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Key Roles in the House of Commons

In the House of Commons Chamber, members of Parliament and other parliamentary officials do their part to support the democratic process and ensure that each sitting day runs smoothly. Symbols and objects in the chamber represent Canada’s ties to British parliamentary traditions.

Layout of the Chamber

In the House of Commons Chamber, the Speaker of the House sits in the chair at the front, and the layout is organized from that perspective. Members of Parliament (MPs) from the governing party sit to the Speaker’s right, while opposition MPs usually sit to the Speaker’s left. The rows of seats facing each other emphasize the division between the government and the opposition – a tradition modelled on the British Parliament. The layout of the interim chamber at West Block is like the chamber layout in the Parliament Building (Centre Block), which is currently closed for rehabilitation.

Who’s Who in the House of Commons

Click on the numbers to see who works in the House of Commons

A sitting day in the House of Commons chamber at West Block.
1 Speaker
The Speaker of the House maintains order and decorum in the House of Commons Chamber and must be impartial. All questions, speeches and debates are directed to the Speaker, who ensures that the rules, procedures and traditions of the House are followed and applied to all MPs equally. The Speaker – who is an elected MP – also oversees the administration and finances of the House. The Speaker sits in the Speaker’s Chair in the centre of the chamber.
2 Government MPs
Government MPs, including the Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers, form the governing party. In a typical sitting day in the chamber, most of the available time is given to the government to decide what legislation or other work it wants to conduct. The government proposes new laws and policies, which are then debated by all the MPs.
3 Opposition MPs
Opposition MPs challenge government policies and hold the government accountable for its actions. When the House is sitting, opposition MPs play an important role in questioning the government about its actions and decisions during Question Period. Opposition MPs may also introduce new legislation in the form of a private member’s bill.
4 Prime Minister
The Prime Minister is the Head of Government. They have many roles including political party leader, Cabinet leader and Member of Parliament (MP). The Prime Minister guides government policy, determines its agenda and selects a Cabinet, usually from the governing party’s elected MPs. The Prime Minister sits to the right of the Speaker in the 11th seat.
5 Leader of the Official Opposition
The Official Opposition is the party with the second-highest number of elected MPs. The Official Opposition holds the government to account and challenges its policies. The Leader of the Official Opposition takes a lead role in debating and suggesting changes to government bills. The Official Opposition party sits directly opposite from the Prime Minister and government members.
6 Clerk and Table Officers
The Clerk of the House and table officers sit at the table in front of the Speaker’s Chair and provide procedural advice to the Speaker and MPs. This table is called the Clerk’s Table. The Clerk is the chief administrative officer of the House and advises the Speaker on parliamentary procedure. Together, the Clerk and the table officers provide advice on the rules in the chamber, record the votes and keep the official record of decisions made in the chamber.
7 Sergeant-at-Arms (not in picture)
The Sergeant-at-Arms is responsible for the security of the House and maintains order in the chamber based on instructions from the Speaker. Each sitting day begins with the Speaker’s Parade – a ceremonial procession in which the Sergeant-at-Arms carries the Mace while escorting the Speaker to the chamber.
8 Proceedings and Verification Officers
Proceedings and verification officers create an official record of the discussions and decisions made in the chamber. This record, commonly known as Hansard, is published in English and French after each sitting day.
9 Pages
Pages are first-year university students from across Canada who work for the House of Commons. They carry messages and deliver documents to MPs in the chamber.
10 Mace
The Mace is the symbol of the Speaker’s authority and the right of the House of Commons to meet and pass new laws. The Mace is carried into the chamber by the Sergeant-at-Arms and placed on the Clerk’s Table. The House cannot meet without the Mace in the chamber.

Selected People in the House of Commons Chamber

  • The Speaker of the House maintains order and decorum in the chamber and must be impartial. All questions, speeches and debates are directed to the Speaker, who ensures that the rules, procedures and traditions of the House are followed and applied to all MPs equally. The Speaker – who is an elected MP – also oversees the administration and finances of the House. In addition, the Speaker welcomes visiting dignitaries and diplomats, and represents the House of Commons abroad.
  • Government MPs, including the Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers, form the governing party. In a typical sitting day in the chamber, most of the available time is given to the government to decide what legislation or other work it wants to conduct. The government proposes new laws and policies, which are then debated by all the MPs.
  • Opposition MPs challenge government policies and hold the government accountable for its actions. When the House is sitting, opposition MPs play an important role in questioning the government about its actions and decisions during Question Period. Opposition MPs may also introduce new legislation in the form of a private member’s bill.
  • The Clerk of the House and table officers sit at the table in front of the Speaker’s Chair and provide procedural advice to the Speaker and MPs. This table is called the Clerk’s Table. The Clerk is the chief administrative officer of the House and advises the Speaker on parliamentary procedure. Together, the Clerk and the table officers provide advice on the rules in the chamber, record the votes and keep the official record of decisions made in the chamber.
  • The Sergeant-at-Arms is responsible for the security of the House and maintains order in the chamber based on instructions from the Speaker. Each sitting day begins with the Speaker’s Parade – a ceremonial procession in which the Sergeant-at-Arms carries the Mace while escorting the Speaker to the chamber.
  • Proceedings and verification officers create an official record of the discussions and decisions made in the chamber. This record, commonly known as Hansard, is published in English and French after each sitting day.
  • Pages are first-year university students from across Canada who work for the House of Commons. They carry messages and deliver documents to MPs in the chamber.
A sitting in the House of Commons Chamber The chair of the Speaker of the House of Commons

Symbols and Objects in the Chamber

  • The Speaker’s Chair was built in 1917 after fire destroyed the first Parliament Building in 1916. The chair is also known as the Rhodes chair because it was built for the Honourable Edgar Nelson Rhodes, who was Speaker of the House from 1917 to 1921. Rhodes first used this chair in Ottawa’s Victoria Memorial Museum (now the Canadian Museum of Nature), which housed Parliament for four years after the fire, while the main building was reconstructed. When the Parliament Building closed for renovations in 2019, the chair was moved to West Block so that the Speaker could continue to use it in the interim House of Commons Chamber.
  • The Mace is the symbol of the Speaker’s authority and the right of the House of Commons to meet and pass new laws. The Mace is carried into the chamber by the Sergeant-at-Arms and placed on the Clerk’s Table. The House cannot meet without the Mace in the chamber.
  • The House of Commons has green features, such as the carpet and the chairs, because of its British parliamentary roots. The United Kingdom’s House of Commons has been decorated in green for over 350 years.
  • The Bar of the House is the brass railing inside the entrance to the House of Commons. The Bar guards the chamber from unwanted representatives of the Monarch. This tradition dates back to 17th-century Britain. When Parliament is in session, only MPs and support staff are allowed to pass beyond the bar to the chamber floor.
The House of Commons Mace

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