Speakers

The Speaker presides over debates in the Legislative Chamber and enforces parliamentary rules. The Speaker is elected by the Members of the Legislative Assembly during the first session of each parliament. Regardless of the Speaker's political affiliation, he or she must rule fairly and give all Members of all parties equal speaking opportunities. The Speaker does not participate in debate and only votes to break a tie.

Following is a list of Speakers of the Legislative Assembly, going back as far as 1872:

 Bill Barisoff (BC Liberal)   Go to Bill's Web site or Click to view video from the Election Ceremony
   September 12, 2005 - present 

Claude Richmond (BC Liberal) 
   June 19, 2001 – June 16, 2005

William James Hartley (New Democratic) 
   March 15, 2000 – May 15, 2001

Gretchen Mann Brewin (New Democratic) 
  March 26, 1998 - February 29, 2000

Laurence Dale Lovick (New Democratic)
  June 25, 1996 - February 18, 1998

Emery Oakland Barnes (New Democratic)
  March 22, 1994 - May 27, 1996

Joan Sawicki (New Democratic)
  March 17, 1992 - March 21, 1994

Charles Stephen Rogers (Social Credit)
  April 5, 1990 - October 16, 1991

John Douglas Reynolds (Social Credit)
  March 9, 1987 - November 1, 1989

Kenneth Walter Davidson (Social Credit) 
  June 23, 1983 - October 21, 1986 
  September 13, 1982 - May 4, 1983

Harvey Wilfred Schroeder (Social Credit)
  June 6, 1979 - August 10, 1982
  March 30, 1978 - April 3, 1979

Dean Smith (Social Credit) 
  March 17, 1976 - March 29, 1978

Gordon Hudson Dowding (New Democratic)
  October 17, 1972 - November 3, 1975

William Harvey Murray (Social Credit) 
  January 22, 1970 - July 24, 1972 
  January 24, 1967 - July 21, 1969 
  January 23, 1964 - August 5, 1966

Lorne Hugh Shantz (Social Credit) 
  January 26, 1961 - August 21, 1963 
  January 23, 1958 - August 3, 1960

Thomas James Irwin (Social Credit) 
  February 7, 1957 - April 24, 1957
  September 15, 1953 - August 13, 1956 
  February 3, 1953 - March 27, 1953

Nancy Hodges (Coalition) 
  February 14, 1950 - April 10, 1952

John Hart (Coalition)
  February 8, 1949 - April 16, 1949

Robert Henry Carson (Coalition) 
  March 2, 1948 - January 21, 1949

Norman William Whittaker (Coalition) 
  February 21, 1946 - September 30, 1947
  December 4, 1941 - August 31, 1945

Norman William Whittaker (Liberal) 
  October 26, 1937 - July 21, 1941

Henry George Thomas Perry (Liberal)
  February 20, 1934 - April 12, 1937

Cyril Francis Davie (Conservative) 
  February 11, 1931 - May 10, 1933

James William Jones (Conservative) 
  January 22, 1929 - October 29, 1930

John Andrew Buckham (Liberal)
  November 3, 1924 - June 7, 1928

Frederick Arthur Pauline (Liberal) 
  October 30, 1922 - May 10, 1924

Alexander Malcom Manson (Liberal) 
  February 8, 1921 - January 28, 1922

John Keen (Liberal) 
  February 7, 1918 - October 23, 1920

John Walter Weart (Liberal) 
  March 1, 1917 - February 6, 1918

David McEwen Eberts (Conservative) 
  January 16, 1913 - May 31, 1916 
  January 20, 1910 - February 27, 1912 
  March 7, 1907 - October 22, 1909

Charles Edward Pooley (Conservative)
  November 26, 1903 - December 24, 1906

Charles Edward Pooley 
  March 3, 1902 - June 16, 1903

John Paton Booth 
  July 19, 1900 - February 26, 1904

William Thomas Forster 
  January 5, 1899 - April 10, 1900

John Paton Booth 
  March 9, 1898 - June 7, 1898

David Williams Higgins
  November 12, 1894 - March 8, 1898 
  January 15, 1891 - June 2, 1894  
  January 23, 1890 - May 10, 1890

Charles Edward Pooley 
  January 24, 1887 - August 4, 1889

John Andrew Mara 
  January 25, 1883 - June 3, 1886

Frederick W. Williams 
  July 29, 1878 - June 13, 1882

James Trimble 
  January 10, 1876 - April 12, 1878 
  February 15, 1872 - August 30, 1875


Source: Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

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