Garden Party at Kingsmere

This week the Parliamentary Guides, Pages, and other parliamentary staff were invited to a garden party at Kingsmere, the official residence of the Speaker of the House of Commons in Gatineau Park, Quebec. The party was hosted under a large canopy; there was a live band, hors d'oeuvres were served, and there was an elaborate buffet. It was a wonderful evening and provided us with the opportunity to mingle with other individuals who also work on Parliament Hill.

Kingsmere 

The Speaker is an Member of Parliament (MP) who is chosen by his/her colleagues (other MPs) through secret ballot to become Speaker of the House. The Speaker calls the items on the daily agenda, reads aloud the text of the motions before the House, recognizes Members who wish to participate in debate and interprets parliamentary rules and traditions. The Speaker is impartial as to maintain order, and to defend the rights and privileges of Members, including the right to freedom of speech. The Speaker never participates in debate and only votes in case of a tie.

The Speaker is the spokesperson for the House in its dealings with the Senate, the Crown and other bodies outside Parliament. This role is one of the most prestigious in Canadian Parliament, among Governor General, Prime Minister, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, and the Speaker of the Senate. 

With the Hon. Andrew Scheer

The current Speaker of the House of Commons is the Honourable Andrew Scheer. He was elected Speaker of the House of Commons for the 41st Parliament in 2011. He is the youngest Speaker of the House of Commons, currently 35 years old.