House of Commons to elect new Speaker as Rota’s resignation takes effect

OTTAWA — While Anthony Rota won’t be in the big chair presiding over House of Commons proceedings on Wednesday, it is his last sitting day holding the title of Speaker and already the jockeying for his job has begun.

Confirming his intention to run, Conservative MP and deputy Speaker Chris d’Entremont told reporters on Parliament Hill Wednesday morning that talks are underway among the opposition parties to try to see an opposition MP elected Speaker, given their combined leverage over the minority Liberal government.

“There has to be some more decorum in the House, have more respect for one another. I think we have to completely look at how the individual made it into the into the gallery, and how it was missed so that it doesn’t happen again,” he said, pitching what his vision would be should he secure the promotion.

Rota’s resignation was a result of all-party pressure for him to do so, over inviting 98-year-old Ukrainian veteran Yaroslav Hunka who fought in a volunteer unit under Nazi command to Parliament. The recognition came during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s address last Friday and has led to international embarrassment for the Canadian government. 

And while some of the initial acrimony has calmed over the mistake for which Rota has taken full responsibility, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is continuing to push for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to heed requests from Jewish advocacy groups for a personal apology and a probe to prevent a similar sordid situation from occurring again.

“There’s always someone else to blame when it comes to Justin Trudeau. But, here’s the reality: responsibility and power go together. If he wants the power, he has to take the responsibility and come to the floor of the House of Commons today and apologize,” Poilievre said. “The prime minister needs to let the world know that he takes responsibility for this colossal failure.”

While Trudeau walked past reporters without stopping to take questions on his way in to Wednesday’s Liberal caucus meeting, he is scheduled to be in question period. It’s his day of the week to field all of the questions, so he is expected to have to address the matter head-on, for the first time in the House since the controversy exploded.

“Justin Trudeau doesn’t have to apologize for anything he did personally, we know that it’s Anthony Rota who did this. But, it’s Canada that’s wearing this. It’s all of us. It’s you, it’s me, it’s 40 million Canadians who are wearing this shame internationally,” said CTV News’ political commentator and former NDP leader Tom Mulcair, on CTV News Channel Wednesday morning.

“It’s not enough to say that the guy who’s resigned that nobody’s heard of is gone. Trudeau has got to stand up… He doesn’t have to say that he did it, because anybody who knows about our Parliament knows it’s not Trudeau’s fault… But, he has the responsibility as our head of government to try to talk to the world and say, ‘this has happened, I acknowledge it, it’s shameful, and we will make sure that steps are taken in the future that nothing like this could ever happen again.'”

Facing reporters’ questions over whether a further apology on behalf of the nation is required, Liberal MPs who stopped didn’t directly answer.

Late Tuesday, MPs agreed that instead of having the deputy Speakers continue to share responsibility for chairing House proceedings in the interim, Bloc Quebecois MP and Dean of the House Louis Plamondon will take over once Rota’s resignation is in effect as of the end of the sitting day on Wednesday.

That means Plamondon will be in the Speaker’s chair during proceedings on Thursday and Friday. Then when the House resumes on Tuesday, Oct. 3 following a long weekend on account for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the first order of business will be the historic secret ballot election of a new speaker.

“We’re in a very partisan time. We’ve had something that hasn’t happened more than once in the history of this of this House where the Speaker has resigned for a very specific, emotional reason. And, to try to bring that pressure down is difficult for anybody that’s going to be running,” said d’Entremont, reflecting on the unprecedented nature of this moment in Canadian politics.

More to come…