The Office of the Speaker of the House of Commons has existed almost as long as parliament itself, dating back to the 14th century in Britain, when early Speakers were chosen by their colleagues in the Commons to be their spokesman and messenger and to present petitions and grievances to the King. In those days, monarchs held the power of life and death over their people, which made speaking out a considerably more dangerous proposition than it is today. In fact, several Speakers literally lost their heads while occupying the Chair, so new candidates were understandably reluctant to accept the position. It is from this duty to speak on behalf of all members that the title derives, not from the role inside the Chamber, where, ironically, Speakers may not speak!

As in the British parliamentary system, the Speaker of the House of Commons is the representative of the House in its powers and proceedings and his or her functions fall into two categories. On the one hand, the Speaker is the spokesperson or representative of the House in its relations with the Crown, the Senate and other authorities and persons outside Parliament. On the other hand, the Speaker presides over the debates of the House of Commons and enforces the observance of all rules for preserving order in its proceedings.

Above all, the Office of the Speaker of the House of Commons is the personification of authority and impartiality. The Mace, the symbol of the authority of the House, is carried in front of the Speaker by the Sergeant-at-Arms and is placed upon the table when the Speaker is in the Chair. The Speaker calls upon members to speak; when they do, their words must be directed to the Speaker. When she or he rises to preserve (or restore) order or to give a ruling, the Speaker must be heard in silence. Members must remain seated when the Speaker is standing. Reflections upon the character or actions of the Speaker cannot be criticized incidentally in debate or upon any form of proceeding except by way of a substantive motion. The House of Commons must trust in the impartiality of the Speaker, or it cannot function. Many conventions exist which are there to guarantee not only the impartiality but also the general perception of the impartiality of the Speaker. The Speaker takes no part in debate in the House, and votes only if there is a tie in the voting.

As well as presiding over the House proceedings, the Speaker oversees the accommodation and services in that part of the Parliament Buildings and grounds occupied by the House of Commons. The Speaker, as Chair and with the other Members of the Board of Internal Economy (the governing body of the House of Commons), approves all budgetary estimates for the coming fiscal year.

There is also a diplomatic component to the functions of the Speaker of the House of Commons. The Parliament of Canada maintains relations with the provincial legislatures across Canada as well as with foreign parliaments. This can take a variety of forms, from correspondence between presiding officers to the exchange of parliamentary delegations. At Question Period in the House, the Speaker regularly recognizes the presence in the gallery of notable visitors, be they brother or sister speakers from provincial, territorial or international legislatures, foreign dignitaries or Canadians who have distinguished themselves in a variety of endeavours.

First and foremost, the Speaker is a Member of Parliament who was elected to serve his or her constituents. It is no easy task for a Speaker to serve his or her constituents, since he or she must refrain from partisan activities and has, in addition, many responsibilities as described above. As the Hon. John Fraser (Speaker of the House of Commons 1986-1993) notes in his book The House of Commons at Work,

“although a Speaker must be non-partisan and cannot debate, there is a long-standing tradition that is very much alive. It is simply this: the Speaker accepts limitations in the interests of all Members. In view of this, Cabinet Ministers, Private Members and, to a remarkable degree, senior civil servants, go out of their way to assist the Speaker in resolving his constituents’ problems. It is an unusual, but very effective, relationship which affords the Speaker full access to those in positions of influence and power. Notwithstanding all the duties of the office, a Speaker must still serve his constituents, his community, and be re-elected”.