OTTAWA – King Charles and Queen Camilla touch down in Ottawa today to begin their first visit to Canada since the King’s coronation two years ago.
Parliament also opened Monday and MPs are voting on who will become the next Speaker of the House of Commons.
Here’s the latest. All times Eastern.
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10:35 a.m.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has issued a statement welcoming the King and Queen to Canada.
“The Royal Visit is a reminder of the bond between Canada and the Crown – one forged over generations, shaped by shared histories and grounded in common values. A bond that, over time, has evolved, just as Canada has, to reflect the strength, diversity and confidence of our people,” Carney said in the statement.
The prime minister said that tomorrow’s throne speech will describe the government’s plan “to define a new economic and security relationship with the United States, to build the strongest economy in the G7, to bring down the cost of living, and to keep communities safe.”
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9:31 a.m.
The candidates for Speaker each have been allotted five minutes to address the House before members vote by preferential secret ballot.
The vote is being presided over by Louis Plamondon, currently the longest-serving MP.
Liberal MP Greg Fergus, the last Speaker, is seeking to win the role back — although critics accused him in the last Parliament of being overly partisan.
He has presented himself as an experienced hand who has learned and grown into the role.
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9:02 a.m.
Newly elected MPs have gathered in the House of Commons to vote for their next Speaker and two candidates have already withdrawn from the running.
Conservative MPs Chris d’Entremont — a former deputy Speaker — and John Nater had put their names forward but withdrew at the last minute.
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8:51 a.m.
Gov. Gen. Mary Simon says the presence of the King and Queen “at this pivotal moment in our history holds profound significance.”
She says their role in Canada is more than symbolic, and serves as a “cornerstone of the democratic freedoms and rights we cherish.”
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8 a.m.
Newly elected MPs will vote by secret ballot when Parliament returns today to decide who will become the next Speaker of the House of Commons.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 26, 2025.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
