Who is Who in Parliament

Lesson 2 ~ Mock ParliamentWho is Who in ParliamentThe House of Commons is made up of people who have been electedThe political party which has the most members elected becomes the party in power.

The political party with the second most elected members becomes the official opposition

Other political parties and even members who run as independents play a role in parliamentWho are the leaders?Party in PowerOfficial OppositionThe leader of the party in power becomes the Prime ministerThe leader of the party with the second most votes becomes the leaders of the official oppositionSpeaker of the House of CommonsAs Speaker of the House, your role is to preside over the sittings of the House of Commons. You are an elected MP, and you were chosen to be Speaker of the House of Commons by the other MPs in a secret ballot at the opening of Parliament. During sittings of the House of Commons, you preside over the proceedings, read the motions and put the questions to which the House must respond by voting. You will vote only in the case of a tie and would normally vote to maintain the status quo. As the presiding officer, you must enforce all of the House of Commons rules. Whether you are dealing with the Government or the Opposition, with the Prime Minister, a Cabinet Minister or a backbencher, you must remain impartial. This means that you must be fair to all parties. You are also responsible for managing the House of Commons staff. This means you have about 1,500 people and a budget of close to $240 million to think about. Your management and administrative skills come in handy for this aspect of the job. You represent the House of Commons, both in Canada and abroad. This role is very time-consuming, as it includes dealings with the Governor General, the Government, the Senate, the diplomatic corps, the provincial legislatures and foreign parliaments. You welcome foreign heads of state and government leaders, speakers of other parliaments and parliamentary delegations when they visit the House of Commons. When you are presiding over a sitting of the House, all MPs must address you directly. For example, when an MP asks a question, he or she must start by saying, "Mr. Speaker, would the Minister please tell the House ...".

As Speaker of the House, your duties include:presiding over sittings of the House of Commons proposing motions and putting questions to the House of Commons for decision overseeing the management of the House of Commons staff representing the House of Commons in Canada and abroad your regular constituency duties as an elected MP (but you don't attend caucus, in order to remain neutral) in the case of a tie, casting the deciding vote for the status quo (in all other cases, you don't vote at all, in order to maintain your non-partisanship)

Prime MinisterAs Prime Minister, you are the head of Government. You were chosen to lead your party at a leadership convention. The people of Canada also placed their confidence in your party during the most recent general election by giving your MPs the greatest number of seats. It is up to you to decide on an appropriate time for parliamentary sessions to begin. You advise the Governor General, who exercises the power to summon Parliament. Similarly, when you feel that the time is right to end a session, your recommendation on when to end sessions and dissolve Parliament will usually be respected by the Governor General. You advise the Governor General on the appointments of Senators, Cabinet Ministers, Supreme Court Justices and the Lieutenant-Governors of the provinces. When choosing your Cabinet, it is important to consider a fair representation of MPs from all the provinces. You should also try to take factors such as gender, religion, and linguistic and ethnic background into account. You get to decide on the agendas for Cabinet meetings, and you serve as the chair for many Cabinet committees. Your leadership capabilities enable you to help Cabinet achieve the consensus that is required on all Cabinet decisions. You are the key representative for Canada on the international scene. You are expected to attend world summits, as well as to visit foreign countries to meet with their leaders.

As Prime Minister, your duties include:

recommending, to the Governor General, the times for summoning and dissolving Parliament recommending key appointments deciding the agendas for Cabinet meetings chairing Cabinet meetings playing a lead role in the House of Commons, particularly during Question Period meeting with leaders of other countries on matters of international importance

Leader of the Official OppositionYou were chosen to lead your party, at a leadership convention or by some similar process. Unfortunately, your party did not win the largest number of seats in the last general election. However, your party did win the second largest number of seats and is, therefore, called the Official Opposition. As Leader of the Official Opposition, you have a key role to play in Parliament. Without anyone to oppose its policies and bills, a governing party would have too much power. The presence of your party (and the other opposition parties) in the House of Commons reflects the democratic structure of the Canadian system of government. It is your party's role to keep the Government accountable to the citizens, to ask questions and to propose alternatives. Under your direction, your party must fight for the principles it believes in, and also oppose any matters it feels are harmful to Canadian society. You appoint one MP per federal department to act as a critic of that department. These MPs make up your Shadow Cabinet. You meet with your Senators and MPs regularly in caucus to decide on strategies and to confirm your party's position on issues, so that you can present a united front during Senate and House of Commons sittings and committee meetings. You have proven yourself a capable speaker during your former years in politics, and are now the key spokesperson for your party. It is your job to criticize what you think is wrong with what the Government is proposing, or has decided upon. Be prepared for some lively discussions, debates and criticism during debates, Question Period and press conferences. Your party serves as an alternative to the party currently in power. If the public loses confidence in the Government and disagrees with many of the actions it has taken, your party stands a good chance of winning the next general election. That means you would become the next Prime Minister of Canada!

As Leader of the Official Opposition, your duties include:

leading your party in its role as Official Opposition selecting MPs for Shadow Cabinet positions deciding, in consultation with others, on the agendas for caucus meetings acting as key spokesperson for your party presenting your policies providing Canadians with an alternative to the current Government

Leader of a Third Party,You were chosen to lead your party at a leadership convention or by some similar process. Unfortunately, your party did not come first or second in the most recent general election. As the leader of an opposition party, however, you have a key role to play in Parliament. Without anyone to oppose its policies and bills, a governing party would have too much power. The presence of your party (and the other opposition parties) in the House of Commons reflects the democratic structure of the Canadian system of government. Your party helps to keep the Government accountable to the citizens. Under your direction, your party must fight for the principles it believes in, and also oppose any matters it feels are harmful to Canadian society. You meet with your party's parliamentarians regularly (often daily) in caucus to decide on strategies and to confirm your party's position on issues, so that you can present a united front during sittings of Parliament. You have proven yourself a capable speaker during your former years in politics, and are now the key spokesperson for your party. It is your job to criticize what you think is wrong with what the Government is proposing, or has decided upon. Be prepared for some lively discussions, debates and criticism during debates, Question Period and press conferences. Your party serves as an alternative to the current party in power. If the public loses confidence in the Government and disagrees with many of the actions it has taken, your party could win the next general election. That means you would become the next Prime Minister of Canada!

As the Leader of a Third Party, your duties include:

leading your party in its role as an opposition party attending and participating in caucus meetings acting as the key spokesperson for your party presenting your policies providing Canadians with an alternative to the current Government

MinisterYou are a Government MP who has been selected by the Prime Minister to play a key role in the Government. As a Minister, you are part of the Cabinet. Just as a company has a group of senior executives, the Government's top executives (Ministers) are members of the Cabinet. The Prime Minister probably has assigned you a portfolio. This means that you are in charge of a Government department, and are responsible for its activities. For example, you may have been selected to head the Department of Finance. In this case, your title would be Minister of Finance. Not all Ministers head departments. You may be a junior Minister who assists in one of the departments. If so, your title may be Secretary of State. Being a Secretary of State is a privilege, since you gain valuable Cabinet experience. Remember that you are still an MP, and that the following duties associated with that status must not be neglected:

As a Minister your duties may includevoting on motions, including motions to make bills into laws making speeches in the House of Commons, and in committees debating bills and motions dealing with concerns and problems raised by your constituents attending caucus meetings attending functions in your constituency running your parliamentary and constituency offices, and supervising the staff who assist you in research, writing speeches, working on constituency problems, etc. heading a Government department initiating bills that will become laws presenting bills to the House of Commons shepherding bills through the House of Commons, committees and the Senate answering questions during Question Period, in committee, or during caucus related to your department, or to legislation you have presented in the Housemeeting with the other Ministers and the Prime Minister in Cabinet meetings, during which bills are initiated and decisions are made about policy matters

MPYou are an MP because in the most recent general election you won the largest number of votes in your riding. Your constituents have placed their confidence in you, and you now represent them in the House of Commons. If your party was successful in the election by winning the greatest number of seats, you are also part of the Government. The opinions you express, and the votes you cast in Parliament, will not always coincide with the views of all of your constituents. This would be impossible, given the wide variety of people in your riding. Therefore, you must also take into account such factors as your loyalty to your party, your duty to your country, your personal views and your desire to be re-elected in the next general election. You lead a very busy life. While in Ottawa, you attend both parliamentary sessions and committee meetings. Your riding may be thousands of kilometres from Ottawa, yet you are expected to return there regularly in order to keep in close contact with your constituents. Constituents regularly write to you, contact you by e-mail or phone, and ask to meet with you in order to obtain your assistance in solving problems that they have. For example, they might be trying to obtain a passport, or attempting to help a relative become a Canadian citizen.

As an MP your duties include:voting on motions, including motions to make bills into laws making speeches in the House of Commons, and in committees debating bills and motions presenting petitions from your constituents sitting on committees dealing with concerns and problems raised by your constituents attending caucus meetings attending functions in your constituency running your parliamentary and constituency offices, and supervising the staff who assist you in research, writing speeches, working on constituency problems, etc. initiating bills and motions Sergeant at ArmsYou have been given a role that dates back to Parliament's earliest days. Originally, the Crown appointed the Sergeant-at-Arms as the Speaker's bodyguard. In a sense, you are the protector of the Speaker and other MPs, but you also have an important ceremonial role to play. Dressed in your traditional cocked hat and black tailcoat, and wearing your sword for a display of the historical role of protector, you walk at the head of the parade that escorts the Speaker in and out of the House every day. In addition to sittings in the House of Commons, you escort the Speaker at other parliamentary functions such as the reading of the Throne Speech and Royal Assent in the Senate. As guardian of the Mace, you must carry it at all processions and ensure that it is correctly placed on the table when the House sits. When the House sits in Committee of the Whole, however, you must place it on the brackets below the table. You sit in a chair near the Bar of the House, which faces the Speaker. Even though it rarely happens, you must be prepared to escort MPs or others from the House for disciplinary purposes. You are responsible for ensuring the security of the Prime Minister and all MPs while they are within the precincts of the House. You are in charge of the security staff and keep in contact with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the Ottawa police and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).

As Sergeant at Arms your duties include:escorting the Speaker at the beginning and end of a sitting guarding the Mace and ensuring its proper placement on or below the table conducting MPs or others from the House for disciplinary purposes ensuring the security of the Prime Minister and other MPs and staff controlling traffic on Parliament Hill hiring and overseeing the work of security and other staff maintaining contact with the RCMP, the Ottawa Police and CSISClerk of the House:As Clerk of the House of Commons you have a thorough knowledge of parliamentary procedures. You use this knowledge to advise the Speaker and the MPs. You are also the keeper of all House papers and documents. You are responsible for making sure that no one makes changes to those documents without the permission of the House. You also certify and authenticate (i.e., sign) many texts, including bills that become law. You give equal treatment to all MPs, regardless of which party they belong to. You are courteous, pleasant and patient when listening and providing advice. Be careful not to take sides. Remember - you are a servant of the House and your job is to be fair to all. All staff who work for the House work for you. For example, the parliamentary Pages, the Clerk of Petitions and Clerks of Committees are all under your supervision. You wear a traditional black gown that has its origins in court dress. Clerks of the British House of Commons and many Caribbean and African Parliament still wear "powdered wigs." Whenever you walk in procession behind the Speaker of the House of Commons, make sure to put on your special tricorn hat. For example, you will need it for the Opening of the House of Commons and Senate, and for the Royal Assent ceremony.

As Clerk of the House your duties include:receiving and keeping safe all House documents authenticating (i.e., signing) all House documents advising the Speaker and MPs on parliamentary rules and procedures ensuring that the Standing Orders are followed overseeing the work of the House staff

Committee ChairA committee is a small group of MPs, Senators, or MPs and Senators assigned to take a closer look at legislation, or other matters. A committee examines each bill. After examining the bill, the committee is required to produce a report referring the bill back to the House of Commons. It may even make amendments (changes) designed to improve the bill. The committee will vote on suggested changes. If any of the suggested changes are agreed to, the bill will be rewritten to include them before it is returned to the House of Commons for the report stage and third reading. As the chair of a committee, you play a very special role. You direct and oversee all of the work done by your committee. Just as the Speaker ensures fairness and keeps order in the House of Commons, you do the same within your committee. Because committees are small, they can be more relaxed and informal than in the House. For example, MPs are referred to by name in committee, rather than by riding; they are also allowed to remain seated while speaking. Votes are taken by a show of hands rather than standing in their places as in the House of Commons. The work done by committees in studying bills and issues is valuable to Parliament. You must, therefore, ensure that your committee stays on track. Since a committee is a small group, discussions between parliamentarians can proceed more quickly than in the House of Commons. Government and Opposition backbenchers get opportunities to voice their opinions and to ask questions of Ministers, officials and other witnesses during committee meetings. They also get to propose amendments to legislation. It is your responsibility to report to the House of Commons on the committee's work. If you are not able to attend the sitting, your vice-chair or another member of your committee can take your place. As committee chair your duties include:chairing the committee ensuring that it stays on track, and that every member gets his or her opinion heard reporting your committee's activity to the House of Commons deciding whether or not suggested amendments to a bill are in order putting the question (taking votes) on amendments and bills that are being examined by your committee

Committee Member (in power)As an MP, you are expected to serve on a committee when chosen to do so. A committee is a small group of MPs, Senators, or MPs and Senators that has been assigned to take a closer look at legislation, or other matters. It is made up of parliamentarians from the Government, as well as from the opposition parties. A committee examines each bill. After examining the bill, the committee is required to report the bill back to the House of Commons, with or without amendments, for the next stage. The committee may also make amendments to the bill. Since a committee is a small group, discussions can proceed more quickly. Discussions are also more informal and relaxed than in the House of Commons. During committee meetings, you will get a much better opportunity to voice your opinions, and to ask questions of Ministers, officials and other witnesses. You will also have the opportunity to propose an amendment (change) to a bill, provided your proposed amendment is in order procedurally. The committee will vote on it and, if agreed to, the amendment will become part of the bill. As a committee member you may be involved in the following:examining bills in detail and proposing amendments studying Government department budget forecasts for the coming year participating in public committee meetings and inquiries voting on amendments and bills that are being examined by your committee

Committee Member (opposition)As an MP, you are expected to serve on a committee when chosen to do so. A committee is a small group of MPs, Senators, or MPs and Senators that has been assigned to take a closer look at legislation, or other matters. A committee examines each bill. The committee may even amend (change) the bill. After examining the bill, the committee is required to report the bill back to the House of Commons, with or without amendments, for the next stage. Since a committee is a small group, discussions can proceed more quickly and in a more informal and relaxed way than they would in the House of Commons. During committee meetings, you will get a much better opportunity to voice your opinions, and to ask questions of Ministers, officials and other witnesses. If you disagree with your committee, a dissenting opinion may be added to the report. In this case, be prepared to make a brief statement at the time of presentation in the House of Commons. Only one Opposition spokesperson is allowed to speak. Your dissenting opinion is not tabled with the report of the bill.

As a committee member you may:examining a bill in detail and suggesting amendments studying departmental budget forecasts for the coming year attending public committee meetings and inquiries preparing and presenting minority reports, if you disagree with the majority opinion (on subject matters, but not on bills)

What did you learn?Jeopardy Review GamePrime MinisterLeader of Official OppositionLeader of Third PartySpeaker of the HouseCommittee ChairMinister of FinanceCommittee Member Party in PowerMP for Party in PowerMP for OppositionSergeant at ArmsMP for third PartyCommittee Member OppositionClerk of the HouseMinister of Internal AffairsMP for Party in Power