QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of Public Safety
Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments
September 19, 2024
Minister, on May 25, 2021, a written question was placed on the Order Paper of the Senate about the supposedly Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments. The advisory board didn’t even bother to produce a report on its activities or spending for two years, namely 2019 and 2020.
The written question asked whether the advisory board had submitted reports to the government during those two years and, if so, who had decided not to publish them and why. Yesterday, after three and a half years, an answer was tabled, saying that all of the reports of the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments had been made public on its website. That was the end of the answer. Does the government really think it is transparent to answer questions this way? Is this a joke?
On the contrary, you were part of a government that showed a lot less transparency toward Senate appointments. That’s why the government promised Canadians an independent process.
Furthermore, most of the members of this advisory board are selected by the provincial governments. We thought this was an improvement to the appointment process.
When I look at the Senate today, I see men and women of outstanding calibre who were appointed under this very process. We are very proud of that, and I think the process has benefited Canadians.
I’m not sure you understood my question, but it was definitely not a translation problem.
No report on the committee’s activities was tabled in 2019 or 2020. Will you make a commitment to provide these reports to us along with a real answer to these questions, or will we have to go through access to information?
You take whatever measures you believe are important, senator.
I see the recommendations from these advisory boards. I will gladly raise this matter with the Privy Council because of the specific status of these notices. I’m not claiming that, in cases where certain people were not appointed, for example, all the reports or the process used by these boards will be disclosed, but I will be happy to ask the Privy Council.
I think this was an important improvement to Senate appointments and transparency. We gave Canadians the opportunity to apply for a seat in this place, where I am tremendously pleased to be today.
