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| Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario | |
|---|---|
| Name | Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario |
| Department | Legislative Assembly of Ontario |
| Reports to | Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario |
| Seat | Queen's Park, Toronto |
| Formation | 1867 |
Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario The Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario is the senior procedural and administrative officer who supports the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in maintaining parliamentary practice. The office interfaces with the Premier of Ontario, provincial ministries such as the Ministry of the Attorney General (Ontario), opposition leaders including the Leader of the Opposition (Ontario), and legislative staff to administer sittings, prepare records, and advise on standing orders.
The Clerk advises on parliamentary procedure referenced against authorities like Erskine May, interacts with institutions such as the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, and administers the official record parallel to the work of the Ontario Provincial Parliamentarian and the Legislative Research Service. Responsibilities include preparing the Hansard (Canada), managing the table officers alongside the Sergeant-at-Arms (Canada), coordinating with the Chief Electoral Officer of Ontario for oath and swearing processes, and liaising with legal bodies including the Court of Appeal for Ontario and the Supreme Court of Canada when constitutional or statutory questions arise.
The Clerk is appointed by resolution of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on advice from the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and typically drawn from experienced officials within the civil service, such as former officials from the Ministry of the Attorney General (Ontario), the Legislative Counsel Office (Ontario), or the Ontario Civil Service Commission. Tenure conventions align with practices in other jurisdictions like the Parliament of Canada, the Victorian Legislative Assembly, and the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, with removal or suspension subject to Assembly motions and influenced by precedents from the British House of Commons and the Ontario Ombudsman.
The Clerk heads a corporate office that includes deputy clerks, procedural advisors, table clerks, records managers, and administrative personnel working alongside divisions such as Legislative Services, Committee Operations, and Records and Information Management. The office coordinates with parallel entities like the Clerk of the Senate (Canada), the Library of Parliament, the Ontario Archives, and the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario to manage archival records, statutory instruments, and freedom of information requests. Staff often have professional ties to organizations such as the Canadian Association of Clerks-at-the-Table and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
During sittings, the Clerk prepares order papers, advises the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on points of order referencing sources like Bourinot's Rules of Order, records votes including divisions and recorded votes similar to practices in the House of Commons of Canada, and oversees the transmission of petitions and bills to committees such as the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs (Ontario). The Clerk administers oaths of members in accordance with the Constitution Act, 1867, supports proceedings involving supply and confidence motions akin to those in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and ensures compliance with standing orders and statutes including provincial statutes enacted by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario itself.
The office evolved after Confederation in 1867, drawing on Westminster traditions from the British House of Commons and administrative models from colonial legislatures such as the Province of Canada and the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada. Over time, responsibilities expanded with developments in recording technology exemplified by Hansard (United Kingdom), procedural codification influenced by Erskine May, and administrative modernization paralleled by reforms in the Parliament of Canada and provincial assemblies like the Quebec National Assembly. The Clerk’s role adapted to statutory changes arising from landmarks such as the Constitution Act, 1982 and administrative law decisions of the Supreme Court of Canada.
Notable holders of the office have engaged with prominent figures and institutions including premiers like Oliver Mowat, Mitchell Hepburn, Bill Davis, Mike Harris, and Kathleen Wynne, and have interacted with officials from the Privy Council Office and the Governor General of Canada on ceremonial and constitutional matters. Several clerks have moved between roles in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, the Parliament of Canada, and international bodies such as the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, contributing to procedural scholarship and publications used by bodies like the Canadian Bar Association.
The Clerk works closely with the Speaker, the Sergeant-at-Arms (Ontario), the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel (Ontario), and committee clerks to coordinate security, legal advice, and committee processes. The office collaborates with the Clerk of the Senate (Canada), the Clerks-at-the-Table network, and legislative clerks in provinces including British Columbia, Alberta, and Nova Scotia to share best practices on procedure, records management, and legislative drafting. Interaction with the Legislative Assembly Service ensures integration with the Budget of Ontario processes and administrative oversight by entities such as the Public Accounts Committee (Ontario).
Category:Legislative Assembly of Ontario Category:Parliamentary procedure