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Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

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Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Incumbent
Raj Chouhan
since December 7, 2020
StyleThe Honourable
Mr/Madam/Honourable Speaker (In the House)
AppointerElected by the members of the Legislative Assembly
Term lengthElected at the start of each Parliament
Inaugural holderJames Trimble
Salary$150,000 (2017)

The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is the presiding officer of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.

The office of Speaker in British Columbia

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The Speaker is elected by the Members of the Legislative Assembly ("MLAs") by means of a secret ballot at the commencement of a new parliament, or on the death or retirement of the previous Speaker. Cabinet Ministers are the only MLAs not entitled to stand for election as Speaker. The business of the Legislative Assembly cannot continue without a Speaker. Under British Columbia's parliamentary tradition, the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia will not open Parliament until a Speaker is elected.

Prior practice had been for the Premier to select the Speaker and have that selection ratified by a vote of the legislative assembly. The Legislative Assembly also appoints a Deputy Speaker, who presides in the absence of the Speaker. During the 38th Parliament, which was elected in the BC general election held on May 17, 2005, the position of Assistant Deputy Speaker was created. This office is usually held by an MLA who represents the official opposition party.

Traditionally, the Speaker has been a member of the governing party, though Speaker Darryl Plecas was an exception from 2017-2020; however, while holding the office of Speaker that MLA must act neutrally and treat all other MLAs impartially, and to preserve this impartiality the Speaker follows Speaker Denison's rule in breaking ties. The Speaker presides over the debates and procedures of the Legislative Assembly. The Speaker enforces the Rules of Procedure, commonly referred to as the Standing Orders. Any disputes or procedural rulings are made according to the Standing Orders or, in absence of a rule governing a specific situation, to parliamentary precedence and convention. The Speaker does not vote, except in the case of a tie.

Until the early 1990s, the traditional form of address and reference to the Speaker was "Mr. Speaker". Today, the office holder is now referred to as simply the "Speaker", but during debates the MLAs may continue to address the office holder as "Mr. Speaker" or "Madam Speaker". In accordance with parliamentary tradition, all speeches are addressed to the Speaker, and not the other MLAs.

The Speaker is responsible for the legislative precincts, including the Parliament Buildings. The Speaker also sponsors the British Columbia Legislative Internship Program. The Speaker represents the voters of their constituency as a member of the Legislative Assembly.

The channel televised proceedings is Hansard TV.

Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

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No. Portrait Name
Electoral district
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Party Parliament
1 James Trimble
MLA for Victoria City
(1817–1885)
1872–1878 Independent 1st
2nd
2 Frederick W. Williams
MLA for Esquimalt
1878–1882 Independent 3rd
3 John Andrew Mara
MLA for Yale
(1840–1920)
1883–1886 Independent 4th
4 Charles Edward Pooley
MLA for Esquimalt
(1845–1912)
1887–1889 Independent 5th
5 David Williams Higgins
MLA for Esquimalt
(1834–1917)
1890–1898 Independent
6th
7th
6 John Paton Booth
MLA for North Victoria
(1837–1902)
1898 Independent 8th
7 William Thomas Forster
MLA for Westminster-Delta
(1857–1938)
1899–1900 Independent
(6) John Paton Booth
MLA for North Victoria
(1837–1902)
1900–1902 Independent 9th
(4) Charles Edward Pooley
MLA for Esquimalt
(1845–1912)
1902–1906 Independent
Conservative 10th
8 David McEwen Eberts
MLA for Saanich
(1850–1924)
1907–1916 Conservative 11th
12th
13th
9 John Walter Weart
MLA for South Vancouver
(1861–1941)
1917–1918 Liberal 14th
10 John Keen
MLA for South Vancouver
(1844–1922)
1918–1920 Liberal
11 Alexander Malcolm Manson
MLA for Omineca
(1883–1964)
1921–1922 Liberal 15th
12 Frederick Arthur Pauline
MLA for Saanich
(1861–1955)
1922–1924 Liberal
13 John Andrew Buckham
MLA for Columbia
(1873–1931)
1924–1928 Liberal 16th
14 James William Jones
MLA for South Okanagan
(1869–1954)
1929–1930 Conservative 17th
15 Cyril Francis Davie
MLA for Cowichan-Newcastle
(1882–1950)
1931–1933 Conservative
16 Henry George Thomas Perry
MLA for Fort George
(1889–1959)
1934–1937 Liberal 18th
17 Norman William Whittaker
MLA for Saanich
(1893–1985)
1937–1947 Liberal 19th
LiberalConservative
coalition
20th
21st
18 Robert Henry Carson
MLA for Kamloops
(1885–1971)
1948–1949 LiberalConservative
coalition
19 John Hart
MLA for Victoria City
(1879–1957)
1949 LiberalConservative
coalition
20 Nancy Hodges
MLA for Victoria City
(1888–1969)
1950–1952 LiberalConservative
coalition
22nd
21 Thomas Irwin
MLA for Delta
(1889–1962)
1953–1957 Social Credit 23rd
24th
25th
22 Lorne Shantz
MLA for North Okanagan
(1920–1999)
1958–1963 Social Credit
26th
23 William Harvey Murray
MLA for Prince Rupert
(1916–1991)
1964–1972 Social Credit 27th
28th
29th
24 Gordon Dowding
MLA for Burnaby
(1918–2003)
1972–1975 NDP 30th
25 Ed Smith
MLA for Peace River North
(1928–2010)
1976–1978 Social Credit 31st
26 Harvey Schroeder
MLA for Chilliwack
(born 1933)
1979–1982 Social Credit 32nd
27 Walter Davidson
MLA for Delta
(born 1937)
1982–1986 Social Credit
33rd
28 John Reynolds
MLA for
West Vancouver-Howe Sound

(born 1942)
1987–1989 Social Credit 34th
29 Stephen Rogers
MLA for Vancouver South
(born 1942)
1990–1991 Social Credit
30 Joan Sawicki
MLA for Burnaby-Willingdon
(born 1945)
1992–1994 New Democratic 35th
31 Emery Barnes
MLA for Vancouver-Burrard
(1929–1998)
1994–1996 New Democratic
32 Dale Lovick
MLA for Nanaimo
(born 1945)
1996–1998 New Democratic 36th
33 Gretchen Brewin
MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill
(born 1938)
1998–2000 New Democratic
34 William James Hartley
MLA for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows
(born 1945)
2000–2001 New Democratic
35 Claude Richmond
MLA for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows
(born 1935)
2001–2005 Liberal 37th
36 Bill Barisoff
MLA for Penticton-Okanagan Valley
(until 2009)
MLA for Penticton
(from 2009)

(born 1948 or 1949)
2005–2013 Liberal 38th
39th
37 Linda Reid
MLA for Richmond East
(born 1959)
2013–2017 Liberal 40th
38 Steve Thomson[1]
MLA for Kelowna-Mission
(born 1951 or 1952)
2017 Liberal 41st
39 Darryl Plecas[2][3]
MLA for Abbotsford South
(born 1951)
2017–2020 Liberal
Independent
40 Raj Chouhan
MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds
2020–present New Democratic 42nd

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ "Steve Thomson resigns as speaker of the B.C. legislature". The Georgia Straight. June 29, 2017. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  2. ^ "BC Liberal goes against party wishes, acclaimed as Speaker of the House". www.citynews1130.com. September 8, 2017. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  3. ^ "BC Liberals expel Darryl Plecas from party after Speaker move | CBC News".

References

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