When members of the House of Commons return to Parliament later this month, their very first order of business will be to elect a speaker. Liberal MP Peter Milliken has held the job since 2001.

And now, some Conservatives intend to challenge him for it.

Merv Tweed, MP for Brandon-Souris will stand for speaker, as will Andrew Scheer, re-elected in the riding of Regina-Qu'Appelle.

Scheer may have an edge over his colleague, Tweed having had in-the-chair experience. He was assistant deputy speaker working under the tutelage of Miliken and former NDP MP and deputy speaker Bill Blaikie.

His style is a blend of the two men: he can diffuse tension with good humor — the defining trait of Milliken. At other times, he adopts a Blaikie-esque approach — assertive commands reinforced by a booming voice.

His perceived shortcoming is his youth. At age 29, some MPs aren't convinced he's experienced enough. "Andrew hasn't learned the ropes," said one Liberal MP from Ontario.

Tweed has more political experience than Scheer. First elected to the Manitoba legislature in 1995, he eventually became a provincial industry minister, then moved to the federal scene becoming a Member of Parliament in the 2004 election. Even so, some MPs say he doesn't have the gravitas required to assume the prestigious position.

The election of the speaker is done by secret ballot voting.

Privately, there is much discussion among Conservatives about what will come of their two candidates. Some say Milliken is likely to be re-elected speaker because the opposition parties will gang up on the Conservative candidates and strike a deal to be carried out by party whips making recommendations on how to vote.

Others are even more cynical, musing about whether Stephen Harper will encourage his members to support Milliken, so as not to upset the opposition and lay the foundation for cooperative minority parliament.

Still, some Conservatives remain optimistic about their chances for electing a speaker. One Conservative MP said, "It will be less about who gets in and more about what's best for government."

Members of the House of Commons will cast their ballots on November 18th.