Anthony Rota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anthony Rota
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Rota in 2023
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| 37th Speaker of the House of Commons | |
| In office December 5, 2019 – September 27, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Geoff Regan |
| Succeeded by | Louis Plamondon |
| Member of Parliament for Nipissing—Timiskaming |
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| In office October 19, 2015 – March 23, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Jay Aspin |
| Succeeded by | Pauline Rochefort |
| In office June 28, 2004 – May 2, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Bob Wood |
| Succeeded by | Jay Aspin |
| Chairman of the COVID-19 Committee | |
| In office April 20, 2020 – June 18, 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Anthony Michael Gerard Rota
May 15, 1961 North Bay, Ontario, Canada |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouse | Chantal Piché-Rota |
| Children | 1 |
| Residences | North Bay, Ontario, Canada |
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Anthony Michael Gerard Rota, born on May 15, 1961, is a Canadian politician. He served as the 37th Speaker of the House of Commons from 2019 to 2023. He is a member of the Liberal Party. He has been a Member of Parliament (MP) for the area called Nipissing—Timiskaming. He also represented Nipissing—Timiskaming as an MP from 2004 to 2011. In 2019, he was chosen by the House of Commons to be the Speaker. He was re-elected as Speaker in 2021.
On September 27, 2023, he stepped down as Speaker. This happened after he honored a Ukrainian veteran in the House of Commons. This event led to the election of a new Speaker.
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Early Life and Education
Anthony Rota was born in North Bay, Ontario, Canada, in 1961. His family came from Cosenza, Italy. He went to Wilfrid Laurier University and earned a degree in political science. He also has a diploma in finance from Algonquin College. Later, he earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Ottawa.
Before becoming a politician, Rota worked as a regional manager for the Industrial Research Assistance Program in Ontario. He also worked for the Canadian Technology Network in Ottawa. He can speak English, French, Italian, and Spanish.
Political Journey
Rota started his political career in his hometown, North Bay. He was a city councillor from 1994 to 1997. During this time, he led the city's planning and economic development committee. In 2004, he was chosen to represent the Liberal Party of Canada in the federal election for Nipissing—Timiskaming. He won this election.
He was re-elected in the 2006 and 2008 elections. He served as the Liberal Party's group leader in Parliament. He also spoke for the party on matters related to economic development in Northern Ontario.
In the 2011 election, Rota lost his seat by a very small number of votes. After this, he began teaching at Nipissing University. In the 2015 election, Rota ran again and won, becoming an MP once more. He was re-elected in the 2019 election.
Serving as Speaker of the House of Commons
After the 2019 Federal Election, Anthony Rota was chosen as the 37th Speaker of the House of Commons. This happened on December 5, 2019. The Speaker is like a referee in Parliament. Their job is to make sure debates are fair and that rules are followed.
In June 2020, Speaker Rota asked NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh to leave the House of Commons. This happened after Singh called another MP a racist.
Parliamentary Documents and Rules
In July 2021, there was a disagreement about government documents. Speaker Rota decided that the government had to share certain documents with Members of Parliament. These documents were about the transfer of virus samples and the dismissal of two scientists from a lab.
The government disagreed with Speaker Rota's decision and took the matter to court. Speaker Rota believed that courts should not interfere with how Parliament works. He felt that only Parliament itself should decide how its rules apply.
The government later dropped its court case. This happened when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called an election in August 2021. Calling an election ends all ongoing business in Parliament, including the request for these documents.
On November 22, 2021, Rota was re-elected as the Speaker of the House of Commons.
Resignation as Speaker
On September 22, 2023, after the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, spoke to the Canadian Parliament, Speaker Rota introduced a man named Yaroslav Hunka. Rota called Hunka a "war hero" who fought for Ukrainian independence. Members of Parliament from all parties applauded Hunka.
Later, news reports showed that Hunka had been part of a military unit linked to Nazi Germany during the Second World War. This unit was involved in difficult actions during the war. Two days later, Rota apologized. He said he had learned more information and regretted his decision to honor Hunka. He also apologized to Jewish communities and took full responsibility. He stated that no one else, including the Ukrainian delegation, knew he would recognize Hunka.
Because of this event, many people and groups asked Rota to resign. On September 26, 2023, Rota announced he would step down as Speaker. His resignation became official on September 27. He was the seventh House Speaker in Canadian history to resign.
Arms
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See also
In Spanish: Anthony Rota para niños
