Steven Spell

**His Excellency The Right Honourable Sir Steven Spell, OIM, GCVO, GCRI, KCMG, ID**
8th Governor-General of Ibagli
Term:	15 September 2006–
Predecessor:	Dame Annette Farquhar
Successor:	Incumbent
4th Speaker of the House of Commons
Term:	2 September 1985–25 August 1994
Predecessor:	Sir George Denham
Successor:	Dame Hillary Wilson
11th Leader of the Loyal Opposition
Term:	30 June 1981–16 January 1982
Predecessor:	Charles Forrester
Successor:	John Forton
Party:	Liberal
Member of the House of Commons
Term:	25 July 1963–25 August 1994
District:	Colltik Bridge
Party:	Conservative (1963–1970) Liberal (1970–1985) Independent (1985–1994)
Born:	27 October 1938 Oakville, Ontario, Canada

His Excellency the Right Honourable Sir Steven Spell, OIM, GCVO, GCRI, KCMG, ID is the Governor-General of Ibagli. He was installed as Governor-General on 15 September 2006. He is also a former Speaker of the House of Commons, having been elected to the position in 1985 and having served until the end of the 10th Parliament in 1994. He was a member of the cabinet during both governments of Henry LeVeque, as Minister of Home Affairs from 1972 to 1976 and Minister of Health from 1977 to 1981.

Early Life

He was born on 27 October 1938 in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. His family emigrated to Ibagli in 1946, taking up residence in Chesterford. He attended school at Exeter and Thistledowne, where he obtained a degree in political science. From 1959 to 1963 he worked in the office of Prime Minister Joseph Kenilworth.

Member of Parliament

In 1963, he was elected to the House of Commons as the Conservative MP for the district of Colltik Bridge in Haphonia. At the time, he was the youngest person ever elected to the House. He was reelected to the same seat in 1967. In 1964 he introduced a private member's resolution that would have abolished the Senate. The government, though supportive of the resolution, refused to allow it to make it to the floor, for fear that the Senate would prevent government bills from being passed. Spell stated in Parliament shortly after the bill was tabled that "this house, the house elected by the people of Ibagli, is being held hostage by the other place."

In 1970, after his discontent with Conservative Party policies in the areas of justice and aboriginal rights grew, he crossed the aisle to become a member of the Liberal Party and became the Shadow Minister of Home Affairs. While holding this position, he became the chief supporter of the move to abolish capital punishment. On the first sitting day after the switch, the Conservative members of the House turned their back as he walked into the chamber.

After Spell crossed the aisle, many people in Ibagli felt that he should have resigned his seat and faced a by-election, as he was elected to be a member of the Conservative Party. The level of criticism lessened as the Conservative Party's policies grew into disfavour with the public. Spell was reelected to his seat in the House in the 1972 General Election, claiming over 60% of the vote.

Cabinet Minister

Minister of Home Affairs

In 1972, the Liberal Party was swept into power in a landslide, and Spell became the Minister of Home Affairs and the Government House Leader. On his first day in office, he instituted a moratorium on capital punishment, and commuted the sentence of every person sentenced to death. Ibagli's laws against homosexuality were repealed in 1972. In 1973, capital punishment was abolished in Ibagli.

In 1976, the Conservative Party came to power after forming a coalition with the Social Credit Party. From 1976 until the collapse of the coalition in 1977, Spell served as Opposition House Leader and Shadow Minister of Home Affairs. During the time between his terms as a Minister, Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh visited Ibagli. Spell stated that his greatest sadness about the loss in the 1976 election came when he realized that he would not be able to act as a minister-in-attendance for the royal party.

Minister of Health

In 1977, the Liberals were returned to office, and Spell was appointed to be the Minister of Health and the Government House Leader. He is most widely remembered for overseeing the creation of the National Health Agency, Ibagli's universal healthcare system.

Liberal leadership

The Liberal Party lost the election held in 1981. Shortly after losing the election, Liberal leader Henry LeVeque announced his intention to resign. He appointed Spell, who many had felt was LeVeque's natural successor, to be the interim leader of the party until a leadership election could be held in 1982.

Many assumed the leadership would be uncontested. Five weeks before the convention, backbench MP John Forton announced his candidacy. Though Spell polled better in the public at large, many in the party felt that the party needed to be led by someone from outside of LeVeque's circle. During the campaign, Forton was able to portray Spell as soft on the environment after Spell refused to support a plan to make it less economically viable to own an automobile. Forton was narrowly elected leader of the Liberal Party in the leadership election.

Speaker

In 1985, while reportedly considering a second bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party after the resignation of John Forton, he was elected by the House of Commons to be Speaker. He was the last Speaker to only be required to gain the support of a plurality of Members of the House. Indeed, he was elected by the smallest plurality ever - only 19 MPs. Upon his election to the Speakership, he changed his party designation to independent, emulating the tradition of Speakers of the British House of Commons.

Shortly after his election, Spell stopped leading the House in prayer at the beginning of each sitting. He stated that he did not feel comfortable praying to a God in which he did not believe. This action was lambasted by religious conservatives as the beginning of a 'slippery slope towards secularism.' The Conservative Party considered sponsoring a motion placing the prayers back on the paper, but Spell stated that if the prayers were placed back on the agenda, he would resign. Shortly afterwards, he began to incorporate an unofficial moment of silence into the beginning of sessions that allowed members time for silent prayer.

His 50th birthday party in 1988 was attended by the Duke and Duchess of York, who were touring Ibagli at the time.

Spell was the first Speaker to interrupt a Prime Minister for speaking for too long during Question Period. In 1986, he ordered Prime Minister Forrester to wrap up one of his notoriously long answers after he talked for over Spell's 2 minute-limit. Forrester would eventually gain the skill of talking as fast as possible. The 2 minute rule was continued by successive Speakers. Though he was criticised by President of the Conservative Party Verna Weston for what she described as his 'vitriolic hatred of all things related to this government and all things Conservative', he applied the same rule to the Hunter government.

In 1991, an arrest warrant was issued for Sean Garsden, a Liberal MP after allegations of money laundering. Garsden fled to the Commons chamber, where he stayed for nearly two weeks, food and water being brought to him while the house was not sitting by fellow MPs. When the Haphonia Police department stormed Parliament in order to apprehend Garsden, the House was sitting. When the police entered the chamber and ordered Garsden to appear, Spell ordered the officers to withdraw. After they refused, Spell quoted William Lenthall, the British Speaker who refused to allow King Charles I to apprehend members for treason, as follows: 'I have neither eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as the House is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am here.' He went on to invoke the immunity from prosecution that MPs have that was guaranteed by the Governor-General on behalf of the Queen. One officer refused to leave the chamber, and Spell ordered the Serjeant-at-Arms to arrest him. The officer was found to be in contempt of Parliament by the house, and was ordered to be imprisoned for 3 hours, the total amount of time taken up in the House by the episode. Garsden later resigned from the House in order to spare it from further disruption. He was later found guilty of the crime for which the warrant was issued.

In 1993, he refused to admit the Usher of the Black Rod into the House when he arrived to summon the house to a royal assent ceremony during question period. He was eventually admitted after question time ended. Spell chastised Government House Leader Maria Hanson and Prime Minister Bradley Hunter for scheduling the Governor-General to arrive during important business of the House. It was thought by some that Hunter had scheduled the Governor-General to arrive at that time in order to shorten question period during a time when he was facing significant rebellion from his own party.

He held the office of Speaker until 1994, when he stepped down as Speaker and as a Member of Parliament. Shortly before the end of the 10th Parliament, the House changed its rules so that an MP would be required to gain the support of a majority of the House before being elected Speaker. He was offered an appointment to the Senate by both Bradley Hunter and John Goodwin. He refused both offers. He stated that he believed he would be unable to maintain the neutrality that he was expected to hold in most affairs. He was also heard to have expressed a statement of contempt about the Senate shortly thereafter. In 2009, a biographer of Bradley Hunter revealed that Spell had said that he would sit in the Senate as a member of the Conservative Party if appointed. Spell refused to comment on the matter, saying any conversations about the matter were private. Former members of the Conservative leadership stated on 20 May that they had not been approached by Spell on the matter.

Foreign service

Spell was appointed High Commissioner to Canada in 1994 by the new Goodwin government. He held this position until 1999. In 2003, he was appointed High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ambassador to Ireland. He retired in 2005 and moved back to his home in Chesterford. He was made a member of the Order of Ibaglian Merit in April 2006 for 4 decades of public service. Due to the injury and later death of Governor-General Dame Annette Farquhar, he was unable to be invested with the insignia of the Order until visiting Queen Elizabeth II shortly before taking office as Governor-General.

Monarchist League

In 1991, Spell founded the Monarchist League of Ibagli, an Ibaglian interest group dedicated to the preservation of the Monarchy in Ibagli. Spell led the group as its chairperson until his appointment as Governor-General in 2006.

IBC

From 1999 to 2003, Spell was a political analyst and commentator for political and state events for IBC television. He left IBC when appointed High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, but returned in 2006 to cover the 2006 Election.

Governor-General

On 1 September 2006, it was announced that Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen of Ibagli, acting on the advice of Prime Minister Roger Pollack, had appointed Spell to serve as the next Governor-General of Ibagli, replacing Dame Annette Farquhar, who died in July. He was installed on 15 September 2006.

Overseas visits

Country	Date(s)	Purpose
Tonga	19 September 2006	Funeral of King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV
Canada	4-6 April 2007	State visit
United States	6-9 April 2007	State visit
Mexico	9-10 April 2007	State visit
Samoa	18 May 2007	Funeral of Malietoa Tanumafili II
Afghanistan	24-27 August 2007	Visiting Ibaglian armed forces
New Zealand	1-4 November 2007	State visit
Australia	4-7 November 2007	State visit
East Timor	7-8 November 2007	State visit, visiting Ibaglian armed forces
Solomon Islands	8-9 November 2007	State visit, visiting Ibaglian armed forces
Tonga	30 July-2 August 2008	Coronation of King George Tupou V
Tonga	13-15 May 2009	State visit
Solomon Islands	16 November 2009	Visiting Ibaglian armed forces
Papua New Guinea	16-17 November 2009	State visit
East Timor	17 November 2009	Visiting Ibaglian armed forces
Singapore	17-19 November 2009	State visit
The Philippines	19-20 November 2009	State visit
Republic of China (Taiwan)	21-25 November 2009	State visit
Republic of China (Taiwan)	10 October 2011	Centenary of the Republic of China
Tuvalu	6-8 November 2011	State visit
Samoa	8-10 November 2011	State visit
Tonga	27 March 2012	Funeral of King George Tupou V
United Kingdom	3-6 June 2012	The Queen's Diamond Jubilee
United Kingdom	26-31 July 2012	2012 Summer Olympics
South Africa	10 December 2013	Funeral of Nelson Mandela
Tonga	4 July 2015	Coronation of King Tupou VI
United Kingdom	10 June 2016	The Queen's 90th birthday
United Kingdom	2-5 June 2022	The Queen's Platinum Jubilee
United Kingdom	18-19 September 2022	State funeral of Queen Elizabeth II
United Kingdom	5-6 May 2023	Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla

Quotes

**Speeches by Steven Spell**
Installation as Governor-General - 15 September 2006 Speech to the Monarchist League of Ibagli - 9 October 2006

'Let us today rise up, Mr Speaker, and form a new society, one where the people shout with one united voice that vengeance has no place in our hearts, in our minds, and most certainly not in our justice system.'

During a debate in the House of Commons on the abolition of capital punishment.

'Mr Speaker, the Opposition says that the National Health plan is unfair to Ibaglians. What the Leader of the Opposition, and indeed every Member who is opposed to this plan needs to do is to go out into the country and talk to the thousands of Ibaglians who cannot pay for healthcare and ask them what is unfair. Is this plan perfect, Mr Speaker? Of course not. Is it better? Yes. Is it more fair? Yes. Will it allow thousands of Ibaglians to pay their own way in life and stop living in fear of illness or injury? Yes, and that's what matters.'

In a Parliamentary debate on the creation of the National Health Agency in 1978.

'I'm not going to support some asinine measure designed to make people use a make-believe transit system.'

During the Liberal Party leadership debate in 1982, referring to John Forton's plans to nearly double the price of fuel in Ibagli to provide incentives for the use of mass transit.

'I'd go to the conference, but I fear that I should save my petrol money in case we win.'

After being asked why he would not be attending the 1985 Liberal Party conference.

'Officers, I have neither eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as the House is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am here. On the eighth of January 1990, His Excellency, acting on behalf of our sovereign lady the Queen, who you have sworn to serve, guaranteed to me that the members of this House have freedom from arrest while the House sits. It is with that authority, gentlemen, that I must order you to withdraw from this chamber until the House has adjourned.' (after protest from one of the officers) 'I cannot say that I just made a debatable statement. I do not wish to use the powers of my office to force you out of this chamber, but I am so willing if need be.' (after further protest) 'Serjeant-at-Arms, have any officers who do not immediately leave the chamber arrested.'

After Haphonia Police officers stormed Parliament Hill to arrest Liberal MP Sean Garsden for money laundering.

'No self-respecting Speaker of the House would ever become a member of the "other place", as I've learned to call it.'

Statement Spell was heard to have made after being offered an appointment to the Senate.

'Sometimes it isn't about what the people want. If we allowed a referendum on constitutional rights, there's a good chance it would fail. Many people aren't very keen on rights for people they dislike.'

On the IBC program Parliamentary Review in 2003.

'If I had wanted to lead congregations in prayer, I would have become a clergyman, not a member of a house of debate.'

On the IBC program Parliamentary Review in 2004, during a discussion on the role of religion in the public sphere, referring to his removal of the opening prayers from the order papers in the House of Commons.

'I don't think electing the Governor-General is a particularly good idea. Having a mandate from the people could only lead to conflict between the Governor-General and his or her government. Imagine if we had an elected Governor-General during the — I don't like to call it a "constitutional crisis," because it's not a crisis if it's working the way it's designed — the political uncertainty in 2005 and 2006. It's not my job to swoop in with a mandate from the people and make sure that the government is toeing the lines drawn by opinion polls. It's my job to, in Her Majesty's stead, ensure the smooth functioning of government.'

During an interview for IBC news.

Honours

Order of Ibaglian Merit (2006)
Royal Victorian Order - Knight Grand Cross (2008)
Royal Ibaglian Order - Knight Grand Companion (1994) (Knight Companion in 1986)
The Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George - Knight Commander (1985)
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem - Knight of Justice
Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977)
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002)
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012)
Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (2022)
Semicentennial Medal (2005)
Ibaglian Forces Decoration (2006)
Ibaglian Health Service Medal (2006)
Order of the Aztec Eagle (Mexico) - Collar (2007)
Order of the Crown of Tonga (Tonga) - Grand Cross (2009)
Order of Temasek (Singapore) - 1st Class (2009)
Order of Sikatuna (Philippines) - Grand Collar (2009)
Order of Brilliant Jade (Republic of China) - Grand Cordon (2009)

Lord of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council (1985)

Honorary Military Positions

Military Force	Unit	Title	Years
Ibaglian Army	Governor-General's Dragoon Guards	Colonel of the Regiment	2006–
Royal Ibaglian Navy	HMNB Crofton	Honorary Commodore	2010–
Royal Ibaglian Air Force	RIAF Haphonia	Honorary Air Commodore	2010–

Shorthand Titles

Steven Spell (27 October 1938–25 July 1963)
Steven Spell, MP (25 July 1963–10 August 1972)
The Honourable Steven Spell, MP (10 August 1972–2 September 1985)
The Right Honourable Steven Spell, MP (2 September 1985–31 December 1985)
The Right Honourable Sir Steven Spell, KCMG, MP (31 December 1985–8 July 1986)
The Right Honourable Sir Steven Spell, KCMG, KCRI, MP (8 July 1986–1 September 1994)
The Right Honourable Sir Steven Spell, GCRI, KCMG (1 September 1994–3 June 1994)
His Excellency the Right Honourable Sir Steven Spell, GCRI, KCMG (3 June 1994–15 November 1999)
The Right Honourable Sir Steven Spell, GCRI, KCMG (15 November 1999–12 February 2003)
His Excellency the Right Honourable Sir Steven Spell, GCRI, KCMG (12 February 2003–17 November 2005)
The Right Honourable Sir Steven Spell, GCRI, KCMG (17 November 2005–20 April 2006)
The Right Honourable Sir Steven Spell, OIM, GCRI, KCMG (20 April 2006–4 September 2006)
The Right Honourable Sir Steven Spell, OIM, GCRI, KCMG, ID (4 September 2006–15 September 2006)
His Excellency the Right Honourable Sir Steven Spell, OIM, GCRI, KCMG, ID (15 September 2006–16 July 2008)
His Excellency the Right Honourable Sir Steven Spell, OIM, GCVO, GCRI, KCMG, ID (16 July 2008–)

Arms

before 1985
1985-1986
1986-1994
1994-2006
2008-present

Electoral Record

1963 General Election
District: Colltik Bridge
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
****	Conservative Party	(x)Steven Spell	402	49.7
****	Liberal Party	Harold Erlenmeyer	352	43.5
****	Social Credit Party	Jeff Walker	39	4.8
****	Independent Communist	Greg Yarden	16	2
Total valid votes			809	100.0

1967 General Election
District: Colltik Bridge
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
****	Conservative Party	(x)Steven Spell	467	48.2
****	Liberal Party	John Hanks	421	43.6
****	Social Credit Party	Jeff Walker	59	6.1
****	Independent Communist	Greg Yarden	13	1.3
****	Independent	Alan Rogden	8	.8
Total valid votes			968	100.0

1972 General Election
District: Colltik Bridge
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
****	Liberal Party	(x)Steven Spell	918	60.5
****	Conservative Party	Terry Rankin	430	28.3
****	Social Credit Party	Orton Rainer	128	8.4
****	Communist Party	Greg Yarden	43	2.8
Total valid votes			1519	100.0

1976 General Election
District: Colltik Bridge
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
****	Liberal Party	(x)Steven Spell	690	53.2
****	Social Credit Party	Orton Rainer	255	19.7
****	Conservative Party	Terry Rankin	245	18.9
****	Communist Party	Jeanne Ritter	56	4.3
****	Independent	George Hughes	51	3.9
Total valid votes			1297	100.0

1977 General Election
District: Colltik Bridge
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
****	Liberal Party	(x)Steven Spell	757	48.3
****	Conservative Party	Phillip Benton	638	40.7
****	Social Credit Party	Orton Rainer	78	5
****	Communist Party	Jeanne Ritter	61	3.9
****	Independent	George Hughes	32	2.1
Total valid votes			1566	100.0

1981 General Election
District: Colltik Bridge
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
****	Liberal Party	(x)Steven Spell	918	43.7
****	Conservative Party	Jennifer Ling	901	42.9
****	Social Credit Party	John Tarren	175	8.3
****	Ibaglian Action Party	Richard Fanning	68	3.2
****	Communist Party	Gary Harrold	39	1.9
Total valid votes			2101	100.0

1985 General Election
District: Colltik Bridge
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
****	Liberal Party	(x)Steven Spell	1115	42.6
****	Conservative Party	Jennifer Ling	1108	42.3
****	Social Credit Party	John Tarren	192	7.3
****	Ibaglian Action Party	Richard Fanning	97	3.7
****	Independent	Frank Wehring	77	2.9
****	Communist Party	Gary Harrold	31	1.2
Total valid votes			2620	100.0