So Much For The Calming Influence of A Female Speaker

Ont. NDP wants female speaker in legislature
Canadian Press

TORONTO — Ontario has never had a female speaker of the legislature, and New Democrats want all parties to agree that should change after October's election.

The party is introducing a motion in the legislature Tuesday which calls on the Conservatives and Liberals to nominate a woman as the province's next speaker.

"All of these speaker's portraits that you see around (the legislature), there's nary a woman there," said Hamilton New Democrat Andrea Horwath.

"Not having had that ever in the province's history is a bit of a sad commentary on the glass ceiling or lack of opportunity that women have had. We think it's an important issue to raise. It's time to think about whether there are ways to encourage or ensure that we have more women speakers."

Although the speaker of the legislature is elected, Horwath says all parties should agree the next one must be a woman. That would show women are on par with their male colleagues when it comes to provincial decision-making, she said.

"It's not just Ontario," Horwath said. "Speakers don't tend to be women in the vast majority of administrations and that's something that we need to look at."

While some said a female speaker would have a calming influence on the legislature and a resolution of this kind is just the push politicians need to make it happen, others were less inclined to mandate the next speaker's gender.

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Upset limo drivers cause ruckus at City Hall
toronto.ctv.ca

Toronto police were called to City Hall on Tuesday after a heated debate broke out involving airport limousine drivers upset about a proposed bylaw that would ban them from picking up fares in Toronto.

The drivers that work for limo companies in the suburbs argued with Toronto taxi drivers in the public gallery, disrupting the proceedings.

Speaker Sandra Bussin called a recess and tried to clear the council chambers, but the agitated drivers refused to leave. Officers and security guards moved in to restore order.

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