Speaker

Wednesday September 27, 2023

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday September 27, 2023

Speaker Resigns: A Necessary Step to Preserve the Dignity of Parliament

September 23, 2023

Anthony Rota’s resignation as Speaker of the House of Commons is a rare but necessary step in the wake of an embarrassing incident that shook the foundations of Parliament. Rota’s invitation to and recognition of Yaroslav Hunka, a man with ties to a Nazi unit from World War II, revealed a shocking lapse in due diligence and fact-checking, which are essential when recognizing invited visitors to the House of Commons gallery. This incident was not merely a mistake; it was a grave error that compromised the dignity and reputation of Canada’s highest legislative body.

Rota’s initial introduction of Hunka as a “Ukrainian Canadian war veteran who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians” was met with a standing ovation from MPs. However, the subsequent revelation of Hunka’s involvement with the Waffen-SS Galicia Division, a Nazi unit, shocked the nation. Rota promptly issued apologies, taking full responsibility for the oversight, but the damage had been done.

In a parliamentary system, the Speaker holds a position of immense responsibility and trust. The Speaker is expected to operate outside of partisan lines, maintaining impartiality to sustain the trust and goodwill of the House. Rota’s failure to uphold this impartiality and to adequately vet a visitor to the House of Commons demonstrated incompetence that cast doubt on his ability to lead with the required impartiality.

News: House Speaker Rota resigns after MPs call for his exit for honouring man who fought with Nazi unit  

January 6, 2023

The resignation of Speaker Rota was not merely a gesture of contrition; it was a necessary step to restore the dignity of Parliament. MPs from all parties rightly called for him to step down, recognizing that his continued presence in the Speaker’s chair would further tarnish the reputation of the institution. NDP House Leader Peter Julian aptly noted that putting the institution first was the right decision.

Moreover, the incident had wider implications, reaching beyond the borders of Canada. It was exploited as propaganda by Russia, feeding their narrative about de-Nazifying Ukraine. This gave the incident international notoriety, making it an even graver lapse in judgment.

It is important to acknowledge that the Speaker’s role is one of neutrality and decorum, making the error in inviting and recognizing Hunka all the more egregious. The Speaker’s conduct should serve as an example to all parliamentarians and Canadians, and any deviation from this standard erodes the foundations of our democracy.

News: Justin Trudeau urged to apologize as House Speaker Anthony Rota resigns after Nazi honour controversy  

October 27, 2011

Now, as the House moves forward to elect a new Speaker, it is crucial that the process is transparent and reflects the values of impartiality and integrity. Canadians deserve a Speaker who can fulfill their duties with diligence and uphold the honor of the House of Commons. Rota’s resignation, while regrettable, serves as a reminder that no one is above the standards and expectations that define our democratic institutions.

In conclusion, Speaker Anthony Rota’s resignation was a necessary and appropriate response to an embarrassing and damaging incident. It was an act of accountability and a recognition that the dignity and trust of Parliament must always be preserved. As Canadians, we should look to this moment as an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the principles that underpin our democracy, and to ensure that such lapses in judgment do not happen again in the future. (AI) 

Friday January 6, 2023

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday January 6, 2023

Canada and the U.S. both have House Speakers. For one of them, the stakes are a lot higher

It’s being called the “battle for the gavel,” a historic fight in the U.S. over who will hold the title of Speaker, the presiding member of the House of Representatives.

Angry Washington – available at the boutique.

For nearly two full days, bitter partisanship within the Republican party, now the majority in the House, has turned what’s normally a swift affair into a protracted stalemate over who from their ranks ought to hold the job.

Multiple rounds of voting so far haven’t meaningfully moved the needle, and it is holding up the start of the next Congress for the first time in 100 years.

“The rest of the world is looking,” said U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday of the chaos.

“They’re looking at, you know, can we get our act together?”

By contrast, the drama that’s attached to what might be called the “race for the mace” in Canada — the election of a Speaker for the House of Commons — pales in comparison.

The job of Speaker hearkens back over 600 years to the formative Parliaments in Britain, and an agreed-upon need for someone to oversee and guide the work of the legislature.

That a Speaker is required for Congress as well as for the House of Commons and Senate is part of the constitutions of both countries.

Still, with the two countries having different systems of government, the jobs have developed differently over time and with contrasting political dynamics.

December 16, 2020

In the U.S, the evolution has given the House Speaker a number of powers which — depending on the makeup of Congress — can allow a Speaker to derail a president’s agenda, drive their own party’s legislative goals and reward or punish fellow elected representatives with plum committee posts.

That makes the person in the job — normally chosen from the majority party — exceptionally influential; among other things, should the president not be able to fulfil their duties, nor the vice-president, it is the House Speaker who is on deck.

Former House of Commons Speaker Andrew Scheer used a sports analogy to describe the difference between the post in Canada versus that in the U.S.

“In Canada, it’s far more of a referee, where in the U.S. it is more like a quarterback,” he said when reached by the Star on Tuesday.

What Speakers referee is the House of Commons itself, ensuring the rights and privileges of MPs are respected as is the decorum and work of Parliament — there’s rarely a day, for example, where the Speaker doesn’t intervene to ask MPs to mind their manners as they joust.

They do it from a largely neutral position as the job is understood by all parties to place the business of Parliament above that of partisanship. Speakers only cast a vote in the event of a tie, don’t participate in debates, stay away from partisan party caucus meetings and even have to watch their words when they campaign for seats during general elections. (The Toronto Star) 

rom sketch to finish, in 30 seconds, see the current way Graeme completes an editorial cartoon using an iPencil, the Procreate app, and a couple of cheats on an iPad Pro … These sped up clips are posted to encourage others to be creative, to take advantage of the technology many of us already have and to use it to produce satire. Comfort the afflicted. Afflict the comforted.

 

Thursday October 27, 2011

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday October 27, 2011

Klees faces uphill battle to become Speaker

Progressive Conservative Frank Klees will face a near impossible battle in his bid for Speaker after angering his caucus and squaring off against Liberals who will themselves be vying for the job.

Klees raised eyebrows Tuesday by announcing that he would run for Speaker, against his party’s wishes, in a move that could hand the Liberals a virtual majority and split the vote evenly between the minority Liberals and the two opposition parties.

It’s a risky move for Klees and one unlikely to pay off, according to insiders and political experts.

Enraged Tories lashed out at their colleague after his intentions were made public, warning they had no plans to vote for Klees in the Speaker election.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath suggested Wednesday her caucus would also vote together to block Klees.

“We’ve already made a commitment as a caucus that when we determine what the best interests are, what the best result will be for New Democrats to actually achieve something for Ontarians, that we will vote accordingly as a group in terms of the Speaker’s chair,” Horwath said.

“I guess that’s in some way an acknowledgment that we’re concerned about what it does to the configuration of the legislature if we have an opposition member in the Speaker’s chair, that’s one of the reasons why none of us decided to ultimately make that bid.”

There are four Liberals currently in the running for Speaker: Donna Cansfield, Dave Levac, Kevin Flynn and David Zimmer. (CTV)