Election of the Speaker of the House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is a member of parliament elected by secret ballot by all MPs to preside over the House of Commons. The election of a Speaker is the first order of business of the House of Commons after a general election.
The Speaker of the House of Commons is required to carry out his or her duties in a non-partisan manner. The Speaker of the House of Commons debates or votes only to break a tie.
Maintaining Order in the House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the chief presiding officer of the House of Commons, and is responsible for maintaining order. The Speaker presides over debates and Question Period in the House of Commons by
- deciding who has the floor
- applying the Rules of Procedure
- making rulings on questions of procedure
- officially putting votes before the House.
Administrative Role of Speaker of House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons chairs the Board of Internal Economy, the governing body responsible for the administration of the House of Commons. The House of Commons has about 1500 employees and a budget of over $200 million.
Some of the activities involved in the administration of the House of Commons are the production of papers, including the daily Hansard, simultaneous translation of debates and committee proceedings, buildings operations and maintenance, legal services, House of Commons committees, information technology and financial services.
The Speaker of the House of Commons also represents the House of Commons in its relations with the Crown, the Senate and authorities outside Parliament. This includes welcoming visiting dignitaries to the House of Commons.
Role as Member of Parliament
Although the Speaker of the House of Commons remains impartial except during a tie, he or she still maintains responsibilities to his constituents as a member of parliament.
