Victoria Member of Parliament Denise Savoie is seeking the prestigious job as Speaker of the House of Commons in Ottawa.
The position would be a promotion for Savoie who served as assistant deputy speaker from 2008 to 2011.
Parliament is scheduled to return June 2, when MPs spend the day voting for a Speaker. If elected, Savoie will be responsible for a long list of administrative, ceremonial and diplomatic duties home and abroad.
“I’m running for Speaker with a singular focus on raising the tone and quality of debate in Parliament, to restore the trust that Canadians deserve to have in their politicians and democratic institutions,” Savoie said in a statement.
“I’m asking my fellow MPs to imagine a Parliament that functions well – where debate is not focused on scoring points, but rather on creating better, more inclusive public policy,” she said.
While a Conservative government might make it difficult for a member of the Opposition party to be chosen for the job, an NDP MP could be selected by the Speaker to be deputy speaker.
Still, Savoie, who is fluently bilingual in French and English, has built a name for herself in Parliament since first elected in 2006.
Until recently, as assistant deputy speaker she worked in a more non-partisan role with government ministers, giving her more direct access with political colleagues.
In her role, Savoie was able to speak with ministers and other MPs about important projects for the Victoria riding, such as the need for federal funding for the replacement of the Johnston Street Bridge.
Savoie will next travel to Ottawa Monday for NDP caucus meetings, and to meet with new NDP MPs she may be mentoring.
emccracken@vicnews.com