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Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick

{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox official post

| post = Speaker

| body = the
Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick

| native_name = {{small|{{lang|fr|Président de l'Assemblée législative du Nouveau-Brunswick}}}}

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| incumbent = Francine Landry

| acting =

| incumbentsince = October 7, 2024

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| department = Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick

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| member_of = Legislative Assembly

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| seat = New Brunswick Legislative Building

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| formation = {{Start date|1786|1|3}}

| first = Amos Botsford

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The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick is the presiding officer of the provincial legislature. Since 1994 the position has been elected by MLAs using a secret ballot. Previously, the Speaker had been appointed by motion of the house, in practice moved by the Premier of New Brunswick usually after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition. Shirley Dysart was the first Speaker to be elected by his or her peers.

The Speaker is usually a member of the governing party. The only recent exceptions have been Robert McCready and Michael Malley. McCready was appointed by motion of Premier Richard Hatfield following the close election of 1978. Hatfield's Progressive Conservative Party had won only 30 seats compared to the 28 seats won by the opposition Liberal Party. McCready was a member of the Liberal caucus and was appointed over the objection of the Liberal Party. The Liberal opposition argued on a point of order before the clerk of the assembly that precedent required that the opposition support the motion appointing speaker, but the clerk allowed the motion to be put and carried by the government. Malley was elected in 2006 while sitting as an independent. Malley had left the government caucus following a cabinet shuffle that had seen the incumbent speaker, Bev Harrison, join the cabinet leaving the post vacant. Malley argued that he should have been included in the cabinet for regional reasons and left the government caucus in protest; to prevent losing control of the legislature in a tenuous minority government situation, the Progressive Conservative caucus supported Malley as speaker. Malley later changed his party affiliation, amid some controversy, back to that of the governing Progressive Conservatives while occupying the speakership.

List of speakers

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
No.

!width="200px"|Name
Electoral district
(Birth–Death)

! width="95px" |Term of office

! colspan="2" |Party

!Legislature

rowspan="5" |1

| rowspan="5" |Amos Botsford
MLA for Westmorland
(1744/1745–1812)

| rowspan="5" |1786–1812

| rowspan="5" style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

| rowspan="5" width="100px" |Independent

|1st

2nd
3rd
4th
style="height:25px"

| rowspan="2" |5th

2

|John Robinson
MLA for Saint John City
(1762–1828)

|1813–1816

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

rowspan="3" |3

| rowspan="3" |William Botsford
MLA for Westmorland
(1773–1864)

| rowspan="3" |1817–1823

| rowspan="3" style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

| rowspan="3" |Independent

|6th

7th
rowspan="3" |8th
4

|Ward Chipman Jr.
MLA for Saint John County
(1787–1851)

|1824–1825

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

5

|Harry Peters
MLA for Saint John City
(1788–1870)

|1826–1827

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

6

|Richard Simonds
MLA for Northumberland
(1789–1836)

|1828

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

| rowspan="2" |9th

style="height:35px"

| rowspan="2" |7

| rowspan="2" |Charles Simonds
MLA for Saint John County
(1783–1859)

| rowspan="2" |1829–1830

| rowspan="2" style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

| rowspan="2" |Independent

rowspan="2" |10th
8

|William Crane
MLA for Westmorland
(1785–1853)

|1831–1834

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

rowspan="2" |(7)

| rowspan="2" |Charles Simonds
MLA for Saint John County
(1783–1859)

| rowspan="2" |1835–1842

| rowspan="2" style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

| rowspan="2" |Independent

|11th

12th
rowspan="2" |9

| rowspan="2" |John Wesley Weldon
MLA for Kent
(1809–1885)

| rowspan="2" |1843–1850

| rowspan="2" style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

| rowspan="2" |Independent

|13th

14th
(7)

|Charles Simonds
MLA for Saint John County
(1783–1859)

|1851

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

| rowspan="3" |15th

(8)

|William Crane
MLA for Westmorland
(1785–1853)

|1852–1853

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

style="height:35px"

| rowspan="2" |10

| rowspan="2" |Daniel Hanington
MLA for Westmorland
(1804–1889)

| rowspan="2" |1853–1856

| rowspan="2" style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

| rowspan="2" |Independent

16th
(7)

|Charles Simonds
MLA for Saint John County
(1783–1859)

|1856–1857

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

|17th

11

|James A. Harding
MLA for Saint John City
(1820–1893)

|1857–1858

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

| rowspan="2" |18th

style="height:35px"

| rowspan="2" |12

| rowspan="2" |John Mercer Johnson
MLA for Northumberland
(1818–1868)

| rowspan="2" |1859–1862

| rowspan="2" style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

| rowspan="2" |Independent

rowspan="2" |19th
13

|John Campbell Allen
MLA for York
(1817–1898)

|1863–1864

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

14

|Edwin Arnold Vail
MLA for Kings
(1817–1885)

|1865–1866

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

|20th

15

|John Hamilton Gray
MLA for Saint John County
(1814–1889)

|1866–1867

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

| rowspan="2" |21st

16

|Bliss Botsford
MLA for Westmorland
(1813–1890)

|1868–1870

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

(14)

|Edwin Arnold Vail
MLA for Kings
(1817–1885)

|1871–1874

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

|22nd

17

|William Wedderburn
MLA for Saint John City
(1834–1918)

|1875–1878

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

|23rd

18

|Benjamin Robert Stephenson
MLA for Charlotte
(1835–1890)

|1879–1882

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

|24th

19

|James E. Lynott
MLA for Charlotte
(1839–1890)

|1883–1886

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

|25th

20

|William Pugsley
MLA for Kings
(1850–1925)

|1887–1889

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

|26th

21

|Albert Scott White
MLA for Kings
(1855–1931)

|1890–1892

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

|27th

rowspan="2" |22

| rowspan="2" |John Percival Burchill
MLA for Northumberland
(1855–1923)

| rowspan="2" |1893–1899

| rowspan="2" style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

| rowspan="2" |Independent

|28th

29th
rowspan="2" |23

| rowspan="2" |Clifford William Robinson
MLA for Westmorland
(1866–1944)

| rowspan="2" |1901–1907

| rowspan="2" style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

| rowspan="2" |Independent

|30th

rowspan="2" |31st
24

|Charles J. Osman
MLA for Albert
(1851–1922)

|1907

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

25

|Donald Morrison
MLA for Northumberland
(1852–1920)

|1908

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

| rowspan="2" |32nd

style="height:35px"

| rowspan="2" |26

| rowspan="2" |George Johnson Clarke
MLA for Charlotte
(1857–1917)

| rowspan="2" |1909–1914

| rowspan="2" style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

| rowspan="2" |Independent

rowspan="3" |33rd
27

|Walter B. Dickson
MLA for Albert
(1847–1916)

|1914–1916

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

28

|Olivier-Maximin Melanson
MLA for Westmorland
(1854–1926)

|1916

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Independent}}; " |

|Independent

29

|William Currie
MLA for Restigouche
(1862–1934)

|1917–1918

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

| rowspan="2" |34th

30

|Judson Hetherington
MLA for Queens
(1866–1928)

|1919–1920

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

31

|Allison Dysart
MLA for Kent
(1880–1962)

|1921–1925

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|35th

32

|Joseph Leonard O'Brien
MLA for Northumberland
(1895–1973)

|1926–1930

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Conservative}}; " |

|Conservative

|36th

33

|Frederick C. Squires
MLA for Carleton
(1881–1960)

|1931–1935

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Conservative}}; " |

|Conservative

|37th

34

|Hedley Francis Gregory Bridges
MLA for Restigouche
(1902–1947)

|1936–1938

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|38th

35

|Frederic McGrand
MLA for Queens
(1895–1988)

|1940–1944

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|39th

rowspan="2" |36

| rowspan="2" |Harry O. Downey
MLA for Albert
(1897–1974)

| rowspan="2" |1945–1952

| rowspan="2" style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

| rowspan="2" |Liberal

|40th

41st
37

|Elmor T. Kennedy
MLA for Kings
(1885–1953)

|1953

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

| rowspan="3" |42nd

38

|Walter Powers
MLA for Victoria
(1895–1954)

|1954

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

style="height:35px"

| rowspan="2" |39

| rowspan="2" |J. Arthur Moore
MLA for Queens
(1891–1979)

| rowspan="2" |1955–1960

| rowspan="2" style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|PC}}; " |

| rowspan="2" |Progressive Conservative

43rd
40

|Ernest Richard
MLA for Gloucester
(1922–2006)

|1960–1963

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|44th

41

|Bernard Jean
MLA for Gloucester
(1925–2012)

|1963–1966

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

| rowspan="2" |45th

42

|H. H. Williamson
MLA for Gloucester
(1916–1972)

|1966–1967

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

43

|Robert McCready
MLA for Bathurst
(1921–1995)

|1968–1970

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|46th

44

|Lawrence Garvie
MLA for Fredericton
(1933–2011)

|1971–1973

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

| rowspan="2" |47th

style="height:50px"

| rowspan="2" |45

| rowspan="2" |William J. Woodroffe
MLA for Saint John East (until 1974)
MLA for Saint John-Fundy (from 1974)
(1933–2003)

| rowspan="2" |1973–1978

| rowspan="2" style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|PC}}; " |

| rowspan="2" |Progressive Conservative

48th
(43)

|Robert McCready
MLA for Queens South
(1921–1995)

|1979–1980

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

| rowspan="2" |49th

style="height:35px"

| rowspan="2" |46

| rowspan="2" |James N. Tucker Jr.
MLA for Charlotte-Fundy
(born 1934)

| rowspan="2" |1981–1985

| rowspan="2" style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|PC}}; " |

| rowspan="2" |Progressive Conservative

rowspan="2" |50th
47

|Charles Gallagher
MLA for Carleton North
(1925–2007)

|1985–1987

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

48

|Frank Branch
MLA for Nepisiguit-Chaleur
(1944–2018)

|1987–1991

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|51st

49

|Shirley Dysart
MLA for Saint John Park
(1928–2016)

|1991–1994

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

| rowspan="3" |52nd

50

|Gérald Clavette
MLA for Madawaska Centre
(born 1941)

|1994

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

(49)

|Shirley Dysart
MLA for Saint John Park
(1928–2016)

|1994–1995

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

51

|Danny Gay
MLA for Miramichi Bay
(born 1950)

|1995–1998

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

| rowspan="2" |53rd

52

|John McKay
MLA for Miramichi Centre
(born 1948)

|1998–1999

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

rowspan="2" |53

| rowspan="2" |Bev Harrison
MLA for Hampton-Belleisle
(born 1942)

| rowspan="2" |1999–2006

| rowspan="2" style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|PC}}; " |

| rowspan="2" |Progressive Conservative

|54th

rowspan="2" |55th
54

|Michael Malley
MLA for Miramichi-Bay du Vin
(born 1962)

|2006

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

55

|Eugene McGinley
MLA for Grand Lake-Gagetown
(1935–2019)

|2007

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

| rowspan="2" |56th

56

|Roy Boudreau
MLA for Campbellton-Restigouche Centre
(1946–2023)

|2007–2010

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

57

|Dale Graham
MLA for Carleton
(born 1951)

|2010–2014

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

|57th

58

|Chris Collins
MLA for Moncton Centre
(born 1951)

|2014–2018

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|58th

59

|Daniel Guitard
MLA for Restigouche-Chaleur
(born 1959)

|2018–2020

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|59th

60

|Bill Oliver
MLA for Kings Centre
(born 1959)

|2020–present

|style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NB|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

|60th

References

  • [http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Sites/LOP/Infoparl/english/issue.asp?param=67&art=97 The Evolving Speakership, Canadian Parliamentary Review]

{{Speakers of Canada}}

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Category:Politics of New Brunswick

New Brunswick