SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

Member of Parliament

Elizabeth May

  • Member of Parliament
  • Member of Parliament
  • Green Party
  • Saanich—Gulf Islands
  • British Columbia
  • Voting Attendance: 61%
  • Expenses Last Quarter: $112,862.18

  • Government Page
Context: House Hansard - 270 - Jan/29/24
Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP)
  • Jan/29/24 6:06:09 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I know this is difficult for all of us. I want to reflect on how the Green Party handled the previous controversy, which we found egregious. The hon. member for Nipissing—Timiskaming was in the wrong, accepted responsibility and stepped down. We are the only party in this place that did not call for his resignation. It was difficult. I hugely respect the hon. member for New Westminster—Burnaby. I remember the sort of intake of breath and the shock when I heard him say we thought the hon. Speaker must resign. I think it is a very dangerous thing, and it gets worse. I take the point from the hon. member for North Island—Powell River that it gets worse not just when it is personal but also when it becomes partisan. It is very difficult in this place to say that we have gotten over any sense of partisanship. I go back to Lucien Lamoureux, and of course in those days, in the 1960s, one was not elected as Speaker. He chose to leave his caucus while serving as Speaker. That is not uncommon. However, he chose to run for re-election in his riding as an independent. Two major parties stood down so he could do that. Strangely enough, it was the NDP candidate who ran against him. When he ran for re-election the second time when he was Speaker, he still ran as an independent. Nobody stepped down, and he still won. However, unless we are prepared to make those kinds of concessions, that no one ever runs again as other than an independent, we will always have the risk of partisanship, and if—
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Context: House Hansard - 270 - Jan/29/24
Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP)
  • Jan/29/24 5:41:31 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Perth—Wellington, who is as ever thoughtful and lays out the precedents. I am not saying I am not troubled by the events, but I am troubled by another issue, and I would like the member for Perth—Wellington to share his thoughts with the House. It is unprecedented to have removed one Speaker since the last election. If we were to remove another, would we not undermine the role of the Speaker, so that the role becomes insecure? As he mentioned, there are unwritten rules: We cannot question a Speaker's decisions, and we cannot appeal a Speaker's decisions. This is a very slippery slope we are on if we remove Speakers frequently. I do not think that the offences so far meet that threshold, but I wonder if the hon. member is troubled by the precedent we might be setting.
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