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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| Monarch | |
| Governor General | |
| Prime Minister | Justin Trudeau |
| Preceded by | Geoff Regan |
| Succeeded by | Greg Fergus |
| Member of Parliament for Nipissing—Timiskaming |
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| Assumed office October 19, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Jay Aspin |
| 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 |
| Profession |
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Anthony Rota (born May 15, 1961) is a Canadian politician. He was the 37th Speaker of the House of Commons from 2019 to 2023. He is a member of the Liberal Party. Currently, he serves as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Nipissing—Timiskaming. He was also an MP for the same area from 2004 to 2011. In 2019, he was chosen by other MPs to be the Speaker. He was chosen again in 2021.
On September 27, 2023, he stepped down as Speaker. This happened after a person was honoured in the House of Commons, which caused a lot of controversy. This led to a new election for the Speaker's role.
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Anthony Rota's Early Life and Learning
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 studied finance at Algonquin College. Later, he got a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Ottawa.
Before becoming a politician, Rota worked in business. He was a regional manager for the Industrial Research Assistance Program. He also worked with the Canadian Technology Network. He can speak English, French, Italian, and Spanish.
Anthony Rota's 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 group.
In 2004, he was chosen to represent the Liberal Party for the Nipissing—Timiskaming area. He won the election that year and became a Member of Parliament (MP). He was re-elected in the 2006 and 2008 elections. As an MP, he worked as the Liberal Party's caucus chair. He also spoke for the party on issues related to Northern Ontario's economy.
In the 2011 election, Rota lost his seat by a very small number of votes. After this, he taught at Nipissing University. But in 2015, he ran again and won, becoming an MP once more. He was re-elected again in 2019.
Becoming the Speaker of the House
After the 2019 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. They make sure debates are fair and follow the rules. Rota was chosen by other Members of Parliament through a special voting process. He was re-elected as Speaker on November 22, 2021.
Important Moments as Speaker
As Speaker, Rota had to make important decisions. In June 2020, he asked NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh to leave the House of Commons. This happened after Singh called another MP a racist.
In July 2021, a big challenge came up. The government wanted to keep some documents private. These documents were about transferring virus samples to a lab in China. Speaker Rota ruled that the government had to share these documents with Parliament. He believed that Parliament had the right to see them. The government then tried to take Speaker Rota to court. This was unusual because the Speaker's decisions in Parliament are usually not challenged in court.
Speaker Rota stood firm. He said that courts should not interfere with how Parliament works. He believed only Parliament could decide on its own rules. The government later dropped the court case when an election was called. This meant Parliament was temporarily closed, and the request for documents ended for a while.
Why He Resigned
On September 27, 2023, Anthony Rota resigned from his role as Speaker. This decision came after a person was recognized and applauded in the House of Commons during a visit by the President of Ukraine. This honour caused a lot of upset and controversy, both in Canada and internationally. Rota later apologized, saying he was not aware of the person's past. He took full responsibility for the mistake and decided to step down. His resignation led to a new election for the Speaker's position.
See also
In Spanish: Anthony Rota para niños
