Following public outcry, the former Speaker of the House, Anthony Rota, resigned after bringing a former Ukrainian Nazi into the House of Commons during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Canada. The soldier, Yaroslav Hunka, was applauded by the House of Commons for his achievements fighting in WWII. Despite Rota’s role in leading Parliament through the pandemic, nothing could excuse this blunder he made in Parliament. 

Candidates for the new Speaker of the House ranged from Nova Scotia Conservative MP Chris d’Entremont to the leader of the Green Party, Elizabeth May. Ultimately, Quebec Liberal MP Greg Fergus was chosen to lead Parliament. Representing the riding of Hull-Aylmer in Quebec, Greg Fergus has been a Member of Parliament since 2015 and is the first Black Speaker in Canadian history. 

Fergus began his political journey as a parliamentary page at the age of 14 and later worked as the National Director for the Liberal Party. Fergus has been a dedicated politician throughout his life, having worked at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels of the Government of Canada. 

In Parliament, the Speaker of the House’s role is to help maintain order and integrity during debate and reduce heckling so there can be more constructive argument. Speakers act as moderators, ensuring that each side’s opinions and comments are heard. Like many other roles that act as intermediaries, they should not be biased toward any side. Speakers are granted the ability to vote in case of a tie and apart from representing the House of Commons when interacting with entities outside of Parliament, such as the Senate, they also have various ceremonial duties. Fergus stated that in Parliament, speakers often struggle to maintain order during a debate. As the new Speaker, he said he would pride himself on maintaining integrity and decorum. 

Earlier in February, Fergus received criticism when he breached the Conflict-of-Interest Act while serving as a parliamentary secretary to Trudeau. Fergus wrote a letter encouraging the CRTC (Canadian Radio-Telecommunication Commission) to broadcast a television channel called Natyf TV, directed toward Francophone audiences. In response, Fergus expressed his commitment to greater diligence in the future. 

Many Members of Parliament, including Pierre Poilievre and Justin Trudeau, stated Fergus’ appointment is “an incredible achievement” and “should be inspiring for all Canadians.” Every Member of Parliament is looking forward to the new Speaker, receiving praise from the NDP, Liberal, and Conservative parties as a symbol of real change for Canada.