Legislative Chamber

Ontario's 103 Members of Provincial Parliament meet in the Chamber to debate and vote on legislation. This is also where the government of the day is held accountable during Question Period. Members of the public can watch in the public galleries, while honoured guests from around the world are invited to sit in the Speaker's Gallery. Since 1986, the public has been able to watch proceedings live on television through the Legislature's Broadcast and Recording Service.

Order is maintained by the Speaker, who sits at the south end of the Chamber, with government members to the Speaker's right and opposition members to the left. If the government has a large majority, some government members sit on the left benches. The Speaker is elected by fellow members in a secret ballot.

The clerks sit in front of the Speaker and assist by ensuring that proper procedures are followed and by recording votes. Further down the centre aisle sit the Hansard reporters, who record the proceedings, and the Sergeant-at-Arms, whose duty it is to help enforce the Speaker's rulings. Members who fail to respect the ruling of the Speaker may be "named" and ejected from the Chamber with the polite assistance of the Sergeant-at-Arms.

The Chamber itself is impressive, with ceilings measuring 15 metres, green carpeting and recently uncovered painted ceiling panels featuring fall leaves. Originally painted by German-born Gustav Hahn, the panels were found during renovations to the building that began in 1994. They had been covered since 1912 by horsehair and canvas to address acoustic problems that made it hard for members to hear each other. An audio system has since been installed that solves this problem.

Scottish master craftsman William McCormack left a tremendous legacy of carvings in sycamore and mahogany panelling throughout the chamber. His signature can be found in the lower right-hand corner of the royal standard located in the Speaker's chair. The carvings include bats, monkeys, gargoyles and leaves. Caricatures in the plaster relief are thought to depict some of his fellow carvers who were not allowed to sign their own work.

On the stairs just below the Speaker's chair sit the Legislative Pages. They are grade seven and eight students from across the province who serve from three to six weeks and receive tutoring while away from school. Pages act as messengers in the Chamber, meet with politicians and officials, and get a first-hand view of how our democracy works.