8°C Vancouver

Sep 26, 2023 6:04 PM - The Canadian Press

Who is Anthony Rota, the House of Commons Speaker who has been asked to resign?

Share On
who-is-anthony-rota-the-house-of-commons-speaker-who-has-been-asked-to-resign
Rota was first elected as a Liberal member of Parliament in 2004, and took on the job as Speaker in 2019 after winning a ranked ballot with the support of opposition parties.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

Until Friday afternoon, Anthony Rota was considered a highly respected Speaker of the House of Commons on both sides of the parliamentary aisle.

That day, he invited a Ukrainian veteran who fought for the Nazis to the House of Commons to witness a speech by Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and lauded the man as a Canadian and Ukrainian hero.

Rota apologized to the House on Monday amid international criticism over the incident.

He is now facing calls to resign from all four major parties represented in the Commons.

Rota was first elected as a Liberal member of Parliament in 2004, and took on the job as Speaker in 2019 after winning a ranked ballot with the support of opposition parties.

He won the job again in 2021, and told MPs he would treasure their confidence in him for the rest of his life.

Latest news

BCNov 02, 2026

One person has died following a house fire in Chilliwack, British Columbia.

According to officials, the fire broke out Friday afternoon at a home near Young Road and Henley Avenue. The blaze originated in the basement of the house. Firefighters received a call about the incident at approximately 2:15 p.m. Upon arriving at the scene, they discovered that someone was trapped inside the home. The Chilliwack Fire Department said firefighters worked hard to bring the blaze under control and managed to rescue one person from inside the house. Unfortunately, the individual was pronounced dead at the scene. Fire Chief Andrew Brown said the cause of the fire is under investiga
BCNov 02, 2026

Liberals Outraise Conservatives by Nearly $1 Million in Third Quarter of 2026

Canada’s ruling Liberal Party has outpaced the Conservative Party by nearly $1 million in fundraising during the third quarter of 2026. According to the latest figures released by Elections Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal Party raised approximately $4.9 million from 36,000 donors between July and September, while the opposition Conservatives collected around $3.9 million from nearly 29,000 donors. In the previous quarter, the Conservatives had led the fundraising race with $5 million, compared with $4.3 million raised by the Liberals. However, the latest figures show a turnaro
BCNov 02, 2026

Two Arrested After Stolen Vancouver Truck Crashes in Surrey

Two people have been arrested after a truck stolen from Vancouver crashed in Surrey the following day. According to the Surrey Police Service, the incident came to light on Thursday afternoon when an officer patrolling the 5600-block of 144 Street received an alert from the Automatic Licence Plate Recognition (ALPR) system, identifying the vehicle as stolen. Police maintained a safe distance while pursuing the truck and received assistance from the Air 1 helicopter. Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton said the truck driver was operating the vehicle in an extremely dangerous manner before eventually co
israeli-airstrikes-kill-three-palestinians-in-gaza-several-others-injured
WorldNov 02, 2026

Israeli Airstrikes Kill Three Palestinians in Gaza, Several Others Injured

At least three Palestinians were killed and several others injured in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Monday. According to health officials, two people were killed and six others injured in two separate airstrikes in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Another person was killed in a separate strike in the town of Al-Mussaddar. The Israeli military confirmed the attacks, saying it had targeted Palestinian militants. Israel has accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire by rebuilding its weapons stockpiles and attempting to carry out attacks. Hamas, however, rejected the allegations and accuse
AlbertaNov 02, 2026

Alberta Cuts Education Property Tax Rates, Freezes Them for Next Three Years

The Alberta government has announced plans to reduce provincial education property tax rates and freeze them for the next three years, a move aimed at providing greater financial certainty for residents and helping municipalities with budget planning. Under Budget 2027, the changes are expected to save Alberta property owners an estimated $100 million during the 2027-28 fiscal year. The government will introduce consistent provincial education property tax rates across municipalities, allowing local governments to have a predictable tax rate when making decisions for their communities. In area

Related News