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The Canadian Scene

New Speaker of the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly

On October 23, during the first session of the 59th legislative assembly of New Brunswick, Restigouche-Chaleur MLA Daniel Guitard was elected Speaker. He will preside over the province’s first minority government in a century.

“The population of New Brunswick has asked us to work together,” he said. “I’ll try to do my best to make it work in the house.”

First elected as a Liberal MLA on September 22, 2014, he was named deputy government whip and later appointed chair of the government caucus. Speaker Guitard has also served as vice-chair of the standing committee on economic policy and the standing committee on private bills and as a member several other standing committees.

Prior to entering politics, he worked with the federal Department of Employment and Immigration and owned a business specializing in the sale and servicing of recreational products. He also worked as a financial planner with the National Bank.

Active in his community, Speaker Guitard has served as the chair of various festivals, team manager for a minor hockey and baseball team, a municipal councillor, and the chair of Atlas Park.

“The role of Speaker is critical to the operation of this legislature and to ensuring we can all work collaboratively and productively for the people who elected us,” Speaker Guitard said. “I am honoured to have been chosen and promise to do my best to impartially serve the legislative assembly and all New Brunswickers.”

New Quebec Speaker

Lévis MNA François Paradis was elected as the new President (Speaker) of Quebec’s National Assembly on November 27, 2018. He was unopposed for the position.

“I want to lead this presidency by focusing on communication and transparency,” he said “I would like to bring Quebeckers closer to the National Assembly and discover a modern, efficient and innovative democracy. May our institution project a more positive image of the people who work there.”

Speaker Paradis thanked his colleagues for giving him the opportunity to preside over the Assembly and vowed to earn their confidence.

Speaker Paradis said Quebecers are demanding more transparency and ever more rigorous management of their democratic institutions.

Prior to first winning election for the Coalition Avenir du Quebec in 2014, Speaker Paradis worked as a radio and television journalist and presenter for Télé 4, Radio-Canada and TVA among others. He hosted Café show, L’enfer ou le Paradis, Première ligne and TVA en direct.com.

Speaker Paradis has a Bachelor’s degree in political science and journalism from Laval University. During his first term in the National Assembly he held a variety of critic portfolios for the Second Opposition Group.