Sitting 1 — May 26, 2025

The first sitting of the 45th Parliament was devoted to the election of a new Speaker of the House of Commons. Presiding officer Louis Plamondon, the dean of the House first elected in 1984, guided members through the process for the seventh time in his career, noting with characteristic humour that when he was first elected there were no cellphones, no internet, and no fax machines. Six candidates put their names forward for the speakership: Greg Fergus (Hull—Aylmer), Alexandra Mendès (Brossard—Saint-Lambert), Robert Oliphant (Don Valley West), Sherry Romanado (Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne), Francis Scarpaleggia (Lac-Saint-Louis), and Sean Casey (Charlottetown). After speeches from each candidate and a secret ballot process, the House elected Francis Scarpaleggia as Speaker, tasking him with presiding over what promised to be a contentious minority Parliament.

Following the Speaker's election, the House heard congratulatory remarks from party leaders. Prime Minister Mark Carney rose for the first time as a sitting member, thanking his Nepean constituents and Canadians for their trust, and pledging that his government would work with all parties to build a strong, united Canada in the face of economic threats from the United States. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, in his first official remarks as Leader of the Opposition, congratulated the Speaker but warned that the speakership had been tested by scandals in recent years, expressing hope for a restoration of the office's dignity. Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet noted from his seat further back in the chamber that his party would remain courteous but would speak loudly and clearly for Quebec's interests, while NDP House leader Don Davies and Green Party leader Elizabeth May offered congratulations and pledged constructive opposition.

The sitting marked both continuity and change. The election of a new Speaker from the government benches followed the convention of alternating between government and opposition members, while the presence of 31 first-term MPs underscored the significant turnover in the House. The leaders' remarks previewed the themes that would dominate the coming session: the U.S. trade war, fiscal discipline, national unity, and the government's ability to navigate a minority Parliament. The House adjourned with the understanding that the Speech from the Throne would be delivered the following day.