Mr. Ed Holder (London West, CPC): Hon. colleagues, allow me first to congratulate you on your election. You are here because this is important to you and you have decided to make a difference.

Having campaigned to become a member of Parliament sets you apart from the 34 million other Canadians, especially considering that only 5,000 Canadians have been elected to this House since Confederation.

My friends, I recall I was in awe when I first came to this place. Even with my 30 years of business experience, I could not help but feel like a young person going to his first job. When I took my seat in this House, I was so excited. I knew this is where I should be. It was inspiring.

To the new hon. members, allow me to welcome you to Parliament and to your new parliamentary family. Savour this experience: it will become a part of you. We are proud to have you as colleagues and we sincerely wish you all the best.

It is tremendous to have our colleagues who are returning back in Parliament. Today, it is my honour to present myself to all members for their thoughtful consideration as Speaker of the House.

I stand before the members today because I was first approached by a member of the opposition upon the announcement of the pending retirement of Speaker Milliken. Although a thoughtful compliment, it was not until several members from all parties suggested strongly that I consider the role that I was compelled to take it more seriously. After some deliberations and strong encouragement, I have agreed to let my name stand.

Colleagues, today we have our first duty, which is to elect our Speaker. I am honoured to be joined by several friends who have allowed their names to stand. I know these people as exceptionally honourable and I consider them worthy choices.

My friends, I am a great believer in the importance of tradition, especially when it comes to this place, the House of Commons.

In the spirit of that tradition, I have not overtly campaigned for the position. It will be decided today if that was the right approach.

Instead, I have tried whenever possible to meet with you personally to introduce myself and talk to you about issues that matter to you, about your ideas and your expectations of the Speaker of the House. I will do the same as Speaker. I believe it is the hon. members who make this place so extraordinary and that is why I did not submit my candidacy in a letter or through the media. As the Speaker, my door will always be open. In fact, I encourage all of us to build new relationships with our colleagues.

What we have heard from candidates is the need for greater decorum and civility in the House; that we must show greater respect among one another.

Ironically, nothing separates any of the candidates in that regard. We have all learned through our parents to treat each other with respect and civility, and we know this to be true. I was taught that by my Cape Breton mother.

However, that is only one part, albeit an important part, of the role of Speaker. The Speaker is also chair of the Board of Internal Economy and, as such, is responsible for the whole parliamentary precinct. The budget and staff for this is significant, and my experience as chief executive officer of a successful large company, I believe, positions me well for this responsibility.

At the same time, there is a necessity to show fiscal prudence. Our bosses, the Canadian taxpayers, deserve no less. I will commit to taking the same business approach to the budget as I did when I ran my own company, with a critical eye and a compassionate, caring style.

Colleagues, we also need to return to a time of representing the traditions of this House when parliamentarians were the ones responsible for our affairs. This is our place. These are our choices and it begins by building respectful relationships with each other.

The Speaker has a role to play in supporting these relationships. Speaker Milliken did a superb job in encouraging members from all parties to come together in a non-partisan fashion on a regular basis through various events and receptions. It is my intention to carry on with these important traditions.

The Speaker is the servant of this House. If you give me the honour of serving, I will do so with humility and respect.

We have all come here with the goal of making Canada better.

With the thoughtful support of members, we can do it together. I thank them for their thoughtful consideration.