#nathan cooper

soon as I got all my dental work finished

Mr. Cooper: Mr. Speaker, first-time caller, long-time listener.

The Speaker: Hon. members, I feel like there is some Speakerly requirement. While I may be a Flames fan, I certainly am the Speaker for all Albertans, including the Oiler fans, who, for the benefit of Hansard and the permanent record of all time, took a 1-nothing series lead just moments ago. Nothing brings the Chamber together like an Oilers win.

The Speaker: My appointment will take place in early June, and I will serve as a private member of this Assembly until that time. I will speak directly to the constituents of Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills in the coming days, but suffice to say in the remaining days of session as a private member I’ve got a few things to get off my chest.

The Speaker: While I accept that perhaps I didn’t have enough for lunch today and am mildly hangry and I am unaware of the context in which I said that the Premier’s record is a matter of debate, I stand by that statement.

The Speaker: Anyway, two people were unable to be part of the photograph yesterday – there we go –and I would like to invite them here to the dais to receive their 10-year service pins: the 847th member ever elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, the hon. Member for Edmonton-Castle Downs, and the 898th member, the deputy chair of committees, the hon. Member for Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock. [Some applause] I don’t feel like I got a standing ovation yesterday, but okay.

The Speaker: Oh, why, thank you.

The Speaker: Hon. members, today marks a very special day for approximately 20 of you. Today marks the 10th year of service for several members. During the past decade each of these members has served with 169 other members, or 18 per cent of all members ever elected to the Assembly. There have been 581 House sessional days up to and including May 1, including 59 evening sittings past midnight. As we all know, nothing good happens after midnight, and that includes inside public policy. There have been 440 bills that have been introduced. During this time members have quoted no fewer than 32 poems or songs on all matter of topics, including Remembrance Day, Christmas, budget day, and the Stanley Cup playoffs, including the hon. member from the outstanding constituency of Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills reading the lyrics from The Greatest. And my personal favourite – and no wonder why I have such great legs – is that the Speaker has stood to call order on 2,476 occasions.