Milliken retains role as Speaker after lengthy vote

Ontario Liberal MP Peter Milliken was re-elected as Speaker of the House on Tuesday as members of Parliament returned for a new session amid an uncertain economic climate and with a pledge to bring more decorum to the House of Commons.

Milliken, who has served as Speaker since 2001, won after a lengthy contest that initially had 16 MPs vying for the coveted job. Upon assuming his position, he called for a "quieter and more productive chamber" to deal with the current economic crisis.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper congratulated Milliken for his re-election, calling it a "clear message" for more order in the House and an "affirmation of the confidence" Milliken's peers have in his abilities.

"I can assure you that on the government side, Mr. Speaker, we will do our utmost to make your sometimes very difficult job as easy as we can make it," the prime minister said.

Milliken triumphed in the fifth ballot over Conservatives Andrew Scheer and Mervin Tweed. New Democrat MP Joe Comartin was eliminated in the fourth round of voting by secret ballot.

Milliken, who in previous years had few or no rivals for the position, this time faced a number of MPs who have pledged to curtail the rowdy behaviour and are lining up for the job.

While the House has seen its fair share of rancour in the past, some MPs have faulted Milliken for letting things get out of hand in the last session.

During his address to members before the vote, the Liberal MP from Kingston and the Islands said it was clear there has been a drop in decorum, but noted such a tone is often common in minority Parliaments.

The Speaker is responsible for a host of duties, including managing the daily televised question period.

The job comes with considerable benefits. The winning candidate's salary is topped up to almost $230,000 from the base MP salary of $155,400. The position also comes with a one-of-a-kind apartment in Parliament's Centre Block and the use of a charming, storied estate known as Kingsmere in the nearby Gatineau Hills of Quebec.

Nine MPs took their names off the list as the process to choose a new Speaker got underway.

Following the first ballot, Conservative MP Royal Galipeau was eliminated after failing to garner more than five per cent of the vote, while Ontario Liberal MP Mauril Bélanger was dropped after the second round of voting.

Ontario Tory MP Barry Devolin was eliminated after the third ballot.

Throne speech on Wednesday

The Speaker's vote precedes the speech from the throne, which will be delivered on Wednesday and trigger the first confidence vote the new government will face in the House. 

The prime minister enters the House with a bolstered minority government, although the Conservatives will still need the support of at least one opposition party to ensure the passage of legislation.

Unlike in the last session, the Liberals under outgoing Leader Stéphane Dion have indicated they will no longer abstain from voting against Harper's Conservatives on confidence votes.

But a PMO official told reporters Monday that the speech from the throne will be "less a prescriptive laundry list of policies and actions" and instead single out the economy as the most pressing issue facing the government. 

Other Conservative campaign promises have not been ditched, said the official, but are "secondary."

Looking for a 'new tone'

The less partisan throne speech comes with promises of a more civil Parliament, following the Oct. 14 federal election.

Although pledges to cool down the parliamentary rancour have been made in the past, some are suggesting moves to address the economic downturn could achieve those goals.

"There seems to be a consensus that we want to be very serious in how we approach everything that flows from the economic instability facing our nation and indeed facing the planet right now," said Jay Hill, the new Conservative House leader, who took over the position from Peter Van Loan.

"On our team's part, we certainly want to see a new tone. We intend to do what we can," said Hill.

"We strayed from [civility] towards the end of the last Parliament, to the detriment of all political parties."

In turn, Liberal House leader Ralph Goodale has said he was encouraged by his first meeting with Hill.