Prime Highlights
- Francis Scarpaleggia has been selected to serve as the next Speaker of the House of Commons, the first in the transition of the parliamentary guard.
- A seasoned Quebec Liberal MP, Scarpaleggia has over two decades of experience to bring to his new position.
Key Facts
- Scarpaleggia has served the riding of Lac-Saint-Louis since 2004 and was chairman of a number of major parliamentary committees.
- He takes over from Greg Fergus as Speaker, after a contentious intraparty fight by Liberal MPs.
Key Background
To the surprise of all Canadians in politics, Francis Scarpaleggia was elected as the 40th Speaker of the House of Commons. Scarpaleggia, a member of Parliament since 2004 for Quebec’s riding of Lac-Saint-Louis, was elected to office by secret ballot vote of MPs. His selection comes on the heels of the election of Greg Fergus, who occupied the Speaker’s office in October 2023, until his May 2025 resignation.
Scarpaleggia’s time in parliament is one of success, including National Liberal Caucus chair from 2011 to 2021, a record decade when the Liberal Party shifted from third party to governing party. Scarpaleggia has been Chair of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development and lead member of seminal panels like the Special Committee on Electoral Reform, showing his procedural and legislative acumen.
His MP timing at a period of Liberal minority government makes the Speaker’s role of upholding decorum and even keel to cross-party relations of special importance. Scarpaleggia demonstrated respect and respectful debate within his first speech, reaffirming his vow of parliamentary discipline. One of his first moves as Speaker was to request a moment of silence to commemorate the deaths in a fatal accident during the Vancouver Lapu Lapu Day celebration, which was a thoughtful tone of leadership.
As Speaker, Scarpaleggia will preside over debates in the House, administer parliamentary procedures, and speak for the Commons in formal matters with the Crown and the Senate. He will also live at “The Farm,” the official Speaker’s residence in Gatineau Park, Quebec. For a salary of CA$309,700, the role demands neutrality, leadership, and deep institutional knowledge—something Scarpaleggia has developed after two decades in public service.
Such a transition requires experienced leadership, especially with the new political environment in Canada, especially during a time known for being marked by uncertainty and partisan control along with complex legislative matters.
