Milliken re-elected as Speaker of the House

CTV.ca News

The new session of Canada's 39th Parliament got underway Monday, with Members of Parliament re-electing Liberal MP Peter Milliken as the Speaker of the House.

Milliken of Kingston, Ont., has been the speaker since 2001. He beat out fellow Grits Diane Marleau from Sudbury, Ont., and Marcel Proulx from Hull-Aylmer.

Marleau and Proulx both campaigned on decorum, and in brief speeches ahead of the vote talked about how they would fix the ongoing bad behaviour in the House of Commons.

"It's a pleasure to have the opportunity to serve in this chamber, as those of us who have been here for a while have discovered, and for those who are newly-elected will find out over the next few days," Milliken said upon being taken to his chair.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, speaking in the House of Commons today, congratulated Milliken on his re-election.

"Mr. Speaker, it's a well-deserved honour," Harper told the House. "You did an exceptional job of what were very choppy waters in the last government."

Harper also made reference to Milliken's decision to vote with the Liberals last year in a crucial budget vote that helped keep the Grits alive for a few more months.

"We only ever had one difficulty, and that was your partisanship, but I think by virtue of your achievement today, you've largely resolved that problem for me," said the PM.

The opposition leaders also took a moment to congratulate Milliken, a 60-year-old trained lawyer known for his passion of political procedure.

However, his election could have an impact on future votes.

Since the Speaker only votes in a tie, the Liberals now have one less vote. That means the Conservatives can now pass legislation with the support of just one opposition party, rather than two.

Voting for the speaker was the first order of business for Parliament, which for the first time in 13 years is being led by a Conservative government.

Throne speech

Shortly after he was re-elected, Milliken announced that Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean will deliver the new government's first Speech from the Throne on Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET.

The House of Commons meets for its first regular session on Wednesday.

As for the throne speech, CTV's Question Period co-host Jane Taber said it is expected to be very short throne speech.
It is widely expected to emphasize five key priorities repeatedly reiterated by the Harper government, including:

• A GST cut
• A child-care allowance
• A new federal accountability act
• A crackdown on crime
• A health-care wait-times guarantee

Harper, speaking today at the Canadian Professional Police Association, focused on his government's crime agenda, saying he intends to take aim at gun violence, drug abuse and sexual predators.

CTV's Robert Fife, commenting after the speech, said this is the one point out of the five priorities where the Conservatives will need legislative approval.
"That is where you will see a lot of give and take," Fife said.

As for the Liberals, they are vowing the toughest fights over tax cuts and child care.

"... There will be clear distinctions between the government and opposition on those two points," said senior Liberal MP Ralph Goodale.
The Conservatives want to replace the $5-billion, five-year child-care program set up by their Liberal predecessors with direct payments to parents of $1,200 a year for each child under the age of six.

The new government is also pledging to cut the seven-per-cent GST by one percentage point immediately, followed within five years by a second one-point reduction.
On Sunday, NDP Leader Jack Layton told the NDP federal council in Ottawa that his party will not compromise on issues such as public health care and child care.
Layton also said equality rights and environmental protection will be key battle points for the NDP.

Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe said recently that while his party won't surrender on its convictions, neither would it defeat the Harper government "just for the pleasure of having an election."