QUESTION PERIOD — The Senate
Parole Board of Canada--Role of Government Representative
February 4, 2020
Leader of the government, congratulations on your appointment.
When someone is appointed, I like to learn about their background and their qualifications. Senator Gold, I compared your biographical notes for your Senate appointment to those on the Senate website. They are different. The biographical notes published at the time of your appointment mention that you were a part-time member of the Parole Board of Canada. However, this information does not appear on the Senate website.
Can you confirm that you were a member of the Parole Board of Canada and tell us when you held that position? Could you also tell us about the Parole Board appointment process? What changes were made between 2015 and now?
I thank Senator Carignan for his question. Indeed, when I was appointed to the Parole Board by the Harper government, I was a part-time member of the Parole Board of Canada. It was a great honour, and I applied under the process in place. After I was interviewed by the senior officials, I was pleased to be one of two Quebeckers appointed to the board. I was very proud to sit on the Parole Board until I was appointed to the Senate. I obviously resigned from the Parole Board of Canada when I was appointed to the Senate. This position was part of my career and I am proud of it.
I was not involved in changing the process because I was appointed under the so-called old system, and I have no personal experience with the changes that were made in 2017, if I am not mistaken.
