55th New Brunswick Legislature

Michael Malley was elected speaker by acclamation on March 28, 2006 and served in that role until the assembly was dissolved.

The standings were changed further on January 13, 2006, when Frank Branch left the Liberal caucus to sit as an independent; and on February 17, 2006, when then Progressive Conservative MLA Michael Malley crossed the floor to sit as an independent thus putting Bernard Lord's government into a minority situation.

Malley, while serving as speaker, changed his affiliation back to Progressive Conservative on April 13, 2006.

Some controversy arose following this as following the 2003 election, the House unanimously passed a motion requiring the Opposition Liberals to pair a member with the speaker during meetings of committees of the whole in order to maintain the government majority in such situations.

The Opposition argued that there was no precedent for a speaker to cross the floor and therefore, they did not recognize that a majority government existed and would not honour this motion under the circumstances.