Commonwealth _ Greg Fergus assumed the role of Speaker of the House of Commons in October after his predecessor, Anthony Rota, faced criticism for oversight regarding a guest invited to witness the Ukrainian president’s address to Parliament. Regrettably, Fergus now faces accusations of neglecting proper care, particularly concerning the Speaker’s official attire. While Fergus must reflect on his actions and duties to the institution he represents, this situation involves more than just him. At the Ontario Liberal Party convention, a 105-second video featured Fergus expressing warm sentiments about his long-standing friendship with John Fraser, the departing interim leader of the party. Notably, Fergus wore the Speaker’s robes in this recording. Addressing the House on Monday, Fergus clarified that he was unaware his message would be part of the Ontario Liberal convention and emphasized that his remarks were intended as a “non-political message to a personal friend of over 34 years.” Despite this, he issued an apology.
Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer remained unswayed by the apology, asserting in the House that Fergus’s “partisan tribute to a partisan friend at a partisan event” gravely undermined the Speaker’s impartiality. Scheer, a former Speaker himself, additionally raised concerns over Fergus’s use of the term “our party” during an interview about Fraser with the Globe and Mail. Both the Conservatives and Bloc Quebecois advocate for Fergus’s resignation, considering his mistake grave. The New Democrats have refrained from endorsing this call, and the issue appears destined for examination by a parliamentary committee. In Canada, the tradition for Speakers involves notably curbing their involvement in partisan activities. They typically refrain from attending party caucus meetings, abstain from voting in the House (except in tie-breaking situations), and avoid engaging in debates.
However, despite these limitations, the Speaker does not entirely shed their partisan identity. Unlike in the United Kingdom, where an MP serving as Speaker stands for re-election as an independent candidate, in Canada, the Speaker remains affiliated with a political party while seeking office. Scheer’s impartiality was no longer questioned when he refrained from entering the Speaker’s election following the general election, though Green Leader Elizabeth May later implied Scheer had compromised the Speaker’s office by running for the Conservative leadership four years later. Regarding Fergus’s possible dismissal due to the wardrobe incident, it now falls upon his fellow MPs to deliberate and decide. Fergus aimed to elevate decorum and revive “respect” in Parliament after Rota’s departure caused harm to the institution. However, when he tried to address this matter two weeks later, he faced near-drowning protests and heckles from the Official Opposition. The Conservatives are currently condemning Fergus’s alleged disregard for the integrity of his position, yet they have been challenging the House’s regulations. It seems their opposition to “elites” extends to the established rules and traditions of the House. There’s a rule against MPs directly mentioning each other by name, but Conservatives have subtly used “just inflation” as a reference to the prime minister’s first name. Fergus had to recently caution Conservative members against referencing the presence or absence of other members, a reminder also issued by Deputy Speaker Chris D’Entremont during the transition between Rota and Fergus.
Additionally, the Conservatives have attempted to direct questions during the question period to backbench MPs and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, who are not permitted to respond under the established regulations, as only ministers and parliamentary secretaries are allowed to reply during the designated time for government-related queries. The concern about the Speaker’s perceived impartiality leads to a significant incident from almost a year ago when Conservative MP Raquel Dancho accused a Liberal MP of “lying.” Such an accusation is deemed unparliamentary, prompting Fergus’s predecessor to request Dancho to withdraw her remark and apologize. When Dancho refused, Rota ordered her to leave the House. Subsequently, the Conservative Party circulated a fundraising appeal where Dancho claimed that “the Liberal Speaker kicked me out of the House of Commons yesterday for telling the truth.” This narrative portrayed the Speaker as a “Liberal” engaging in a partisan act to “silence” an opposition MP. Such an assertion is a grave accusation and directly challenges the House’s mandate for impartiality, which is now under serious scrutiny.
