The speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is the presiding officer of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.
Office of the Speaker in British Columbia
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 British Columbia 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 officeholder 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
No. Portrait NameElectoral district(Birth–Death) Term of officePartyParliament1James TrimbleMLA for Victoria City(1817–1885)1872–1878Independent1st2nd2Frederick W. WilliamsMLA for Esquimalt1878–1882Independent3rd3John Andrew MaraMLA for Yale(1840–1920)1883–1886Independent4th4Charles Edward PooleyMLA for Esquimalt(1845–1912)1887–1889Independent5th5David Williams HigginsMLA for Esquimalt(1834–1917)1890–1898Independent6th7th6John Paton BoothMLA for North Victoria(1837–1902)1898Independent8th7William Thomas ForsterMLA for Westminster-Delta(1857–1938)1899–1900Independent(6)John Paton BoothMLA for North Victoria(1837–1902)1900–1902Independent9th(4)Charles Edward PooleyMLA for Esquimalt(1845–1912)1902–1906IndependentConservative10th8David McEwen EbertsMLA for Saanich(1850–1924)1907–1916Conservative11th12th13th9John Walter WeartMLA for South Vancouver(1861–1941)1917–1918Liberal14th10John KeenMLA for South Vancouver(1844–1922)1918–1920Liberal11Alexander Malcolm MansonMLA for Omineca(1883–1964)1921–1922Liberal15th12Frederick Arthur PaulineMLA for Saanich(1861–1955)1922–1924Liberal13John Andrew BuckhamMLA for Columbia(1873–1931)1924–1928Liberal16th14James William JonesMLA for South Okanagan(1869–1954)1929–1930Conservative17th15Cyril Francis DavieMLA for Cowichan-Newcastle(1882–1950)1931–1933Conservative16Henry George Thomas PerryMLA for Fort George(1889–1959)1934–1937Liberal18th17Norman William WhittakerMLA for Saanich(1893–1985)1937–1947Liberal19th20th21st18Robert Henry CarsonMLA for Kamloops(1885–1971)1948–1949 19John HartMLA for Victoria City(1879–1957)1949 20Nancy HodgesMLA for Victoria City(1888–1969)1950–1952 22nd21Thomas IrwinMLA for Delta(1889–1962)1953–1957Social Credit23rd24th25th22Lorne ShantzMLA for North Okanagan(1920–1999)1958–1963Social Credit26th23William Harvey MurrayMLA for Prince Rupert(1916–1991)1964–1972Social Credit27th28th29th24Gordon DowdingMLA for Burnaby(1918–2003)1972–1975New Democratic30th25Ed SmithMLA for Peace River North(1928–2010)1976–1978Social Credit31st26Harvey SchroederMLA for Chilliwack(born 1933)1978–1982Social Credit32nd27Walter DavidsonMLA for Delta(born 1937)1982–1986Social Credit33rd28John ReynoldsMLA forWest Vancouver-Howe Sound(born 1942)1987–1989Social Credit34th29Stephen RogersMLA for Vancouver South(born 1942)1990–1991Social Credit30Joan SawickiMLA for Burnaby-Willingdon(born 1945)1992–1994New Democratic35th31Emery BarnesMLA for Vancouver-Burrard(1929–1998)1994–1996New Democratic32Dale LovickMLA for Nanaimo(born 1945)1996–1998New Democratic36th33Gretchen BrewinMLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill(born 1938)1998–2000New Democratic34William James HartleyMLA for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows(born 1945)2000–2001New Democratic35Claude RichmondMLA for Kamloops(born 1935)2001–2005Liberal37th36Bill BarisoffMLA for Penticton-Okanagan Valley(until 2009)MLA for Penticton(from 2009)(born 1948 or 1949)2005–2013Liberal38th39th37Linda ReidMLA for Richmond East(born 1959)2013–2017Liberal40th38Steve ThomsonMLA for Kelowna-Mission(born 1951 or 1952)2017Liberal41st39Darryl PlecasMLA for Abbotsford South(born 1951)2017–2020LiberalIndependent40Raj ChouhanMLA for Burnaby-Edmonds(until 2024)MLA for Burnaby-New Westminster(from 2024)2020–presentNew Democratic42nd43rd
See also Speaker of the House of Commons (Canada)
Notes
References
External links Welcome Message from The Speaker (from the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia website).