notable success in getting five Private Members’ Bills passed.
In addition to her tenure as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 2016 to 2023, Ms. Driedger has held diverse critic roles while part of the province’s Official Opposition, including Health, Status of Women, Finance, Civil Service & Crown Corporations Council, Child & Family Services, and Education.
In 2011, she was elected to a three-year term as Chair of the CWP (Canadian Region) by her peers from across the country. In September 2012, she also held the role of Vice-Chair of CWP International. In 2022, she took on the role of CWP President when Canada hosted the 65th CPC.
New Ontario Legislative Assembly Clerk
On June 1, 2023, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario unanimously appointed Trevor Day as Clerk by the Order of the Legislative Assembly. Replacing Todd Decker, who retired after a near 40-year career at the Assembly, Mr. Day is Ontario’s ninth permanent Clerk.
Mr. Day has worked in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for more than 25 years, first in the Supply and Services Branch, then as an assistant to a former Sergeant-at-Arms, and finally as a Committee Clerk and Senior Clerk of Committees. In 2012, he was appointed a Table Officer, and in 2017, he became Deputy Clerk and Executive Director of Legislative Services. Mr. Day holds a Bachelor of Arts from York University in Political Science.
Upon his appointment, Mr. Day shared: “Words cannot express what an honour it is for me to hold this position and to be working with all of you at the Office of the Assembly… I will do my best to make this an organization that is worthy of your time, effort and pride.”
New Manitoba Clerk
On November 23, 2023, Rick Yarish was formally appointed as Clerk of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly following a unanimous resolution by the House. He succeeds former Clerk Patricia Chaychuk who retired earlier in the year.
Mr. Yarish, who graduated from the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg, has worked at the Assembly for nearly 24 years, first as Clerk Assistant/Clerk of Committees from 2000-2011, and then as Deputy Clerk from 2011-2023.
After moving a resolution to appoint Mr. Yarish as Clerk of the Assembly, Government House Leader and Minister of Families Nahanni Fontaine noted it was a very easy decision for the Legistive Management Commission (LMC) to recommend his appointment.
“Rick has proven himself to be beyond capable. He has the skills, knowledge and the institutional knowledge to help run this Assembly.” She noted that Mr. Yarish has been instrumental in helping her and other House leaders to learn the various rules for proceedings and understanding the ways these rules can play out in different situations. Ms. Fontaine also made special mention of the critical role Mr. Yarish played in assisting Assembly operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Opposition House Leader Kelvin Goertzen lauded Mr. Yarish by saying the support for his appointment by all parties in the LMC speaks highly of his ability to conduct his duties in a non-partisan manner. “He is the right person to guide the legislature in the times that we have and the times that will come.”
Speaker Tom Lindsey expressed gratitude to Mr. Yarish for all his support since he became the new Speaker and noted they had already spoken many times about shared desires to help further modernize the Assembly, make it more inclusive and yet still be respectful of tradition.
Mr. Yarish was instrumental in putting together a new multi-day training session (MLA bootcamp) for the many new MLAs to help familiarize them with the role of an elected representative.