Charlottetown MP Sean Casey loses 2nd bid to become Speaker of the House of Commons
Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia elected Speaker as Parliament resumes after election
Charlottetown MP Sean Casey once again came up short in his bid to become Speaker of the House of Commons, as MPs elected Quebec Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia to the role on Monday.
The election was held on the first day back in the House for newly elected and returning members of Parliament following a five-month hiatus and the April 28 general election.
The first order of business was to select a new Speaker, so that the person could be in place before King Charles delivers the throne speech.
Scarpaleggia, who represents the riding of Lac-Saint-Louis in Quebec, was chosen by his peers through a secret ranked ballot. The Speaker oversees proceedings in the House of Commons, ensures order during debates, and serves as a neutral figure in Parliament.
Eight MPs were initially in the running for the job, but before the vote on Monday, the list had narrowed to six after two Conservative MPs withdrew their names.
Casey, a long-serving MP for Charlottetown, was among those still seeking the position.
He had previously made a bid for the role in 2023, following the resignation of former Speaker Anthony Rota. At that time, MPs elected Liberal MP Greg Fergus, who was again among the list of candidates this time.
In his address to the House on Monday before the vote, Casey said his background in law would be a good preparation for the job, and told MPs he was motivated by a desire to change the tone in the House.
"We owe Canadians a genuine effort to raise the bar in how we treat each other. A new session with so many new faces offers a fresh start and a real chance to lead by example," he said.
The Speaker's position comes with a salary top-up of nearly $100,000, an official residence in a rural area of Quebec, and an apartment and office within Parliament's Centre Block building.
There has never been a Speaker of the House of Commons from P.E.I.