We will have to wait a few more years before perhaps seeing a second woman as Speaker of the House of Commons. Liberal Anthony Rota, who led the boat during the pandemic, was re-elected by his peers on Monday.
Three women were vying among the seven MPs interested in the post, namely the liberal Alexandra Mendès, the former leader of the Green Party, Elizbeth May, and the New Democrat Carol Hughes. The other candidates were the Conservatives Joël Godin, Chris d’Entremont and Mark Dalton. Mme Mendès and Mr. Godin were the only two Quebecers to present themselves.
No woman has been elected to the presidency of the House of Commons since Jeanne Sauvé in the early 1980s. The former Governor General was then appointed by Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau in 1980 and had held this seat until 1984. She was also the last francophone from Quebec to hold this position. Fransaskoise of origin, Mme Sauvé was elected in the Montreal riding of Ahuntsic at the time.
In his candidacy speech, Anthony Rota insisted on the importance that the Speaker of the House of Commons “can express himself without difficulty in French and English”. The Franco-Ontarian who represents the riding of Nipissing — Timiskaming even quoted the chorus of the song L’Escalier by Paul Piché and said he was inspired by it when he presides over parliamentary proceedings.
In addition to the MP’s base salary of $ 185,800, the Speaker of the House of Commons receives additional remuneration of $ 88,700, a car allowance of $ 1,000.