QUESTION PERIOD — Privy Council
Representation of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta
December 10, 2019
All right, colleagues, recess is over. My question is for the government leader in the Senate.
Leader, for the first time in longer than I can remember, the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta only have one member between them in the Federal Cabinet, that being Dan Vandal, the Minister of Northern Affairs, from my province of Manitoba. It is understandable why Jim Carr would want to step out of cabinet at this time, and I know that all senators join me in wishing Mr. Carr all the best.
Senator Harder, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta have serious challenges before them and would only benefit from greater representation at the cabinet table. Could you please tell us, leader, why the Prime Minister thinks that only one member of cabinet from the Prairie provinces is sufficient?
Let me begin by thanking the honourable senator for his first question as Leader of the Opposition. I trust he meant the earlier words of kindness towards me and will indulge my answer more generously than he otherwise would.
Let me say that the question as to the lack of representation on the government benches from Saskatchewan and Alberta in particular are ones, like he, I share a deep regret over. That is the consequence, of course, of the democratic vote that took place. And as he will also recognize and acknowledge, the Prime Minister has both, since the election and even in recent days, including today, taken steps to ensure the voices of Western Canada, the political leadership at the provincial and municipal levels are paid attention to and that steps are taken by the government, as appropriate, to ensure that the concerns of Western Canada find their way to the ears of not only the Prime Minister but the cabinet as a whole and parliamentarians.
That is the consequence of parliamentary elections in our system of government, and it is one the Prime Minister is taking steps, as I’ve mentioned, to ensure those voices, though unrepresented, are heard.
Well, thank you, Senator Harder. As you know and as is well known, there is a long-standing tradition of prime ministers appointing senators to cabinet when the governing party in the house is shut out of seats in specific provinces or regions, as the Liberal Party was in October’s federal election.
For example, in the 1990s, Jean Chrétien appointed Nova Scotians Alasdair Graham and Bernie Boudreau to cabinet as Leader of the Government in the Senate, as the Liberal Party had lost all of its seats in the province. Jack Austin and Michael Fortier are other more recent examples of honourable senators who represented their respective regions as well as members of cabinet.
Senator Harder, I look around this chamber, and I don’t want to name names, but I could look and whistle. I see a lot of talented individuals who I have no doubt would provide fine representation for Manitoba, Saskatchewan and especially, Alberta. Could you tell us why the Prime Minister did not see fit to appoint any of our colleagues to cabinet?
As disappointing as it was to the Prime Minister that the honourable senator didn’t make himself available, let me simply repeat, as I have privately and on other occasions with the media, indicate that it was the Prime Minister’s view that the electoral decisions of Canadians ought to be respected and that he has taken the steps I’ve described, ensuring that those voices are heard at the cabinet table in considerations of government. But he is also of a view that a Senate that is more independent and less partisan is the kind of Senate that is appropriate for Canada in 2016, let alone now.
I appreciate and certainly endorse the respect that the honourable senator has implied for my colleague from Alberta. I know that he is looking for a new challenge in life. Perhaps we can combine our efforts and have him run in an early by-election.
