Nova Scotia MLAs sworn in, hold special sitting to elect Speaker

The Nova Scotia legislature unanimously picked a Speaker as it convened for a special sitting today to swear in its 51 members.

The new Speaker is the same as the old one: Kevin Murphy, Liberal member for the Eastern Shore.

He was the only candidate for the position.

READ MORE: Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil appoints 17 to new cabinet

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The Liberals also tried to nominate two backbenchers as deputy speaker – Chuck Porter and Suzanne Lohnes-Croft – but were quickly cut off by the opposition parties, who promptly nominated Tory Alfie MacLeod and NDP member Lenore Zann.

Porter was eventually elected in the three-way runoff.

“It’s quite common that the deputy speaker comes from the opposition side,” Progressive Conservative Leader Baillie complained afterwards.

“They (Liberals) have said they want a more cooperative tone, but they had a chance to prove that today and they didn’t.”

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All 51 members of the legislature were also officially sworn in on Friday including seven new Tories, four new NDP members and two new Liberals.

The Liberals won 27 seats in the provincial election followed by the Tories with 17 and the New Democrats with seven.