James Jerome
Encyclopedia
James Alexander Jerome, PC
(March 4, 1933 - August 21, 2005) was a Canadian
jurist and former politician and Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons
.
After receiving his law degree from Osgoode Hall
in Toronto
, Jerome began his law practice in Sudbury, Ontario
. In 1966, he won a seat on Sudbury's city council and, the next year, attempted to win election to the Canadian House of Commons
in a by-election
but was defeated. He took the seat in the 1968 general election
, however, and became the Liberal
Member of Parliament
(MP) for the Sudbury riding
.
After the 1972 election
, Jerome became Chairman of the Standing Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs. Since there was a minority government
in place, the opposition had a majority of members on the Committee and Jerome had to remain impartial and balance the wishes of all parties in order to win approval for legislation.
His success in this role led Prime Minister
Pierre Trudeau
to appoint Jerome as Speaker of the House of Commons following the 1974 election
.
In the 1979 election
, Jerome considered following the precedent set by his predecessor, Lucien Lamoureux
by running as an independent as is the custom of the Speaker of the British House of Commons
. He decided to run as a Liberal, however, and was re-elected. The Progressive Conservative Party
formed a minority government
. Despite the change in government, they decided to keep Jerome as Speaker, the first time a member of an opposition party was chosen to preside over the Canadian House of Commons.
After the Clark government was defeated in a Motion of No Confidence
in December 1979, Jerome decided not to run in the ensuing general election. In January 1980, Clark appointed him Associate Chief Justice of the Federal Court in Ottawa. Jerome remained in this position until his retirement in 1998.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
(March 4, 1933 - August 21, 2005) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
jurist and former politician and Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons
Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada is the presiding officer of the lower house of the Parliament of Canada and is elected at the beginning of each new parliament by fellow Members of Parliament...
.
After receiving his law degree from Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall is a landmark building in downtown Toronto constructed between 1829 and 1832 in the late Georgian Palladian and Neoclassical styles. It houses the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Divisional Court of the Superior Court of Justice, and the Law Society of Upper Canada...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Jerome began his law practice in Sudbury, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. In 1966, he won a seat on Sudbury's city council and, the next year, attempted to win election to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
but was defeated. He took the seat in the 1968 general election
Canadian federal election, 1968
The Canadian federal election of 1968 was held on June 25, 1968, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 28th Parliament of Canada...
, however, and became the Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for the Sudbury riding
Sudbury (electoral district)
Sudbury is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1949.Its population in 2001 was 89,443. The district is one of two serving the city of Greater Sudbury, Ontario....
.
After the 1972 election
Canadian federal election, 1972
The Canadian federal election of 1972 was held on October 30, 1972 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 29th Parliament of Canada. It resulted in a slim victory for the governing Liberal Party, which won 109 seats, compared to 107 seats for the opposition Progressive...
, Jerome became Chairman of the Standing Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs. Since there was a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
in place, the opposition had a majority of members on the Committee and Jerome had to remain impartial and balance the wishes of all parties in order to win approval for legislation.
His success in this role led Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
to appoint Jerome as Speaker of the House of Commons following the 1974 election
Canadian federal election, 1974
The Canadian federal election of 1974 was held on July 8, 1974 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 30th Parliament of Canada. The governing Liberal Party won its first majority government since 1968, and gave Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau his third term...
.
In the 1979 election
Canadian federal election, 1979
The Canadian federal election of 1979 was held on May 22, 1979 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 31st Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of Liberal Party of Canada after 11 years in power under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Joe Clark led the Progressive...
, Jerome considered following the precedent set by his predecessor, Lucien Lamoureux
Lucien Lamoureux
Lucien Lamoureux, PC, OC was a Canadian politician and Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons from 1966 to 1974...
by running as an independent as is the custom of the Speaker of the British House of Commons
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
. He decided to run as a Liberal, however, and was re-elected. The Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
formed a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
. Despite the change in government, they decided to keep Jerome as Speaker, the first time a member of an opposition party was chosen to preside over the Canadian House of Commons.
After the Clark government was defeated in a Motion of No Confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
in December 1979, Jerome decided not to run in the ensuing general election. In January 1980, Clark appointed him Associate Chief Justice of the Federal Court in Ottawa. Jerome remained in this position until his retirement in 1998.