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Hull – Aylmer Liberal MP Greg Fergus has been selected by Parliamentarians to be the 38th Speaker of the House of Commons.
He was selected by secret ballot this afternoon, in a speech to Parliament he expressed his optimism for the role with humour.
“I’m really looking forward to working collaboratively with all of you, and thank you for the applause. I know that in politics there are only two times when people give you a strong applause, and they’re happy to see you. The day you arrive and of course, the day you leave.”
Fergus replaces Anthony Rota who resigned last week.
His speech also brought up the the need for civility, in a place which has become hyper-partisan in recent years.
“Respect is a fundamental part of what we do here. We need to make sure we treat each other with respect that we show Canadians the example, because there can be no dialogue unless there is a mutual understanding of respect”
A special honour for Fergus his selection makes him the first Black person to be elected Speaker.