With Canada’s political divide on the rise between eastern and western provinces, and rural and urban centers, members of the new Liberal minority government will need to set aside their differences and work together to get things done.
As the new Speaker of the House, uOttawa alumnus Anthony Rota will have his work cut out for him keeping the peace and navigating the competing interests of Canada’s political parties.
Rota, who received an MBA from the Telfer School of Management in 1999, is now responsible for ensuring the orderly flow of business during Chamber proceedings and protecting the rights and privileges of the Members of the House, including the right to freedom of speech and the right of all Members to be heard in debate.
Rota is the Liberal MP representing the northern Ontario riding of Nipissing—Timiskaming, a position he held almost consecutively for over a decade. In the last parliament, he was appointed Assistant Deputy Speaker and Assistant Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole.
Here’s what Rota had to say about his new role in Parliament.
What past experiences have prepared you for this new position?
Over the years, I’ve chaired and been a part of many boards and committees. It’s that background that really makes a difference. You understand how procedure works, and also how it could work. Yes, the rules are important, but what’s also important is how you deal with people. That’s probably the biggest challenge—making sure to deal with people in a nice way. You have to make sure people adhere to the rules, but it doesn’t have to be harsh.
As well, when I was 25, I had just graduated, I had a job lined up – I was ready to go! – then I found out I had cancer. Then a year later, it came back. I went through radiation, then chemo, and it really gives you a different perspective on life.
It allows you to appreciate things a lot more. When you go through something like that, it makes you realize, ‘Okay, there are more important things in life than just career and getting things done.’
What unique challenge come with being Speaker of the House for a minority government?
The biggest challenge is just trying to keep a balance and be fair, because we have a House that could collapse at any time. Speaker rulings are very important and of course impartial. When discussing with both sides, you need to make sure you understand what’s going on.
Even though you’re presiding over the House, you’re still in the thick of it. In fact, during question period, when everything’s happening and everyone is very passionate, the Speaker couldn’t be more in the thick of it!
It is certainly interesting sitting in the position where you are impartial and you’re trying to make sure that everything is reasonable. Keeping decorum in the House is not always easy.
Do you have any tricks up your sleeve for staying non-partisan and keeping the peace among MPs?
I recently hosted a dinner for all the House Leaders—just a friendly get-together so they can get to know each other better. I’ve also been trying to have a weekly dinner with Members from different parties. That way, when they are in the House, they’re actually talking to someone they know, as opposed to a confirmed enemy on the other side. I’m hoping this will foster more discussion amongst parties and amongst Members.
I’ve also been meeting with the whips on a monthly basis, just to see if there’s anything going on that I might have missed from the Chair, or getting to know what they’re thinking, so that we can work together, as opposed to confrontationally. These things were done years ago by Speaker Peter Milliken. As a Speaker, I’ve always admired Peter Milliken and the way he handled things.
Speaking four languages is also an important asset. Growing up, my mother spoke to me in Italian, my father spoke to me in English, I attended kindergarten through to secondary school in French, and I took four years of Spanish in high school.
Part of the Speaker’s job is being a diplomat and meeting with different people. There’s a lot more that gets discussed when you know each other’s language. It just makes communication so much easier.
How does it feel to be part of such a long-standing tradition (and dragged to the Speaker’s Chair by Justin Trudeau and Andrew Scheer)?
It’s an honour to be the Speaker of the House of Commons. I can’t think of a better word for it. It’s a position that very few people get to hold and I’m honoured to hold it.
Being dragged up by Andrew Scheer and Justin Trudeau was interesting because I’m six feet—I’m not that short. Justin Trudeau must be about 6’2, and Andrew must be about 6’3 or 6’4. In any case, I was just dwarfed by them!
Of course, there’s a tradition where the Speaker reluctantly gets brought up to the chair, mainly because they represented the House of Commons to the King. And if the King didn’t like the message, well, that would be the end of the Speaker—not just the end of their career, but the end of their life!
Traditionally, as much as we want to be Speaker, we put on the act that we’re struggling to get up there. And I thought, ‘You know, let’s have fun with this.’ Both the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition went along with it very well. You can see we’re all kind of chuckling away and having a good time with it.
Any words of advice for fellow uOttawa alumni looking to follow in your footsteps?
Part of the responsibilities of the Speaker is the administration of the precincts. Having a good, solid understanding of management, human relations or project management is very important. They’re all tools that you use throughout life and it really gives you a better understanding of how everything works, or how everything should work.
I started off in the Chamber of Commerce, then the municipal, and then federal, which is a path that I recommend, and is something that most people should look at if they’re thinking about a career in politics.
If you’re interested in politics, I recommend getting involved in your community. Get involved early in your career and try to make a difference in people’s day-to-day life, whether it’s at the federal level, the municipal level or on a Board or City Council. It doesn’t matter.
Start making a difference early, let people see what you’re capable of—that gets the ball rolling. If people recognize, ‘Okay, this person has potential,’ you’d be amazed how quickly you start gaining support and can move forward. And don’t be shy!