View source for Clerk of the House of Commons (Canada)

{{Short description|Canadian parliamentary office holder}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Clerk
| body = the House of Commons
| insignia = <!-- An insignia; such as a coat of arms, logo, seal or other symbol associated with this post, if any.
Just the image name, no "File:" or "Image:" coding. -->
| insigniasize = <!-- Example, "150px".
Default size is 120px. -->
| insigniacaption = <!-- Short description of the insignia displayed above.-->
| image = <!-- Portrait or other image of the current officeholder.
Just the image name, no "File:" or "Image:" coding. -->
| imagesize = <!-- Example, "150px". -->
| incumbent = Eric Janse
| acting = No
| incumbentsince = 2023
| department = <!-- The organizational entity this official either heads, or is otherwise part of. -->
| appointer = [[Governor General in Council]]
| termlength = [[At {{ucfirst:{{Canadian monarch, current|genderp=~}}}} Majesty's pleasure]]
| constituting_instrument = <!-- The official document(s) which provide the formal legal basis for the post. -->
| formation = 1867
| first = [[William Burns Lindsay Jr.|William Burns Lindsay]]
| last = <!-- Optional. -->
| deputy = [[Deputy Clerk of the House of Commons]]
| salary = $242,800&ndash;285,600 (2023)
| website = <!-- Link to the official website, if any. -->
}}
The '''clerk of the House of Commons''' is the senior procedural and administrative officer in the [[House of Commons of Canada]].
The duties performed by the Clerk of the House of Commons include advising the [[Speaker of the House of Commons (Canada)|Speaker of the House of Commons]] and [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|Members of Parliament]] on matters of [[parliamentary procedure]]. As well, the Clerk is involved in the management of the House of Commons. The office is modelled on the [[Clerk of the House of Commons]] of the United Kingdom. Prior to the establishment of this office, there was the Clerk of the [[Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada]].
The current Clerk is Eric Janse.
== History ==
The thirteenth century saw the emergence of the Clerk as a profession in England.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=MacMinn|first1=George|last2=Vaive|first2=Robert|date=Summer 1998|title=The Office of Clerk|url=http://www.revparl.ca/english/issue.asp?param=67&art=101|journal=Canadian Parliamentary Review|volume=21|issue=2|pages=28|access-date=2019-04-04}}</ref> At that time, they were employed to record the decisions made by kings and kings' advisors. It was not until 1361 that the first Clerk of the House of Commons was officially appointed by the Crown.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcommons.ca/About/Clerk/Clerk-History-e.htm|title=History of the Office|website=House of Commons of Canada|access-date=2019-04-04}}</ref> The main duty of the early Clerks of the House consisted of reading petitions and bills,<ref name=":02" /> while later they started to record the House's proceedings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/parliamentwork/offices-and-ceremonies/overview/clerk-of-the-house/|title=Clerk of the House|website=UK Parliament|language=en|access-date=2019-04-04}}</ref> Notes on proceedings evolved to journals, which aim to keep track of the decisions and other important transaction of the House.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcommons.ca/About/Compendium/ParliamentaryPublications/c_g_parliamentarypublications-e.htm#2|title=Parliamentary Publications|website=House of Commons of Canada|access-date=2019-04-04}}</ref>
The House of Commons of Canada inherited the British parliamentary tradition. In 1867, [[William Burns Lindsay Jr.|William Burns Lindsay]] became the first Clerk of the House of Commons of Canada. Before Confederation, he served as the Clerk of the [[Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ourcommons.ca/MarleauMontpetit/DocumentViewer.aspx?Language=E&Sec=Ch25&Seq=6|title=Appendices - Clerks of the House of Commons Since 1867|website=House of Commons of Canada|access-date=2019-04-05}}</ref> From 2014 to 2016, the [[Deputy Clerk of the House of Commons|Deputy Clerk]] [[Marc Bosc]] served the role of the Acting Clerk on an interim basis during the House of Commons Clerk Audrey O'Brien's medical leave period.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/house-clerk-audrey-o-brien-on-extended-leave-after-emergency-surgery-1.2755862|title=House Clerk Audrey O'Brien on 'extended leave' after emergency surgery|last=O'Malley|first=Kady|website=CBC News|access-date=2019-04-05}}</ref> He continued to remain in that position until the appointment of [[Charles Robert (politician)|Charles Robert]] in 2017.
== Appointment and duties ==
The Clerk of the House of Commons are filled through governor-in-council appointments, pursuant to the [[Public Service Employment Act]]. In 2001, the House made a modification to the appointment process according to a recommendation contained in the First Report of the Special Committee on the Modernization and Improvement of the Procedures of the House of Commons. From then on, the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs needs to conduct a review of the proposed appointee after the government makes the nomination. This committee then reports to the House of Commons, followed by a ratification vote by the House. This process was first applied when proposing the appointment of [[Audrey O'Brien]] in 2005.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ourcommons.ca/About/Clerk/Clerk-Appt-e.htm|title=Appointment of the Clerk|website=House of Commons of Canada|access-date=2019-04-05}}</ref>
As well as advising the [[Speaker of the House of Commons (Canada)|Speaker of the House of Commons]] and [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|Members of Parliament]] on matters of [[parliamentary procedure]], the Clerk is involved in the management of the House of Commons. The procedural responsibility of the Clerk is to maintain and keep custody of the House's proceedings and other important documents. Before each sitting of the House, the Clerk is required to provide the official agenda for the day’s proceedings to the Speaker.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcommons.ca/About/Compendium/SpeakerandOtherPresidingOfficers/c_d_clerkotherstaffchamber-e.htm|title=The Clerk and Other Staff in the Chamber|website=House of Commons of Canada|access-date=2019-04-05}}</ref> At the beginning of a Parliament, all duly elected Members and the Members appointed to the [[Board of Internal Economy]] need to swear an oath of allegiance administered by the Clerk. With the aim of providing assistance to all Members regardless of party affiliation, the Clerk is expected to act with impartiality and discretion all the time.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ourcommons.ca/About/Clerk/Index-e.htm|title=Office of the Clerk|website=House of Commons of Canada|access-date=2019-04-05}}</ref> The [[Clerk of the Senate of Canada|Clerk of the Senate]] fulfills a similar role in the [[Senate of Canada]].
In the House of Commons Chamber, the Clerk’s Table is at the north end of the floor, in front of the Speaker’s Chair. The Clerk of the House of Commons sits at the head of the Table, with [[Clerks-at-the-Table]] on either side.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcommons.ca/About/HistoryArtsArchitecture/collection_profiles/CP_Clerk_Table-e.htm|title=The Clerk's Table|last=Barrow|first=Kerry|website=House of Commons of Canada|access-date=2019-04-05}}</ref> The dress code of the Clerk is to wear a black robe.<ref name=":1" />
== Incumbent ==
The office is currently held by Eric Janse who replaced Charles Robert as Clerk in February 2023.
==List of Clerks of the House of Commons==
{| class="wikitable"
!{{abbr|No.|Number}}
!Image
!Name<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcommons.ca/About/ProcedureAndPractice3rdEdition/App09-e.html|title=Clerks of the House of Commons Since 1867|website=House of Commons of Canada|access-date=2019-04-05}}</ref>
!Term
!Note
|-
|1
|
|[[William Burns Lindsay Jr.|William Burns Lindsay]]
|1867–1872
|
|-
|2
|
|[[Alfred Patrick]]
|1873–1880
|
|-
|3
|[[File:John George Bourinot.jpg|60px]]
|[[John George Bourinot (younger)|John George Bourinot]]
|1880–1902
|
|-
|4
|[[File:Thomas Barnard Flint.png|60px]]
|[[Thomas Barnard Flint]]
|1902–1917
|
|-
|5
|[[File:William Barton Northrup.jpg|60px]]
|[[William Barton Northrup]]
|1918–1924
|
|-
|6
|[[File:Arthur Beauchesne.png|60px]]
|[[Arthur Beauchesne]]
|1925–1949
|
|-
|7
|
|[[Léon Raymond|Léon-Joseph Raymond]]
|1949–1967
|
|-
|8
|
|[[Alistair Fraser (parliamentary official)|Alistair Fraser]]
|1967–1979
|
|-
|9
|
|[[Bev Koester|Charles Beverley Koester]]
|1979–1987
|
|-
|10
|[[File:Robt Marleau.jpg|60px]]
|[[Robert Marleau]]
|1987–2000
|
|-
|11
|
|[[William C. Corbett]]
|2000–2005
|
|-
|12
|
|[[Audrey O'Brien]]
|2005–2016
|
|-
|–
|[[File:Marc Bosc - Clerk of the House of Commons of Canada - 2016.jpg|60px]]
|[[Marc Bosc]]
|2014–2017
|Acting Clerk
|-
|13
|
|[https://www.asgp.co/executive-committee-member/2955   Charles Robert]
|2017–2023
|-
|–
|
|[[Eric Janse]]
|2023–present
|Acting (January 2023- December 2023)
|}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.parl.gc.ca/sites/HoCClerk/ClerkOffice-e.htm Office of the Clerk of the House of Commons]
[[Category:Lists of office-holders in Canada|Clerks of the House of Commons]]
[[Category:Canadian civil servants| Clerk of the House]]
[[Category:House of Commons of Canada]]
[[Category:Ceremonial officers in Canada]]
[[Category:Legislative clerks|Canada, House of Commons]]
[[Category:Clerks of the House of Commons (Canada)| ]]