QUESTION PERIOD — Privy Council Office
Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments
May 5, 2022
Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.
Today’s events have me feeling nostalgic. Our colleague Richard Neufeld retired from the Senate in November 2019. British Columbia has been short one senator ever since, leaving the province of 5.25 million people with only five senators in the chamber for two and a half years now.
Alberta, my province, currently has only four senators to represent 4.75 million people. Indeed, we haven’t had a full complement of six senators from my province since April 2020, which was two years ago.
In all, we have 15 Senate vacancies right across the country. With the retirement this week of Senator Mercer, that’s about to be 16.
But because Alberta and British Columbia have such large populations relative to their allotted Senate seats, vacancies there hit that much harder, leaving our two most western provinces uniquely and peculiarly disadvantaged by long-standing Senate vacancies.
I ask a question that I am sure many of us have: Can you give us any sense of when we might welcome new colleagues, particularly new western colleagues, to our chamber and can you tell us what we are waiting for?
Thank you, honourable senator, for your question.
The government is following through with its commitment to build a more effective, less partisan and independent Senate.
My understanding, colleagues, is that the work of the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments continues. I note, in particular, that the application review for British Columbia has been under way since April 20. Colleagues, the independent appointments process is working well.
May I also point out that there are four senators from Alberta and five from British Columbia across four Senate affiliations? We have just welcomed a new senator from the province of Alberta last June who recently gave her maiden speech in the chamber. These provincial voices in our chamber are engaged with, and contribute in a significant manner, both individually and through committee work, on government legislation.
I am also happy to work with the honourable senator and, indeed, any colleagues to ensure that their views and perspectives are properly heard by the executive.
I am sure that you join me in looking forward to welcoming new senators who will enrich the work that we already do.
When will that be?
The government is working steadfastly to fill the vacancies as quickly as possible.
Colleagues, this is a serious place and it is a serious question. I am trying to give you a serious answer. You all know that the process that was put in place is more time consuming than the old one. There is an application process but, more importantly, there is a vetting process.
Each province where there are vacancies has to have a committee constituted to receive and vet applications. The federal members of the committee work alongside provincial members of the committee who are appointed and named by their respective provinces. Some provinces are keener to participate than others. Some committees get up and running faster than others. Some applications come in faster than others.
The process is a detailed one, and it is designed to ensure that the diversity of this country and within provinces is properly reflected in the competencies and names of the people who are brought forward for consideration for appointment.
We all wish appointments were faster. I am confident in the work of these advisory committees. I have been advised that it is working well and apace. We all look forward to the announcement of new senators when the announcements are made.
