April 7, 2025
The first order of business at the start of a new Parliament is to elect a Speaker.
On the first day of a new Parliament, the Lieutenant Governor enters the Chamber and sits upon the throne.
The government House leader tells the House that the Lieutenant Governor will not read the throne speech until a Speaker has been elected.
After the Lieutenant Governor leaves the Chamber, the House prepares to elect the Speaker.
The Clerk will then call for nominations, which members of provincial Parliament (MPPs) propose as motions . These motions require a seconder. If there is only one nomination, the nominated member becomes the Speaker. If there are two or more members nominated, there will be an election by secret ballot.
MPPs write the name of the candidate they are voting for on a special ballot and then place it in the ballot box on the Table. After all MPPs have voted, the table officers count the votes in front of a member from each of the recognized parties. The actual vote tally from each round of voting is not revealed.
To become Speaker, a candidate must receive the majority of the votes . If no candidate receives a majority after the first round of voting, the candidate who received the fewest votes is dropped from the ballot and members vote again. This process is repeated until one candidate receives a majority.
Once elected, the Speaker is escorted to the chair by the MPPs who moved and seconded their candidacy. The Speaker then humbly acknowledges the great honour that the House has bestowed and assumes the chair.
Learn more
Read more about the role of the Speaker
Find your member of provincial Parliament in Current MPPs
Discover Ontario’s Parliament