The Speaker of the House of Commons reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Speaker of the House of Commons

In the Westminster System the Speaker of the House of Commons (or, in some countries, the Speaker of the House of Representatives) controls the day to day running of the house. The speaker decides who may speak and has the powers to discipline members who break the procedures of the house. This position exists in nations such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.

The speaker is elected from amongst the members of the assembly by the members, and no whips are allowed in the selection. Nonetheless, a speaker from the ruling party is usually chosen.

See:

• Speaker of the British House of Commons
• Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons

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