It's rare to oust a Speaker of the House and why you should care
CBC
Soon after the Progressive Conservatives won the 2021 provincial election, Premier Tim Houston personally put forward caucus colleague Keith Bain for Speaker of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly and used the party's majority to ensure Bain won the job.
But just weeks past the Tories' first year in power, Houston has decided he wants someone else to preside over debate in the chamber and control everything that happens within the gates at Province House.
It's a decision that has baffled many, including long-time Conservatives in Nova Scotia, some of whom have worked with or sat alongside Bain in the legislature. The MLA for Victoria-The Lakes is, by all accounts, a universally liked and admired Cape Breton politician. He is a faithful and stalwart Tory, according to party insiders.
According to the premier's office, the official reason for a potential change is succession planning and the desire to give "strong caucus MLAs opportunities to showcase their skills and grow their roles."
"One year into the mandate is the right time for change, and we're currently contemplating a number of changes," wrote Catherine Klimek, Houston's press secretary. "The Speaker's role is not immune."
But unlike routine cabinet shuffles or the reassignment of roles within a caucus, deciding who gets to be Speaker is not up to the premier or even their government; it's the purview of all the members elected to the House. The premier's vote is just one of 55.
This bit of political intrigue played out quietly, behind the scenes for several weeks until the online publication AllNovaScotia.com's veteran political reporter Brian Flinn broke the story this week.
Opposition members were quick to come to Bain's defence, describing him as "fair," "highly respected" and "a really great Speaker."
By comparison, cabinet minister Pat Dunn offered a less-than-stellar review: "How's he doing? As far as I know, OK, I guess."
Rather than go quietly, as the premier hoped he would, on Wednesday Bain announced he would be staying put. That means for the first time in decades, a Speaker in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly may face a non-confidence vote.
In a Facebook post to constituents, Bain wrote: "I have made my decision to not resign as requested and, right or wrong, will accept any consequences that might arise...
"I am not looking for sympathy or praise, but wanted you to know that, in respect of democracy and the job I have been elected to do, I feel it is my duty as Speaker to continue until such time as the House declares I shouldn't... (and I will respect that, for sure)."
On Nov. 30, 1994, Liberal appointee Paul MacEwan survived the last such non-confidence motion directed at a Speaker, which was put forward by PC opposition members.
P.E.I.'s Public Schools Branch is looking for 50 substitute bus drivers, and it'll be recruiting at three job fairs on Saturday, June 8. The job fairs are located at the Atlantic Superstore in Montague, Royalty Crossing in Charlottetown, and the bus parking lot of Three Oaks Senior High in Summerside. All three run from 9 a.m. until noon. Dave Gillis, the director of transportation and risk management for the Public Schools Branch, said the number of substitute drivers they're hiring isn't unusual. "We are always looking for more. Our drivers tend to have an older demographic," he said.