40th Canadian Parliament
Encyclopedia
The 40th Canadian Parliament
was in session from November 18, 2008 to March 26, 2011, and was the last Parliament of the longest-running minority government
in Canadian history that began with the previous Parliament
. The membership of its House of Commons
was determined by the results of the 2008 federal election
held on October 14, 2008. Its first session
was then prorogued
by the Governor General
on December 4, 2008, at the request of Prime Minister
Stephen Harper
, who was facing a likely no-confidence motion
and a coalition agreement
between the Liberal party
and the New Democratic Party
with the support of the Bloc Québécois
(see 2008–2009 Canadian parliamentary dispute
). Of the 308 MPs elected at the October 14, 2008 general election, 64 were new to Parliament and three sat in Parliaments previous to the 39th: John Duncan
, Jack Harris
, and Roger Pomerleau
.
There were three sessions of the 40th Parliament.
On March 25, 2011, the House of Commons passed a Liberal motion of non-confidence by a vote of 156 to 145, finding the Conservative
Cabinet in contempt of parliament
, an unprecedented finding in Canadian and Commonwealth
parliamentary history. On March 26, 2011, Prime Minister
Stephen Harper subsequently asked Governor General David Johnston
to dissolve parliament and issue a writ of election
.
MP Dawn Black
resigned her seat of New Westminster—Coquitlam
effective April 13, 2009, to run (successfully) in the provincial riding of New Westminster in the 2009 British Columbia general election
. The NDP's Fin Donnelly won the seat left vacant by Black in a by-election on November 9, 2009.
Independent MP Bill Casey
resigned his seat of Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley
effective April 30, 2009, to accept a job as the Nova Scotia Department of Intergovernmental Affairs' senior representative in Ottawa. He was a former Conservative who voted against the 2007 budget
, claiming that it broke the Atlantic Accord
with his province and Newfoundland and Labrador
, and was subsequently expelled from the Conservative caucus. Scott Armstrong
, the Conservative candidate, won the by-election for this seat on November 9, 2009.
Bloc Québécois
MP Paul Crête
resigned his seat of Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup
on May 21, 2009, to run in a provincial by-election in Rivière-du-Loup
. Conservative Bernard Généreux
won the November 9, 2009 by-election for this seat.
Bloc Québécois MP Réal Ménard
resigned his seat of Hochelaga
on September 16, 2009, to run in Montreal's municipal elections
. On November 9, 2009, Daniel Paillé
won this seat for the Bloc in a by-election.
New Democratic Party MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis
(Winnipeg North) resigned from the House on April 30, 2010, to run (unsuccessfully) for the mayoralty of Winnipeg
. Liberal Kevin Lamoureux
won the by-election to replace her on November 29, 2010.
Liberal MP Maurizio Bevilacqua
(Vaughan) resigned from the House effective August 25, 2010 to successfully run for mayor in Vaughan. Conservative Julian Fantino
won the November 29, 2010 by-election to replace him.
Conservative MP Inky Mark
(Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette) resigned from the House effective September 15, 2010 to run for mayor in Dauphin. Robert Sopuck
held the seat for the Conservatives in a by-election held on November 29, 2010.
Bloc Québécois MP Jean-Yves Roy
resigned from the House effective October 22, 2010, followed by Conservative MP Jay Hill
effective October 25, 2010. Conservative MP Jim Prentice
resigned from the House effective November 14, 2010 to take a position with CIBC. By-elections in these three ridings were not scheduled prior to the issue of the writ
for the 41st general election.
won a slightly stronger minority government
in the 2008 election
. With a new government in session, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty
tabled a fiscal update nine days later. Among other things, the update cut government spending, suspended the ability of civil servants to strike, sold off some Crown assets, and eliminated existing political party subsidies. This fiscal update was rejected by the opposition, and became a catalyst for talks of a coalition government
. Stéphane Dion
of the Liberal Party
and Jack Layton
of the New Democratic Party
, signed an accord stating that in the event that the government lost the confidence of the house
, they would form a coalition with the support of Gilles Duceppe
and the Bloc Québécois
, if asked to do so by the Governor General of Canada
Michaëlle Jean
. However, Stephen Harper delayed the vote of non-confidence scheduled for December 1, and the Governor General prorogued parliament on Harper's advice on December 4, 2008, until January 26, 2009.
After prorogation, calls came from within the Liberal Party for Dion to resign immediately. Dion initially scheduled his resignation for the party's leadership convention in May 2009, but on December 8, 2008, he announced that he would step down upon the selection of his successor. After the withdrawal of Bob Rae
and Dominic LeBlanc
from the leadership race, Michael Ignatieff
became the only leadership candidate, and therefore was appointed interim leader of the Liberals and the opposition on December 10, 2008.
, the government promised to present regular updates on the stimulus budget, and the Liberals and Conservatives joined to pass the budget and keep the Conservative government in power. The Conservative government made crime a major focus of the session. The Conservatives reintroduced their former mandatory minimums bill, known as Bill C-15.
On December 30, 2009, Prime Minister Stephen Harper
announced that he would advise the Governor General
to prorogue
parliament during the 2010 Winter Olympics
, until March 3, 2010. He telephoned Governor General Michaëlle Jean
to ask her permission to end the parliamentary session and Jean signed the proclamation later that day.
According to Harper's spokesman, he sought his second prorogation to consult with Canadians about the economy. In an interview with CBC News
, Prince Edward Island
Liberal
member of parliament Wayne Easter
accused the Prime Minister of "shutting democracy down". The second prorogation in a year also received some international criticism as being not very democratic.
In response to the prorogation, demonstrations
took place on January 23, 2010, in over 60 Canadian cities, and at least four cities in other countries. The protests attracted thousands of participants, many who had joined a group on Facebook
.
and Larry Smith were appointed on December 20, 2010. After dissolution, Smith and Fabian Manning
resigned to run in the 2011 election. That reduced the Conservative caucus to 52, but they retained a majority of sitting senators as there were 50 senators of other parties and 3 vacancies.
.
House of Commons
House of Commons
House of Commons
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
was in session from November 18, 2008 to March 26, 2011, and was the last Parliament of the longest-running minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
in Canadian history that began with the previous Parliament
39th Canadian Parliament
The 39th Canadian Parliament was in session from April 3, 2006 until September 7, 2008. The membership was set by the 2006 federal election on January 23, 2006, and it has changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections...
. The membership of its House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
was determined by the results of the 2008 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
held on October 14, 2008. Its first session
Parliamentary session
A legislative session is the period of time in which a legislature, in both parliamentary and presidential systems, is convened for purpose of lawmaking, usually being one of two or more smaller divisions of the entire time between two elections...
was then prorogued
Prorogation in Canada
Prorogation is the end of a parliamentary session in the Parliament of Canada and the parliaments of its provinces and territories. It differs from a recess or adjournment, which do not end a session, and from a complete dissolution of parliament, which ends both the session and the entire...
by the Governor General
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
on December 4, 2008, at the request of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
, who was facing a likely no-confidence motion
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
and a coalition agreement
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
between the Liberal party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
and the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
with the support of the Bloc Québécois
Bloc Québécois
The Bloc Québécois is a federal political party in Canada devoted to the protection of Quebec's interests in the House of Commons of Canada, and the promotion of Quebec sovereignty. The Bloc was originally a party made of Quebec nationalists who defected from the federal Progressive Conservative...
(see 2008–2009 Canadian parliamentary dispute
2008–2009 Canadian parliamentary dispute
The 2008–2009 Canadian parliamentary dispute was a political dispute during the 40th Canadian Parliament. It was triggered by the expressed intention of the opposition parties to defeat the Conservative minority government on a motion of non-confidence six weeks after the federal election on...
). Of the 308 MPs elected at the October 14, 2008 general election, 64 were new to Parliament and three sat in Parliaments previous to the 39th: John Duncan
John Duncan (Canadian politician)
John Morris Duncan, PC, MP, is a Canadian politician sitting as a member of the Canadian Parliament from 1993 to January 2006 and again from October 2008...
, Jack Harris
Jack Harris (politician)
John James "Jack" Harris MP is a Canadian lawyer and politician from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Harris is the New Democratic Party Member of Parliament for St. John's East and is a former leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party...
, and Roger Pomerleau
Roger Pomerleau
Roger Pomerleau is a Canadian politician and carpenter. He served in the House of Commons of Canada from 1993 to 1997 and again from 2008 to 2011....
.
There were three sessions of the 40th Parliament.
On March 25, 2011, the House of Commons passed a Liberal motion of non-confidence by a vote of 156 to 145, finding the Conservative
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
Cabinet in contempt of parliament
Contempt of Parliament
In some countries, contempt of parliament is the offence of obstructing the legislature in the carrying out of its functions, or of hindering any legislator in the performance of his or her duties. The offence is known by various other names in jurisdictions in which the legislature is not called...
, an unprecedented finding in Canadian and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
parliamentary history. On March 26, 2011, Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Stephen Harper subsequently asked Governor General David Johnston
David Johnston
David Lloyd Johnston is a Canadian academic, author and statesman who is the current Governor General of Canada, the 28th since Canadian Confederation....
to dissolve parliament and issue a writ of election
Writ of election
A writ of election is a writ issued by the government ordering the holding of a special election for a political office.In the United Kingdom and in Canada, this is the only way of holding an election for the House of Commons...
.
Resignations and by-elections
NDPNew Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
MP Dawn Black
Dawn Black
Dawn Black is a politician in British Columbia, Canada.Born Dawn Whitty, Black became involved in politics from a young age, she became an assistant to New Democratic Party Member of Parliament Pauline Jewett.-Member of Parliament:...
resigned her seat of New Westminster—Coquitlam
New Westminster—Coquitlam
New Westminster—Coquitlam is a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1979 to 1988, and since 2004.-Demographics:...
effective April 13, 2009, to run (successfully) in the provincial riding of New Westminster in the 2009 British Columbia general election
British Columbia general election, 2009
The 39th British Columbia general election was held on May 12, 2009 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The BC Liberal Party formed the government of the province prior to this general election under the leadership of Premier Gordon Campbell...
. The NDP's Fin Donnelly won the seat left vacant by Black in a by-election on November 9, 2009.
Independent MP Bill Casey
Bill Casey
William D. "Bill" Casey is a Canadian politician. He is a former Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons.-Life and career:...
resigned his seat of Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley
Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley
Cumberland—Colchester–Musquodoboit Valley is a federal electoral district in Nova Scotia, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004...
effective April 30, 2009, to accept a job as the Nova Scotia Department of Intergovernmental Affairs' senior representative in Ottawa. He was a former Conservative who voted against the 2007 budget
2007 Canadian federal budget
The Canadian federal budget for the 2007-2008 fiscal year was presented to the Canadian House of Commons by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty on March 19, 2007. The federal budget included $14 billion in new spending and $5.7 billion in tax cuts...
, claiming that it broke the Atlantic Accord
Atlantic Accord
The Atlantic Accord is an agreement signed in 1985 between the Government of Canada and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to manage offshore oil and gas resources adjacent to Newfoundland and Labrador....
with his province and Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, and was subsequently expelled from the Conservative caucus. Scott Armstrong
Scott Armstrong (politician)
Scott Armstrong is a Canadian politician, who was elected as a Conservative member to represent the electoral district of Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley in the federal by-elections on November 9, 2009.-Education:...
, the Conservative candidate, won the by-election for this seat on November 9, 2009.
Bloc Québécois
Bloc Québécois
The Bloc Québécois is a federal political party in Canada devoted to the protection of Quebec's interests in the House of Commons of Canada, and the promotion of Quebec sovereignty. The Bloc was originally a party made of Quebec nationalists who defected from the federal Progressive Conservative...
MP Paul Crête
Paul Crête
Paul Crête is a Canadian politician, who served as a Member of Parliament for the Bloc Québécois in the Canadian House of Commons from 1993 until 2009, when he announced that he was moving to provincial politics....
resigned his seat of Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup
Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup
Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004...
on May 21, 2009, to run in a provincial by-election in Rivière-du-Loup
Rivière-du-Loup (electoral district)
Rivière-du-Loup is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. It was originally created in 1930 from a portion of the electoral district of Témiscouata.-Members of the Legislative Assembly:...
. Conservative Bernard Généreux
Bernard Généreux
Bernard Généreux is a Canadian politician, who was elected to represent the electoral district of Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup in the federal by-elections on November 9, 2009...
won the November 9, 2009 by-election for this seat.
Bloc Québécois MP Réal Ménard
Réal Ménard
Réal Ménard is a Canadian politician, who was a Bloc Québécois member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1993 to 2009. He was the second Canadian Member of Parliament to come out as gay .Ménard is a political scientist with B.A. and M.A...
resigned his seat of Hochelaga
Hochelaga (electoral district)
Hochelaga is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1988 and since 2004...
on September 16, 2009, to run in Montreal's municipal elections
Montreal municipal election, 2009
The city of Montreal, Quebec, held a municipal election at the same time as numerous other municipalities in Quebec, on November 1, 2009. Voters elected the Mayor of Montreal, Montreal City Council, and the mayors and councils of each of the city's boroughs....
. On November 9, 2009, Daniel Paillé
Daniel Paillé
Daniel Paillé is a Canadian politician, who represented the riding of Prévost in the National Assembly of Quebec from 1994 to 1996 as a member of the Parti Québécois, and represented the district of Hochelaga in the Canadian House of Commons as a member of the Bloc Québécois.He was first elected...
won this seat for the Bloc in a by-election.
New Democratic Party MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis
Judy Wasylycia-Leis
Klazina Judith "Judy" Wasylycia-Leis is a Canadian politician. She was a Manitoba cabinet minister in the government of Howard Pawley from 1986 to 1988, and was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from September 22, 1997 to April 30, 2010...
(Winnipeg North) resigned from the House on April 30, 2010, to run (unsuccessfully) for the mayoralty of Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
. Liberal Kevin Lamoureux
Kevin Lamoureux
Kevin Lamoureux, MP is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. On November 29, 2010, he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons for the constituency of Winnipeg North in a by-election. He was re-elected during the 2011 election by 44 votes...
won the by-election to replace her on November 29, 2010.
Liberal MP Maurizio Bevilacqua
Maurizio Bevilacqua
Maurizio Bevilacqua, PC, is a Canadian politician. He was a Liberal Member of Parliament from 1988 to 2010 and was of eleven candidates for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada but dropped out of the race on August 14, 2006...
(Vaughan) resigned from the House effective August 25, 2010 to successfully run for mayor in Vaughan. Conservative Julian Fantino
Julian Fantino
Julian Fantino is a retired police official and the elected Member of the Parliament of Canada for the riding of Vaughan following a November 29, 2010 by-election...
won the November 29, 2010 by-election to replace him.
Conservative MP Inky Mark
Inky Mark
Inky Mark is a Canadian politician and a former member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the Manitoba riding of Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette. Mark is a member of the Conservative Party of Canada....
(Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette) resigned from the House effective September 15, 2010 to run for mayor in Dauphin. Robert Sopuck
Robert Sopuck
Robert Sopuck is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in a by-election on November 29, 2010, representing the electoral district of Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette. He is a member of the Conservative Party of Canada.-References:...
held the seat for the Conservatives in a by-election held on November 29, 2010.
Bloc Québécois MP Jean-Yves Roy
Jean-Yves Roy
Jean-Yves Roy is a Canadian politician. He was a Bloc Québécois member of the Canadian House of Commons from the 2000 election until his resignation in 2010.-Political career:...
resigned from the House effective October 22, 2010, followed by Conservative MP Jay Hill
Jay Hill
Jay D. Hill PC is a former Canadian politician and member of the Conservative Party of Canada. He was the Member of Parliament for the riding of Prince George—Peace River from 1993 until his retirement in 2010. He also served as Government House Leader in the Canadian House of Commons during his...
effective October 25, 2010. Conservative MP Jim Prentice
Jim Prentice
James "Jim" Prentice, PC, QC is a Canadian lawyer, and politician. In the 2004 federal election he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as a candidate of the Conservative Party of Canada...
resigned from the House effective November 14, 2010 to take a position with CIBC. By-elections in these three ridings were not scheduled prior to the issue of the writ
Writ of election
A writ of election is a writ issued by the government ordering the holding of a special election for a political office.In the United Kingdom and in Canada, this is the only way of holding an election for the House of Commons...
for the 41st general election.
1st session and prorogation
The first session of the 40th parliament opened on November 18, 2008, after Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the ConservativesConservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
won a slightly stronger minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
in the 2008 election
Canadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
. With a new government in session, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty
Jim Flaherty
James Michael "Jim" Flaherty, PC, MP is Canada's Minister of Finance and he has also served as Ontario's Minister of Finance. From 1995 until 2005, he was the Member of Provincial Parliament for Whitby—Ajax, and a member of the Progressive Conservative Party caucus...
tabled a fiscal update nine days later. Among other things, the update cut government spending, suspended the ability of civil servants to strike, sold off some Crown assets, and eliminated existing political party subsidies. This fiscal update was rejected by the opposition, and became a catalyst for talks of a coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
. Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008...
of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
and Jack Layton
Jack Layton
John Gilbert "Jack" Layton, PC was a Canadian social democratic politician and the Leader of the Official Opposition. He was the leader of the New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011, and previously sat on Toronto City Council, serving at times during that period as acting mayor and deputy mayor of...
of the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
, signed an accord stating that in the event that the government lost the confidence of the house
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
, they would form a coalition with the support of Gilles Duceppe
Gilles Duceppe
Gilles Duceppe is a Canadian politician, and proponent of the Québec sovereignty movement. He was a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons for over 20 years and was the leader of the sovereigntist Bloc Québécois for almost 15 years. He is the son of a well-known Quebec actor, Jean...
and the Bloc Québécois
Bloc Québécois
The Bloc Québécois is a federal political party in Canada devoted to the protection of Quebec's interests in the House of Commons of Canada, and the promotion of Quebec sovereignty. The Bloc was originally a party made of Quebec nationalists who defected from the federal Progressive Conservative...
, if asked to do so by the Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 27th since Canadian Confederation, from 2005 to 2010....
. However, Stephen Harper delayed the vote of non-confidence scheduled for December 1, and the Governor General prorogued parliament on Harper's advice on December 4, 2008, until January 26, 2009.
After prorogation, calls came from within the Liberal Party for Dion to resign immediately. Dion initially scheduled his resignation for the party's leadership convention in May 2009, but on December 8, 2008, he announced that he would step down upon the selection of his successor. After the withdrawal of Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
and Dominic LeBlanc
Dominic LeBlanc
Dominic A. LeBlanc, PC, MP , is a Canadian lawyer and politician from New Brunswick, Canada. He is the Member of Parliament for the riding of Beauséjour and sits in the Canadian House of Commons as the Liberal Party's Foreign Affairs Critic. He was first elected in the 2000 federal election and has...
from the leadership race, Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
became the only leadership candidate, and therefore was appointed interim leader of the Liberals and the opposition on December 10, 2008.
2nd Session and prorogation
The Governor-in-Council recalled parliament on January 26, 2009. Its first business (after the Throne Speech) was to present the federal budget, which included a large deficit. After negotiations with new opposition leader Michael IgnatieffMichael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
, the government promised to present regular updates on the stimulus budget, and the Liberals and Conservatives joined to pass the budget and keep the Conservative government in power. The Conservative government made crime a major focus of the session. The Conservatives reintroduced their former mandatory minimums bill, known as Bill C-15.
On December 30, 2009, Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
announced that he would advise the Governor General
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
to prorogue
Prorogation in Canada
Prorogation is the end of a parliamentary session in the Parliament of Canada and the parliaments of its provinces and territories. It differs from a recess or adjournment, which do not end a session, and from a complete dissolution of parliament, which ends both the session and the entire...
parliament during the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
, until March 3, 2010. He telephoned Governor General Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 27th since Canadian Confederation, from 2005 to 2010....
to ask her permission to end the parliamentary session and Jean signed the proclamation later that day.
According to Harper's spokesman, he sought his second prorogation to consult with Canadians about the economy. In an interview with CBC News
CBC News
CBC News is the department within the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on CBC television, radio and online services...
, Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
member of parliament Wayne Easter
Wayne Easter
Arnold Wayne Easter, PC, MP is a Canadian politician.-Before politics:Born in North Wiltshire, Prince Edward Island the son of A. Leith Easter and Hope MacLeod, he was educated at the Charlottetown Rural High School and the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. In 1970, he married Helen Arleighn...
accused the Prime Minister of "shutting democracy down". The second prorogation in a year also received some international criticism as being not very democratic.
In response to the prorogation, demonstrations
2010 Canada anti-prorogation protests
On 23 January 2010 there were numerous protests opposing the prorogation of the 40th Canadian Parliament. The prorogation had occurred a month earlier on 30 December 2009 on the constitutional advice of Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper and was officially carried out by Governor General...
took place on January 23, 2010, in over 60 Canadian cities, and at least four cities in other countries. The protests attracted thousands of participants, many who had joined a group on Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
.
Senate appointments
The Senate of Canada has seen new members appointed in blocs of 18, 9, and 5; all were appointed to the Conservative caucus. The balance of power shifted for the first time on August 27, 2009, when the Liberal caucus was reduced to holding a plurality of 52 seats. On January 29, 2010, the balance shifted again as five vacancies were filled by appointed Conservatives, giving them a plurality of 51, with the Liberals holding the next-highest number of seats at 49. The Conservatives achieved an absolute majority when Don MeredithDon Meredith (Canadian clergyman)
Don Meredith is an ordained minister in Canada, executive director of the GTA Faith Alliance which focuses on the issue of youth violence, particularly involving gangs and guns, and a member of the Canadian Senate...
and Larry Smith were appointed on December 20, 2010. After dissolution, Smith and Fabian Manning
Fabian Manning
Fabian Manning is a politician in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Manning served as a Progressive Conservative and later as the independent Member of the House of Assembly for the district of Placentia and St. Mary’s from 1999 to 2005. From 2006 to 2008 he was the Conservative Party of Canada...
resigned to run in the 2011 election. That reduced the Conservative caucus to 52, but they retained a majority of sitting senators as there were 50 senators of other parties and 3 vacancies.
Honorary Senators
The Senate of Canada posthumously awarded the title of Honorary Senator during the 40th Parliament to five pioneering women known as The Famous FiveThe Famous Five (Canada)
The Famous Five or The Valiant Five were five Canadian women who asked the Supreme Court of Canada to answer the question, "Does the word 'Persons' in Section 24 of the British North America Act, 1867, include female persons?" in the case Edwards v...
.
| Emily Murphy Emily Murphy Emily Murphy was a Canadian women's rights activist, jurist, and author. In 1916, she became the first woman magistrate in Canada, and in the British Empire... |
| Henrietta Muir Edwards |
| Nellie McClung Nellie McClung Nellie McClung, born Nellie Letitia Mooney , was a Canadian feminist, politician, and social activist. She was a part of the social and moral reform movements prevalent in Western Canada in the early 1900s... |
| Irene Parlby Irene Parlby Irene Parlby was a Canadian women's farm leader, activist and politician.Born in London, England, Parlby came to Canada in 1896. In 1913, Parlby helped to found the first women's local of the United Farmers of Alberta. In 1921, she was elected to the Alberta Legislature for the riding of Lacombe,... |
| Louise McKinney Louise McKinney Louise McKinney née Crummy was a provincial politician and women's rights activist from Alberta, Canada. She was the first woman sworn in to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and the first woman elected to a legislature in Canada and in the British Empire... |
Members
- For full lists of members of the 40th Parliament of Canada, see List of House members of the 40th Parliament of Canada and List of senators in the 40th Parliament of Canada.
Speakers
- Speaker of the Canadian SenateSpeaker of the Canadian SenateThe Speaker of the Senate of Canada is the presiding officer of the Senate of Canada. The speaker represents the Senate at official functions, rules on questions of parliamentary procedure and parliamentary privilege, and oversee debates and voting in the red chamber. This position is often...
: Noël KinsellaNoël KinsellaNoël A. Kinsella is a Canadian politician and Speaker of the Canadian Senate.-Education:Born in Saint John, New Brunswick, he received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from University College in Dublin, Ireland. He received an L.Ph. and a Ph.D. degree from Pontifical University of St. Thomas...
, Conservative Senator for New Brunswick. - Speaker of the Canadian House of CommonsSpeaker of the Canadian House of CommonsThe Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada is the presiding officer of the lower house of the Parliament of Canada and is elected at the beginning of each new parliament by fellow Members of Parliament...
: Peter MillikenPeter MillikenPeter Andrew Stewart Milliken, UE is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 until his retirement in 2011 and served as Speaker of the House for 10 years beginning in 2001. Milliken represented the Ontario riding of Kingston and the Islands as a...
, the LiberalLiberal Party of CanadaThe Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
member for Kingston and the IslandsKingston and the IslandsKingston and the Islands is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968....
.
Other Chair occupants
Senate- Speaker pro tempore of the Canadian SenateSpeaker pro tempore of the Canadian SenateThe Speaker pro tempore is an officer of the Canadian Senate who nominated by a selection committee to assume the role of Speaker pro tempore, or acting Speaker. The nomination is then confirmed through a vote in the Senate...
:- Rose-Marie Losier-CoolRose-Marie Losier-CoolRose-Marie Losier-Cool is a Canadian Senator for New Brunswick.A member of New Brunswick's Acadian community, Losier-Cool worked as a teacher for thirty-three years, two decades of which were spent at École secondaire Népisiguit in Bathurst, New Brunswick.She was elected the first woman president...
, Liberal Senator from New Brunswick (until March 2, 2010) - Donald H. Oliver, Conservative Senator for Nova Scotia (from March 4, 2010)
- Rose-Marie Losier-Cool
House of Commons
- House of Commons Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees of the Whole: Andrew ScheerAndrew ScheerAndrew Scheer is a Canadian Member of Parliament and the Speaker of the House of Commons. At the age of 32, he is the youngest person to serve in this capacity in Canadian parliamentarian history.-Early life and career:...
, Conservative member for Regina—Qu'AppelleRegina—Qu'AppelleRegina—Qu'Appelle is a federal electoral district in Saskatchewan, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1904 to 1968 and since 1988.-Geography:... - Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole: Denise SavoieDenise SavoieDenise Savoie is a Canadian politician, currently serving as the federal Member of Parliament for Victoria. She was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2006 federal election as a candidate of the New Democratic Party....
, NDP member for VictoriaVictoria (electoral district)Victoria is a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1872 to 1904 and since 1925.... - Assistant Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole: Barry DevolinBarry DevolinBarry Devolin, MP is a Canadian politician. He is a current Member of Parliament serving the riding of Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock....
, Conservative member for Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—BrockHaliburton—Kawartha Lakes—BrockHaliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968. Its population in 2001 was 111,343...
Leaders
- Prime Minister of CanadaPrime Minister of CanadaThe Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
: Rt. Hon. Stephen HarperStephen HarperStephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
(Conservative) - Leader of the Opposition (Liberal):
- Hon. Stéphane DionStéphane DionStéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008...
(until December 9, 2008) - Hon. Michael IgnatieffMichael IgnatieffMichael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
(acting from December 10, 2008, permanent from May 2, 2009)
- Hon. Stéphane Dion
- Bloc QuébécoisBloc QuébécoisThe Bloc Québécois is a federal political party in Canada devoted to the protection of Quebec's interests in the House of Commons of Canada, and the promotion of Quebec sovereignty. The Bloc was originally a party made of Quebec nationalists who defected from the federal Progressive Conservative...
leader: Gilles DuceppeGilles DuceppeGilles Duceppe is a Canadian politician, and proponent of the Québec sovereignty movement. He was a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons for over 20 years and was the leader of the sovereigntist Bloc Québécois for almost 15 years. He is the son of a well-known Quebec actor, Jean... - New Democratic PartyNew Democratic PartyThe New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
leader: Hon. Jack LaytonJack LaytonJohn Gilbert "Jack" Layton, PC was a Canadian social democratic politician and the Leader of the Official Opposition. He was the leader of the New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011, and previously sat on Toronto City Council, serving at times during that period as acting mayor and deputy mayor of...
Floor leaders
Senate- Leader of the Government in the Senate: Hon. Marjory LeBretonMarjory LeBretonMarjory LeBreton, PC is Leader of the Government in the Canadian Senate, a position of cabinet-rank; and vice-chair of Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Canada...
- Leader of the Opposition in the Senate: Jim CowanJim CowanJames S. "Jim" Cowan is a Canadian lawyer and Senator from Nova Scotia. He was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Paul Martin on March 24, 2005. He represents the Liberal Party of Canada...
House of Commons
- Government House Leader:
- Hon. Jay HillJay HillJay D. Hill PC is a former Canadian politician and member of the Conservative Party of Canada. He was the Member of Parliament for the riding of Prince George—Peace River from 1993 until his retirement in 2010. He also served as Government House Leader in the Canadian House of Commons during his...
(until Aug 6, 2010) - Hon. John BairdJohn Baird (Canadian politician)John Russell Baird, PC, MP is a Canadian politician currently serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper....
(from Aug 6, 2010)
- Hon. Jay Hill
- Opposition House Leader:
- Hon. Ralph GoodaleRalph GoodaleRalph Edward Goodale, PC, MP was Canada's Minister of Finance from 2003 to 2006 and continues to be a Liberal Member of Parliament...
(until Sept 9, 2010) - David McGuintyDavid McGuintyDavid Joseph McGuinty, MP is a Canadian lawyer politician from Ontario, Canada. He is the Member of Parliament for the riding of Ottawa South and sits in the Canadian House of Commons as the Liberal Party of Canada's Critic for Natural Resources...
(from Sept 8, 2010)
- Hon. Ralph Goodale
- Bloc Québécois House Leader: Pierre PaquettePierre PaquettePierre A. Paquette is a Canadian politician.An economist, professor and former union leader, Paquette was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons as a member of the Bloc Québécois in the Canadian federal election, 2000 in the riding of Joliette...
- New Democratic Party House Leader: Libby DaviesLibby DaviesLibby Davies is a Canadian Member of Parliament for the New Democratic Party , representing the riding of Vancouver East in Vancouver, British Columbia. In 2007, she was named Deputy Leader of the federal NDP, jointly with Thomas Mulcair.-Background:Davies was born in Aldershot, England and...
Whips
Senate- Government Whip in the Senate: Consiglio Di NinoConsiglio Di NinoConsiglio Di Nino is a businessman and Canadian Senator.Born in Italy, Di Nino immigrated to Canada with his family at the age of 13...
- Deputy Government Whip in the Senate: Stephen GreeneStephen GreeneStephen Greene is a Canadian politician and a Conservative member of the Canadian Senate. He was appointed on the advice of Stephen Harper to the Senate on January 2, 2009...
- Opposition Whip in the Senate: Jim MunsonJim MunsonJim Munson is a Canadian Senator and retired journalist.Munson spent most of his journalism career with CTV, which he joined in 1979 after working for Broadcast News for several years. He served as the network's correspondent in Ottawa and then London, England...
- Deputy Opposition Whip in the Senate: Elizabeth Hubley
House of Commons
- Chief Government WhipChief Government Whip (Canada)In Canada the Party Whip is the member of a political party in the Canadian House of Commons, the Canadian Senate or a provincial legislature charged with ensuring party discipline among members of the caucus...
: Hon. Gordon O'ConnorGordon O'ConnorGordon James O'Connor, is a retired Brigadier-General, businessman, lobbyist, and current Canadian Member of Parliament and the Minister of State and Chief Government Whip.... - Deputy Government Whip: Harold AlbrechtHarold AlbrechtHarold Glenn Albrecht is a Member of Parliament for the Conservative Party of Canada in the riding of Kitchener—Conestoga...
- Official Opposition Whip:
- Rodger CuznerRodger CuznerRodger T. Cuzner is a Canadian politician.Born in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, he graduated from Morrison Glace Bay High School and then studied physical education at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish....
(until Sept 10, 2010) - Marcel ProulxMarcel ProulxMarcel Proulx is a Canadian politician.Proulx is a former member of the Liberal Party of Canada in the Canadian House of Commons, having represented the riding of Hull—Aylmer from 1999 to 2011. Proulx is a former administrator, businessman, claim adjuster, and executive assistant...
(from Sept 10, 2010)
- Rodger Cuzner
- Bloc Québécois Whip:
- Michel GuimondMichel GuimondMichel Guimond is a Canadian politician. From 1987 to 1993 he served as a city councillor in Boischatel, Quebec. After this, he ran in the 1993 federal election for the Bloc Québécois. He was elected into the Canadian House of Commons as the member from Beauport—Montmorency—Orléans...
(until June 22, 2010) - Claude DeBellefeuilleClaude DeBellefeuilleClaude DeBellefeuille is a former Bloc Québécois Member of Parliament for the riding of Beauharnois—Salaberry in Quebec, Canada....
(from June 23, 2010)
- Michel Guimond
- New Democratic Party Whip: Yvon GodinYvon GodinYvon Godin is a Canadian politician.Godin is currently a New Democratic Party Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Acadie—Bathurst since 1997. Previously, Godin was a labour representative for the United Steelworkers...
Shadow cabinets
- Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet of the 40th Parliament of Canada
- Bloc Québécois Shadow Cabinet of the 40th Parliament of CanadaBloc Québécois Shadow Cabinet of the 40th Parliament of CanadaThe Bloc Québécois Shadow Cabinet of the 40th Canadian Parliament is listed below. Modifications were made after Paul Crête's resignation.-Caucus officers:* Leader : Gilles Duceppe...
- New Democratic Party Shadow Cabinet of the 40th Parliament of Canada