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The most interesting place to be this week may be behind the heavy wooden door, in the red-carpeted office of the clerk of the House of Representatives in the British Columbia legislature.

After weeks of recounts, the success of David Eby’s government now depends, in part, on a secret ballot, scheduled for mid-November, to select the speaker of the House.

The name of each MLA is on a list in the clerk’s office. Any member who does not wish to be considered (there are good reasons for not wanting the position) must submit to the secretary a written notice requesting his or her removal, no later than 6 pm on the day before the vote.

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It’s safe to assume that Eby has been trying to lure someone outside his party to become president. Although he will tell his party members who to vote for, Eby does not have the privilege of naming the Speaker.

While some MLAs, such as Conservative Ian Paton, have publicly stated that they are not interested, only the secretary knows who is and who is not on the list.

On voting day, the clerk posts the names of the candidates in the lobby and the ballots are placed in a ballot box on the Clerk’s desk in the House.

It is not as dramatic as a papal election (white smoke does not rise when the ballots are burned to mark success), but the process is loaded with formality and ritual, despite the fact that, until 1994, the position of Speaker was an appointment of the first minister.

Joan Sawicki was a rookie NDP MLA when, in 1992, she was appointed speaker by then-premier Mike Harcourt.

“There has been talk about the possibility of a freshman MLA becoming speaker,” Sawicki said. “I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”

Experience in the House matters, but it is outside the House, in the hallways, dining rooms and caucus, where friendships are made and alliances are forged.

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Eby is in a difficult situation, given his small majority, Sawicki said.

“You may prefer one from your own party, but that leaves you with fewer voting members. “If I could persuade an opposition member, I would have a little more room to maneuver.”

Whoever it is, hope they have experience; That will make the job a little easier.

“If you’re a newbie, you’ve never sat in a caucus, you don’t know what a caucus is like, you don’t know what’s going on in the dining room as members get to know each other, you can’t make subtle judgments about when to intervene or not to intervene in the caucus. Camera”.

While it is an honor to be elected president (the position carries a salary increase of $59,766.37), it can be a thankless and isolating position.

The Speaker must renounce party loyalties.

In 2017, Liberal Darryl Plecas was hailed as president of John Horgan’s NDP government. He was expelled from the Liberal Party and forced to serve as an independent, which essentially ended his political career.

“The president must have the confidence of both sides of the House and be neutral and balanced. Both sides of the House will always feel that their interventions favor the other side,” Sawicki said. “It is a very fine line that a president must walk in his dual role as referee and servant of the House.”

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If a member uses unparliamentary language, or if a dispute diminishes the collegial tone of the House, the Speaker may intervene.

“If you are too strict with your interventions, or too lax, if you misjudge or feel that the president is intervening inappropriately, you lose the goodwill of the House,” Sawicki said.

The Speaker must know and administer the standing orders of the House. Sawicki had to “study the books” when she was appointed and said starting out as a rookie was “exhausting and extremely difficult.”

The Speaker’s office and dining room are separate from those of his colleagues.

“It’s very isolating,” he said.

Sawicki She dined alone every day in front of an antique porcelain set engraved in gold with her new title: Mr. Speaker.

A Speaker depends on research secretaries to make measured, precedent-based decisions, but their only support system for advice is other Speakers across Canada.

Missteps can get presidents into trouble, as happened with 2023 House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus, who praised the outgoing interim leader of the Ontario Liberal Party in a video tribute. The tribute was seen as partisan.

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The Speaker oversees a large staff and manages the administrative budget of the British Columbia legislature.

In a 2018 report, Plecas accused Craig James, the House clerk, and Gary Lenz, the sergeant at arms, of excessive spending in a scandal that included allegations of self-granted pensions, expensive suits and a $3,000 lumberjack. . James was found guilty of fraud and breach of trust; Lenz was not criminally charged.

But the most important role of the Speaker is to maintain the status quo or continuity of government.

“With such a tight majority, the chances of the Speaker having to break ties are pretty high,” Sawicki said. “In the event of a tie, each Speaker would have to rely on the secretaries to follow procedures and precedents to determine the decision the Speaker should make, it would never be a partisan decision.”

Sawicki came to love his job: “It is an incredible privilege to serve as Speaker.”

She has these words of advice in case a rookie is chosen: “Try to be fair and neutral, understand your standing orders, and trust the advice of the secretaries.”

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