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(Posted
10 p.m., Nov. 15)
Galipeau
to run for Speaker's job
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online
Ottawa-Orléans
MP Royal Galipeau is hoping to become the 35th Speaker of the House
of Commons. The second term MP has thrown his hat into the ring for
the $209,000 a year job along with five others including Liberal MP
Peter Milliken who has held the job since 2001.
 Galipeau
served as one of three deputy speakers in the last Parliament along
with NDP MP Bill Blaikie and fellow Conservative MP Andrew Scheer
who is also seeking the Speaker's job. Galipeau's official title is
Deputy Chair of the Committees of the Whole House. (Blaikie is the
Chair and Scheer is the Assistannt Deputy Chair.)
Galipeau's
appointment as Deputy Chair of the Committees of the Whole House was
unique in that he was the first rookie MP in the history of the House
of Commons to hold the position. The 26 previous Deputy Chairs all
had at least nine years service.
The other
MPs running for the job of Speaker besides Milliken, Galipeau and
Scheer are NDP MP Joe Comartin and Tories Merv Tweed and Barry Devolin.
The new
Speaker will be elected on the opening day of the next session of
Parliament. MPs vote by secret ballot. Any MP who receives less than
five per cent of the vote on the first ballot is automatically dropped
from the list. If no MP receives less than five per cent, than the
candidate with the least number of votes is removed from the ballot.
The process continues with an hour break between each vote until someone
receives 50 per cent plus one.
The role
of the Speaker is to manage the House of Commons and supervise its
staff. They also act as a liaison between the House of Commons and
the Senate.
Besides
the salary, they have use of the Kingsmere Estate in Gatineau Park
as the Official Residence of the Speaker.
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