41st Canadian Parliament
Encyclopedia
The 41st Canadian Parliament is the current Parliament of Canada
, with the membership of its House of Commons
having been determined by the results of the 2011 federal election held on May 2, 2011. Parliament convened on June 2, 2011 with the election of Andrew Scheer
as Speaker
, followed the next day with the Speech from the Throne
.
was quickly passed and while only the Conservatives voted in favour of the appropriation acts, the Bloc Quebecois and Green Party joined them in voting in favour of the budget implementation bill Supporting Vulnerable Seniors and Strengthening Canada's Economy Act (Bill C-3) which enacted several spending measures promised in the budget, such as increasing the Guaranteed Income Supplements
for seniors. The Fair and Efficient Criminal Trials Act (Bill C-2) authorizing federal judges to hear all pretrial motions at once during mega-trials, was introduced on June 13 and was supported by the Conservative, New Democratic and Liberal parties.
When the parliament re-convened in September, the Minister of Justice
introduced the Safe Streets and Communities Act
, an omnibus bill of nine separate measures. Among the measures include replacing the pardon
system with 'record suspensions', mandatory minimum sentences for certain sexual offences and mandatory minimum penalties for certain drug offences, making it illegal to make sexually explicit information available to a child, increasing prison sentences for marijuana offences, reducing the ability of judges to sentence certain offenders to house arrest, allowing immigration officers to deny work permits to foreigners who are at risk of being sexually exploited, and enabling Canadians to sue state sponsors of terrorism for losses due to an act of terrorism.
On September 29 the Minister of Industry
introduced the Copyright Modernization Act (Bill C-11) — the same bill that was introduced in the 3rd session of the previous parliament
and referred to the 'Legislative Committee on Bill C-32'. The bill is first major copyright reform since 1997 and brings Canadian copyright laws in line with modern digital rights management
However, the proposed law was criticized as "irredeemably flawed" due to a contradiction between consumer rights and digital locks, American interference, a requirement for students to destroy copyrighted digital content after a course ends, and makes notice and notice
mandatory for all ISPs
, including disclosing the identity and activity of customers suspected of copyright infringement.
The Minister of Agriculture
introduced the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act (Bill C-18) which removes the requirement for wheat and barley producers to sell their produce to the Canadian Wheat Board
and appoints a new board of directors must must either privatize or dismantle the wheat board. The bill was studied by the 'Legislative Committee on Bill C-18' chaired by Wetaskiwin
MP Blaine Calkins
. The bill was subject to a lawsuit by the wheat board's existing board of directors claiming that the government cannot change the mandate of the wheat board without the consent of its members and a counter-suit which sought to prevent the board of directors from using wheat board revenue for legal action against the government.
, Larry Smith, and Josée Verner
, all of whom were defeated Conservative Party candidates in the general election. Manning and Smith had resigned from the Senate to run in the election and they became the first Senators to be reappointed to the Senate since John Carling
in April 1896.
Harper largely kept the same cabinet as before the election, but had lost five ministers to retirement or defeat. In the May 18 cabinet shuffle he promoted Steven Blaney
, Ed Fast
, Joe Oliver
, Peter Penashue
to ministerial positions, as well as promoting Denis Lebel
and Julian Fantino
from Minister of State roles to ministerial positions. He also promoted Bernard Valcourt
, Tim Uppal
, Alice Wong
, Bal Gosal
, and Maxime Bernier
to Minister of State roles, replacing the two who had been promoted to Minister, one who had been defeated in the election, and Rob Merrifield
and Rob Moore who were demoted.
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...
, with 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...
having been determined by the results of the 2011 federal election held on May 2, 2011. Parliament convened on June 2, 2011 with the election of Andrew Scheer
Andrew Scheer
Andrew 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:...
as Speaker
Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons
The 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...
, followed the next day with the Speech from the Throne
Speech from the Throne
A speech from the throne is an event in certain monarchies in which the reigning sovereign reads a prepared speech to a complete session of parliament, outlining the government's agenda for the coming session...
.
Party standings
The party standings as of the election and as of were as follows:| Affiliation | House Members | Senate Members | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Election Results |
As of August 22, 2011 |
On Election Day 2011 |
As of October 17, 2011 |
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... |
166 | 166 | 52 | 54 |
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... |
103 | 102 | 0 | 0 |
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... |
34 | 34 | 46 | 43 |
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... |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Green Green Party of Canada The Green Party of Canada is a Canadian federal political party founded in 1983 with 10,000–12,000 registered members as of October 2008. The Greens advance a broad multi-issue political platform that reflects its core values of ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy and... |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Progressive Conservative Progressive Conservative Party of Canada The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues.... |
0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Independent | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Total members | 308 | 307 | 102 | 100 |
vacant | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total seats | 308 | 105 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Major bills and motions
In the parliament's first session, the House of Commons met for 14 days in June, between the end of election and before the summer recess, and 6 bills were given royal assent, all on June 26. The Restoring Mail Delivery for Canadians Act (Bill C-6) was adopted despite 58 hours of continuous debate. The 2011 Canadian federal budget2011 Canadian federal budget
The Canadian federal budget for the 2011-2012 fiscal year was presented to the Canadian House of Commons by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty on March 22, 2011, then again in June following a May 2nd election....
was quickly passed and while only the Conservatives voted in favour of the appropriation acts, the Bloc Quebecois and Green Party joined them in voting in favour of the budget implementation bill Supporting Vulnerable Seniors and Strengthening Canada's Economy Act (Bill C-3) which enacted several spending measures promised in the budget, such as increasing the Guaranteed Income Supplements
Old Age Security
The Old Age Security pension is a taxable monthly social security payment available to most Canadians 65 years of age or older. As of July, 2011, the basic amount is C$533.70 per month. At tax time, recipients with 2010 incomes over C$67,668 must pay back a portion of their Old Age Security at a...
for seniors. The Fair and Efficient Criminal Trials Act (Bill C-2) authorizing federal judges to hear all pretrial motions at once during mega-trials, was introduced on June 13 and was supported by the Conservative, New Democratic and Liberal parties.
When the parliament re-convened in September, the Minister of Justice
Minister of Justice (Canada)
The Minister of Justice is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for the Department of Justice and is also Attorney General of Canada .This cabinet position is usually reserved for someone with formal legal training...
introduced the Safe Streets and Communities Act
Safe Streets and Communities Act
The Safe Streets and Communities Act is a bill that the Conservative Party of Canada introduced during the 41st Canadian Parliament.When the Parliament re-convened in September 2011, the Minister of Justice introduced the Safe Streets and Communities Act, an omnibus bill of nine separate measures...
, an omnibus bill of nine separate measures. Among the measures include replacing the pardon
Pardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
system with 'record suspensions', mandatory minimum sentences for certain sexual offences and mandatory minimum penalties for certain drug offences, making it illegal to make sexually explicit information available to a child, increasing prison sentences for marijuana offences, reducing the ability of judges to sentence certain offenders to house arrest, allowing immigration officers to deny work permits to foreigners who are at risk of being sexually exploited, and enabling Canadians to sue state sponsors of terrorism for losses due to an act of terrorism.
On September 29 the Minister of Industry
Minister of Industry (Canada)
The Minister of Industry is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's economic development and corporate affairs department, Industry Canada. The Minister of Industry is also the minister responsible for Statistics Canada...
introduced the Copyright Modernization Act (Bill C-11) — the same bill that was introduced in the 3rd session of the previous parliament
40th Canadian Parliament
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...
and referred to the 'Legislative Committee on Bill C-32'. The bill is first major copyright reform since 1997 and brings Canadian copyright laws in line with modern digital rights management
Digital rights management
Digital rights management is a class of access control technologies that are used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals with the intent to limit the use of digital content and devices after sale. DRM is any technology that inhibits uses of digital content that...
However, the proposed law was criticized as "irredeemably flawed" due to a contradiction between consumer rights and digital locks, American interference, a requirement for students to destroy copyrighted digital content after a course ends, and makes notice and notice
Notice and notice
A "notice and notice" system is used by some internet service providers in relation to the uploading and downloading activities of a user of a peer-to-peer file-sharing network, otherwise known as "P2P". It may occur when an ISP receives notification from a rights holder to a copyrighted work that...
mandatory for all ISPs
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
, including disclosing the identity and activity of customers suspected of copyright infringement.
The Minister of Agriculture
Minister of Agriculture (Canada)
The Minister of Agriculture is a Minister of the Crown in the Cabinet of Canada, who is responsible for overseeing several organizations including Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Canadian Dairy Commission, Farm Credit Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, National Farm Products Council and...
introduced the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act (Bill C-18) which removes the requirement for wheat and barley producers to sell their produce to the Canadian Wheat Board
Canadian Wheat Board
The Canadian Wheat Board was established by the Parliament of Canada on 5 July 1935 as a mandatory producer marketing system for wheat and barley in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and a small part of British Columbia...
and appoints a new board of directors must must either privatize or dismantle the wheat board. The bill was studied by the 'Legislative Committee on Bill C-18' chaired by Wetaskiwin
Wetaskiwin (electoral district)
Wetaskiwin is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1925.-Geography:...
MP Blaine Calkins
Blaine Calkins
Blaine F. Calkins is a Conservative Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons. He represents the riding of Wetaskiwin in Alberta....
. The bill was subject to a lawsuit by the wheat board's existing board of directors claiming that the government cannot change the mandate of the wheat board without the consent of its members and a counter-suit which sought to prevent the board of directors from using wheat board revenue for legal action against the government.
Senate appointments and cabinet shuffles
On May 18, 2011, two weeks after the election, Prime-Minister Harper made appointments to the Senate and the 28th Canadian Ministry. To the Senate Harper appointed Fabian ManningFabian 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...
, Larry Smith, and Josée Verner
Josée Verner
Josée Verner, PC, is a Canadian politician. She represented the electoral district of Louis-Saint-Laurent in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2011 as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada...
, all of whom were defeated Conservative Party candidates in the general election. Manning and Smith had resigned from the Senate to run in the election and they became the first Senators to be reappointed to the Senate since John Carling
John Carling
Sir John Carling, PC, KCMG of the Carling Brewery was a prominent politician and businessman from London, Ontario, Canada...
in April 1896.
Harper largely kept the same cabinet as before the election, but had lost five ministers to retirement or defeat. In the May 18 cabinet shuffle he promoted Steven Blaney
Steven Blaney
Steven Blaney is a Canadian Conservative politician from Quebec. , he is Minister of Veterans Affairs....
, Ed Fast
Ed Fast
Edward D. "Ed" Fast, is a Canadian politician, currently the Member of Parliament for Abbotsford, and serving as the Minister for International Trade and as Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway.-Biography:...
, Joe Oliver
Joe Oliver (politician)
Joseph "Joe" Oliver, , PC is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. He represents the electoral district of Eglinton—Lawrence as a member of the Conservative Party....
, Peter Penashue
Peter Penashue
Peter Penashue, PC, MP is a Canadian politician from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada currently serving as the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada...
to ministerial positions, as well as promoting Denis Lebel
Denis Lebel
Denis Lebel, PC, MP is a Canadian federal politician and former mayor of Roberval, Quebec.Lebel was elected to the Canadian House of Commons on September 17, 2007, in the Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean by-election, 2007...
and 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...
from Minister of State roles to ministerial positions. He also promoted Bernard Valcourt
Bernard Valcourt
Bernard Valcourt, PC is a Canadian politician and lawyer.-Entrance to politics:Valcourt was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the 1984 election that brought Brian Mulroney to power. He was appointed to the Canadian Cabinet in 1986 as a...
, Tim Uppal
Tim Uppal
Tim Uppal, PC, MP is a Canadian politician, who was elected as a Member of Parliament for Edmonton—Sherwood Park in the 2008 federal election...
, Alice Wong
Alice Wong
Alice Siu-Ping Chan Wong, PC, MP is a Canadian politician, who was elected to represent the electoral district of Richmond. She is a member of the Conservative Party and formerly served as the Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism...
, Bal Gosal
Bal Gosal
Baljit Gosal, is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election...
, and Maxime Bernier
Maxime Bernier
Maxime Bernier, PC, MP is a Canadian politician currently serving as the Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism in the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper....
to Minister of State roles, replacing the two who had been promoted to Minister, one who had been defeated in the election, and Rob Merrifield
Rob Merrifield
Robert "Rob" Merrifield, PC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Yellowhead, and was the Minister of State for Transport from October 2008 to May 2011....
and Rob Moore who were demoted.
Members
- For full lists of members of the 41st Parliament of Canada, see List of House members of the 41st Parliament of Canada and List of senators in the 41st Parliament of Canada.
Standing and sub-committees
- Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern DevelopmentCanadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern DevelopmentThe Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development is a standing committee of the Canadian House of Commons.-Mandate:...
- Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and EthicsCanadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and EthicsThe Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics is a permanent standing committee of the Canadian House of Commons that reports to the Parliament of Canada on issues related to ethics and the Access to Information Act. The committee may be referred to...
- Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food
- Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage
- Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration
- Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable DevelopmentCanadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable DevelopmentThe Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development is a standing committee in the Canadian House of Commons.- Membership :Clerk of the Committee: Guyanne L. DesforgesDepartments under the committee's scrutiny:...
- Standing Committee on Finance
- Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans
- Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International DevelopmentCanadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International DevelopmentThe Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development is a committee in the Canadian House of Commons. It focuses on foreign affairs and international development...
- Foreign Affairs and International Development Subcommittee on International Human Rights
- Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates
- Standing Committee on Health
- Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities
- Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology
- Standing Committee on International TradeCanadian House of Commons Standing Committee on International TradeThe Standing Committee on International Trade is a committee in the Canadian House of Commons. It focuses on international trade. The committee is a new one for the 39th Parliament, having split off from the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade.-Studies:*Canada-Central...
- Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights
- Standing Committee on National Defence
- Standing Committee on Natural Resources
- Standing Committee on Official Languages
- Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsCanadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsThe Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs is a standing committee composed of the four political parties of the Government of Canada that is responsible for the procedural and administrative matters relating to the Canadian House of Commons. It has 12 members,...
- Standing Committee on Public Accounts
- Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security
- Standing Committee on Status of Women
- Transport, Infrastructure and CommunitiesCanadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and CommunitiesThe Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities is a committee in the Canadian House of Commons. It focuses on transport, infrastructure and communities...
- Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs
Standing and sub-committees
- Standing Committee on Aboriginal PeoplesCanadian Senate Standing Committee on Aboriginal PeoplesThe Canadian Senate Standing Committee on Aboriginal Peoples is a Canadian Senate committee of the Government of Canada.It examines legislation and matters relating to the Aboriginal Peoples of Canada.-Membership:...
- Standing Committee on Agriculture and ForestryCanadian Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and ForestryThe Canadian Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry is a Canadian Senate committee of the Government of Canada.The mandate of the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry is to examine legislation and matters relating to agriculture and forestry generally, and the Canadian Wheat...
- Standing Committee on Banking, Trade and CommerceCanadian Senate Standing Committee on Banking, Trade and CommerceThe Canadian Senate Standing Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce is a standing committee in the Senate of Canada.-Membership:-External links: Canadian Senate Standing Committee on Banking,Trade and Commerce...
- Standing Committee on Conflict of Interest for SenatorsCanadian Senate Standing Committee on Conflict of Interest for SenatorsThe Canadian Senate Standing Committee on Conflict of Interest for Senators is a standing committee in the Senate of Canada.-Membership:As of 39th Parliament, 2nd Session:- External links :*...
- Standing Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural ResourcesCanadian Senate Standing Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural ResourcesThe Canadian Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources is a standing Committee of the Senate of Canada. The Committee first met in January 1984 under the name of Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Its name was changed to the present one in January 1991. From 1946 to...
- Standing Committee on Fisheries and OceansCanadian Senate Standing Committee on Fisheries and OceansThe Committee on Fisheries and Oceans is a standing committee in the Senate of Canada.- Members :-External links:*...
- Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade
- Standing Committee on Human RightsCanadian Senate Standing Committee on Human RightsThe Committee on Human Rights is a standing committee of the Senate of Canada, which handles all matters concerning human rights.- Members :-External links:*...
- Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
- Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional AffairsCanadian Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional AffairsThe Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs is a standing committee of the Senate of Canada. It has jurisdiction over legislation and matters relating to legal and constitutional matters generally, including: federal-provincial relations; administration of justice, law reform and all...
- Standing Committee on National FinanceCanadian Senate Standing Committee on National FinanceThe Committee on National Finance is a standing committee of the Senate of Canada. It was first created in May 1919 under the name of the Committee on Finance. Its name was changed to the Committee on National Finance in 1968. The Committee has juridsiction over government spending.- Members...
- Standing Committee on National Security and DefenceCanadian Senate Standing Committee on National Security and DefenceThe Canadian Senate Standing Committee on National Security and Defence is a Canadian Senate committee of the Government of Canada....
- Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs
- Standing Committee on Official LanguagesCanadian Senate Standing Committee on Official LanguagesSENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON OFFICIAL LANGUAGES 40TH PARLIAMENT 2ND SESSION MANDATEOn October 10, 2002, the Senate dissociated itself from the former Standing Joint Committee on Official Languages and created its own standing committee on official languages...
- Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament
- Selection CommitteeCanadian Senate Standing Committee of SelectionThe Canadian Senate Standing Committee of Selection is a Canadian Senate committee of the Government of Canada....
- Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology
- Standing Committee on Transport and CommunicationsCanadian Senate Standing Committee on Transport and CommunicationThe Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications is one of the oldest committees of the Senate of Canada, having been first created in 1867 under the name of the Banking, Commerce and Railways Committee...
Joint Committees
- Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament
- Standing Joint Committee on Scrutiny of Regulations
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...
: Hon.The HonourableThe prefix The Honourable or The Honorable is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.-International diplomacy:...
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...
: Hon. 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:...
, Saskatchewan
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...
: Hon. Donald H. Oliver, Conservative Senator for Nova Scotia
House of Commons
- House of Commons Deputy Speaker and 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....
, British Columbia - 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...
, Ontario - Assistant Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole: Bruce StantonBruce StantonRonald Bruce Stanton is a Canadian politician and the current Member of Parliament for the riding of Simcoe North. He ran as a member of the Conservative Party in the 2006 federal election and won with 40.44% of the vote. Prior to being elected, he ran a family tourism business on Sparrow Lake...
, Conservative member for Simcoe NorthSimcoe NorthSimcoe North is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada. It was established as a federal riding in 1867. Its population was 119,400 in 2006.-Demographics:Ethnic groups: 92.3% White, 5.9% Native Canadian...
, Ontario
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:
- 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...
(May 2, 2011 - August 22, 2011) - Nycole TurmelNycole TurmelNycole Turmel, MP is the Leader of the Official Opposition in the Canadian Parliament. She was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 federal election, representing the electoral district of Hull—Aylmer, and became interim leader of the New Democratic Party after leader Jack...
(August 22, 2011 - present) (acting Opposition Leader since August 22, 2011, acting NDP leader since July 28, 2011)
- Hon. Jack Layton
- Liberal Party of CanadaLiberal 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...
: Hon. Bob RaeBob RaeRobert 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....
(interim) - 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...
parliamentary leader: Louis PlamondonLouis PlamondonLouis Plamondon is a politician in the Canadian province of Quebec and the current interim parliamentary leader of the Bloc Québécois ....
(acting) - Green Party of CanadaGreen Party of CanadaThe Green Party of Canada is a Canadian federal political party founded in 1983 with 10,000–12,000 registered members as of October 2008. The Greens advance a broad multi-issue political platform that reflects its core values of ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy and...
leader: Elizabeth MayElizabeth MayElizabeth Evans May, OC, MP is an American-born Canadian Member of Parliament, environmentalist, writer, activist, lawyer, and the leader of the Green Party of Canada. She was the executive director of the Sierra Club of Canada from 1989 to 2006. She became a Canadian citizen in 1978.May's...
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: Hon. 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. Peter Van LoanPeter Van LoanPeter Van Loan, PC MP is a Canadian politician who is the Member of Parliament for the electoral district of York—Simcoe. He has been the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons since May 18, 2011, a role he previously held from 2007 to 2008.-Biography:Born in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Van...
- Opposition House Leader: Tom MulcairThomas MulcairThomas J. "Tom" Mulcair is a Canadian lawyer, university professor, and politician. He is the federal Member of Parliament for Outremont, Quebec, Canada, and currently holds a seat in the New Democratic Party of Canada...
- Liberal House Leader: Marc GarneauMarc GarneauJoseph Jean-Pierre Marc Garneau, CC CD FCASI MP is a Canadian retired military officer, former astronaut, engineer and politician.Garneau was the first Canadian in space taking part in three flights aboard NASA Space shuttles...
- Bloc Québécois House Leader: Louis PlamondonLouis PlamondonLouis Plamondon is a politician in the Canadian province of Quebec and the current interim parliamentary leader of the Bloc Québécois ....
(acting)
Whips
Senate- Government Whip in the Senate: Hon. 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: Hon. 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: Hon. 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: Hon. Libbe HubleyLibbe HubleyElizabeth M. "Libbe" Hubley is a Canadian politician and currently sits in the Canadian Senate representing Prince Edward Island.In 1989 she was elected to Prince Edward Island's legislative assembly as a Liberal...
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: Chris CharltonChris CharltonChris Charlton, MP, MA is a German-born, Canadian politician from the City of Hamilton, Ontario. As a New Democrat, she has served as the Member of Parliament for Hamilton Mountain since 2006...
- Liberal Whip: Judy FooteJudy FooteJudy Foote is a Canadian politician from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. She represented the electoral district of Grand Bank in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1996 to 2007 as a member of the Liberal Party. Foote has been the Liberal Member of Parliament for the riding of...
Shadow cabinets
- Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet of the 41st Parliament of Canada
- Liberal Shadow Cabinet of the 41st Parliament of Canada
- Bloc Québécois Shadow Cabinet of the 41st Parliament of CanadaBloc Québécois Shadow Cabinet of the 41st Parliament of CanadaThe Bloc Québécois Shadow Cabinet of the 41st Canadian Parliament was announced on June 2, 2011 as follows:*Louis Plamondon: Interim Parliamentary Leader and Critic for the Prime Minister of Canada , Canadian Heritage , Democratic Reform , Finance , Veterans Affairs *André Bellavance: Critic for...