# Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is the presiding officer of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.

## The office of Speaker in British Columbia

The Speaker is elected by the Members of the Legislative Assembly ("MLAs") by means of a secret ballot at the commencement of a new parliament, or on the death or retirement of the previous Speaker. Cabinet Ministers are the only MLAs not entitled to stand for election as Speaker. The business of the Legislative Assembly cannot continue without a Speaker. Under British Columbia's parliamentary tradition, the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia will not open Parliament until a Speaker is elected.
Prior practice had been for the Premier to select the Speaker and have that selection ratified by a vote of the legislative assembly. The Legislative Assembly also appoints a Deputy Speaker, who presides in the absence of the Speaker. During the 38th Parliament, which was elected in the BC general election held on May 17, 2005, the position of Assistant Deputy Speaker was created. This office is usually held by an MLA who represents the official opposition party.
Traditionally, the Speaker has been a member of the governing party, though Speaker Darryl Plecas was an exception from 2017-2020; however, while holding the office of Speaker that MLA must act neutrally and treat all other MLAs impartially, and to preserve this impartiality the Speaker follows Speaker Denison's rule in breaking ties. The Speaker presides over the debates and procedures of the Legislative Assembly. The Speaker enforces the Rules of Procedure, commonly referred to as the Standing Orders. Any disputes or procedural rulings are made according to the Standing Orders or, in absence of a rule governing a specific situation, to parliamentary precedence and convention. The Speaker does not vote, except in the case of a tie.
Until the early 1990s, the traditional form of address and reference to the Speaker was "Mr. Speaker". Today, the office holder is now referred to as simply the "Speaker", but during debates the MLAs may continue to address the office holder as "Mr. Speaker" or "Madam Speaker". In accordance with parliamentary tradition, all speeches are addressed to the Speaker, and not the other MLAs.
The Speaker is responsible for the legislative precincts, including the Parliament Buildings. The Speaker also sponsors the British Columbia Legislative Internship Program. The Speaker represents the voters of their constituency as a member of the Legislative Assembly.
The channel televised proceedings is Hansard TV.

## Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

| No. | Name Electoral district (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Party | Parliament |
| 1 | James Trimble MLA for Victoria City (1817–1885) | 1872–1878 | Independent | 1st |
| 1 | James Trimble MLA for Victoria City (1817–1885) | 1872–1878 | Independent | 2nd |
| 2 | Frederick W. Williams MLA for Esquimalt | 1878–1882 | Independent | 3rd |
| 3 | John Andrew Mara MLA for Yale (1840–1920) | 1883–1886 | Independent | 4th |
| 4 | Charles Edward Pooley MLA for Esquimalt (1845–1912) | 1887–1889 | Independent | 5th |
| 5 | David Williams Higgins MLA for Esquimalt (1834–1917) | 1890–1898 | Independent | 5th |
| 5 | David Williams Higgins MLA for Esquimalt (1834–1917) | 1890–1898 | Independent | 6th |
| 5 | David Williams Higgins MLA for Esquimalt (1834–1917) | 1890–1898 | Independent | 7th |
| 6 | John Paton Booth MLA for North Victoria (1837–1902) | 1898 | Independent | 8th |
| 7 | William Thomas Forster MLA for Westminster-Delta (1857–1938) | 1899–1900 | Independent | 8th |
| (6) | John Paton Booth MLA for North Victoria (1837–1902) | 1900–1902 | Independent | 9th |
| (4) | Charles Edward Pooley MLA for Esquimalt (1845–1912) | 1902–1906 | Independent | 9th |
| (4) | Charles Edward Pooley MLA for Esquimalt (1845–1912) | 1902–1906 | Conservative | 10th |
| 8 | David McEwen Eberts MLA for Saanich (1850–1924) | 1907–1916 | Conservative | 11th |
| 8 | David McEwen Eberts MLA for Saanich (1850–1924) | 1907–1916 | Conservative | 12th |
| 8 | David McEwen Eberts MLA for Saanich (1850–1924) | 1907–1916 | Conservative | 13th |
| 9 | John Walter Weart MLA for South Vancouver (1861–1941) | 1917–1918 | Liberal | 14th |
| 10 | John Keen MLA for South Vancouver (1844–1922) | 1918–1920 | Liberal | 14th |
| 11 | Alexander Malcolm Manson MLA for Omineca (1883–1964) | 1921–1922 | Liberal | 15th |
| 12 | Frederick Arthur Pauline MLA for Saanich (1861–1955) | 1922–1924 | Liberal | 15th |
| 13 | John Andrew Buckham MLA for Columbia (1873–1931) | 1924–1928 | Liberal | 16th |
| 14 | James William Jones MLA for South Okanagan (1869–1954) | 1929–1930 | Conservative | 17th |
| 15 | Cyril Francis Davie MLA for Cowichan-Newcastle (1882–1950) | 1931–1933 | Conservative | 17th |
| 16 | Henry George Thomas Perry MLA for Fort George (1889–1959) | 1934–1937 | Liberal | 18th |
| 17 | Norman William Whittaker MLA for Saanich (1893–1985) | 1937–1947 | Liberal | 19th |
| 17 | Norman William Whittaker MLA for Saanich (1893–1985) | 1937–1947 | Liberal–Conservative coalition | 20th |
| 17 | Norman William Whittaker MLA for Saanich (1893–1985) | 1937–1947 | Liberal–Conservative coalition | 21st |
| 18 | Robert Henry Carson MLA for Kamloops (1885–1971) | 1948–1949 | Liberal–Conservative coalition | 21st |
| 19 | John Hart MLA for Victoria City (1879–1957) | 1949 | Liberal–Conservative coalition | 21st |
| 20 | Nancy Hodges MLA for Victoria City (1888–1969) | 1950–1952 | Liberal–Conservative coalition | 22nd |
| 21 | Thomas Irwin MLA for Delta (1889–1962) | 1953–1957 | Social Credit | 23rd |
| 21 | Thomas Irwin MLA for Delta (1889–1962) | 1953–1957 | Social Credit | 24th |
| 21 | Thomas Irwin MLA for Delta (1889–1962) | 1953–1957 | Social Credit | 25th |
| 22 | Lorne Shantz MLA for North Okanagan (1920–1999) | 1958–1963 | Social Credit | 25th |
| 22 | Lorne Shantz MLA for North Okanagan (1920–1999) | 1958–1963 | Social Credit | 26th |
| 23 | William Harvey Murray MLA for Prince Rupert (1916–1991) | 1964–1972 | Social Credit | 27th |
| 23 | William Harvey Murray MLA for Prince Rupert (1916–1991) | 1964–1972 | Social Credit | 28th |
| 23 | William Harvey Murray MLA for Prince Rupert (1916–1991) | 1964–1972 | Social Credit | 29th |
| 24 | Gordon Dowding MLA for Burnaby (1918–2003) | 1972–1975 | New Democratic | 30th |
| 25 | Ed Smith MLA for Peace River North (1928–2010) | 1976–1978 | Social Credit | 31st |
| 26 | Harvey Schroeder MLA for Chilliwack (born 1933) | 1979–1982 | Social Credit | 32nd |
| 27 | Walter Davidson MLA for Delta (born 1937) | 1982–1986 | Social Credit | 32nd |
| 27 | Walter Davidson MLA for Delta (born 1937) | 1982–1986 | Social Credit | 33rd |
| 28 | John Reynolds MLA for West Vancouver-Howe Sound (born 1942) | 1987–1989 | Social Credit | 34th |
| 29 | Stephen Rogers MLA for Vancouver South (born 1942) | 1990–1991 | Social Credit | 34th |
| 30 | Joan Sawicki MLA for Burnaby-Willingdon (born 1945) | 1992–1994 | New Democratic | 35th |
| 31 | Emery Barnes MLA for Vancouver-Burrard (1929–1998) | 1994–1996 | New Democratic | 35th |
| 32 | Dale Lovick MLA for Nanaimo (born 1945) | 1996–1998 | New Democratic | 36th |
| 33 | Gretchen Brewin MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill (born 1938) | 1998–2000 | New Democratic | 36th |
| 34 | William James Hartley MLA for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows (born 1945) | 2000–2001 | New Democratic | 36th |
| 35 | Claude Richmond MLA for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows (born 1935) | 2001–2005 | Liberal | 37th |
| 36 | Bill Barisoff MLA for Penticton-Okanagan Valley (until 2009) MLA for Penticton (from 2009) (born 1948 or 1949) | 2005–2013 | Liberal | 38th |
| 36 | Bill Barisoff MLA for Penticton-Okanagan Valley (until 2009) MLA for Penticton (from 2009) (born 1948 or 1949) | 2005–2013 | Liberal | 39th |
| 37 | Linda Reid MLA for Richmond East (born 1959) | 2013–2017 | Liberal | 40th |
| 38 | Steve Thomson MLA for Kelowna-Mission (born 1951 or 1952) | 2017 | Liberal | 41st |
| 39 | Darryl Plecas MLA for Abbotsford South (born 1951) | 2017–2020 | Liberal | 41st |
| 39 | Darryl Plecas MLA for Abbotsford South (born 1951) | 2017–2020 | Independent | 41st |
| 40 | Raj Chouhan MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds (until 2024) MLA for Burnaby-New Westminster (from 2024) | 2020–present | New Democratic | 42nd |
| 40 | Raj Chouhan MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds (until 2024) MLA for Burnaby-New Westminster (from 2024) | 2020–present | New Democratic | 43rd |