Canadian Senate

The Senate (French: Sénat) is a component of the Parliament of Canada, which also includes the Sovereign (represented by the Governor General) and the House of Commons. The Senate is an appointed body, consisting of 105 members appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. Senate seats are divided among the provinces in such a way that Ontario, Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and the Western provinces are equally represented. The number of seats for Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut are assigned apart from these regional divisions. Senators serve until they reach the age of seventy-five.

Senators

The Governor General holds the nominal power to appoint senators, though he or she makes appointments only on the advice of the Prime Minister. Prime Ministers normally choose members of their own parties to be senators, though they sometimes nominate independents or members of opposing parties. In practice, a large number of the members of the Senate are ex-Cabinet ministers, ex-provincial premiers, and other eminent former statesmen.

Related Topics:
Governor General - Prime Minister - Parties - Ministers - Premiers

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Under the constitution, each province or territory is entitled to a specific number of seats. A senator must reside in the province or territory for which he or she is appointed. The constitution divides Canada into four "divisions," each with an equal number of senators: twenty-four for Ontario; twenty-four for Quebec; twenty-four for the Maritime provinces (ten for Nova Scotia, ten for New Brunswick, and four for Prince Edward Island); and twenty-four for the Western provinces (six each for Manitoba, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Alberta). Newfoundland and Labrador, which became a province only in 1949, is not assigned to any division, and is represented by six senators. Furthermore, the three territories (the Northwest Territories, the Yukon, and Nunavut) are allocated one senator each.

Related Topics:
Constitution - Ontario - Quebec - Maritime provinces - Nova Scotia - New Brunswick - Prince Edward Island - Western provinces - Manitoba - British Columbia - Saskatchewan - Alberta - Newfoundland and Labrador - 1949 - Northwest Territories - Yukon - Nunavut

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As a result of this arrangement, Ontario and the Western provinces—Canada's fastest growing provinces in terms of population—are severely under-represented, while the Maritimes are greatly over-represented. For example, British Columbia, with a population of about four million, is entitled to six senators, while Nova Scotia, with a population of fewer than one million, is entitled to ten. Only Quebec is represented by a number of senators proportional to its share of the population.

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Since 1989, the voters of Alberta have elected "senators-in-waiting," or nominees for the province's Senate seats. These elections, however, are not held pursuant to any federal constitutional or legal provision; thus, the Prime Minister is not bound to appoint the nominees. Only one senator-in-waiting, Stan Waters, has actually been appointed to the Senate. He was appointed in 1990 by Brian Mulroney, but died in 1991.

Related Topics:
1989 - Stan Waters - 1990 - 1991

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There exists a constitutional provision, Section 26 of the Constitution Act, under which the Governor General may appoint four or eight extra senators; the additional senators must equally represent Canada's four "divisions." The Sovereign's direct approval is required for such an action, but would not, by convention, be denied. As in the case of normal senatorial appointments, the Prime Minister actually chooses the senators, and the Governor General's role is purely nominal. This provision has been successfully used only once, in 1990, when Prime Minister Brian Mulroney sought to ensure the passage of a bill creating the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The appointment of eight additional senators allowed a slight Tory majority.

Related Topics:
1990 - Brian Mulroney - Goods and Services Tax

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In 1874 Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie tried to use Section 26, but was denied by the crown on the advice of the British Government.

Related Topics:
1874 - Alexander Mackenzie

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Senators originally held their seats for life. Under the Constitution Act, 1965, however, newly-appointed members may not sit in the Senate after reaching the age of seventy-five. (Incumbents, those appointed prior to the change, could continue to sit past age 75.) Moreover, a senator's seat automatically becomes vacant if he or she fails to attend the Senate for two consecutive parliamentary sessions. Furthermore, a senator who is found guilty of treason, indictable offence, or any "infamous crime," is declared bankrupt or insolvent, also loses his or her seat, as does a senator who ceases to be qualified (see below).

Related Topics:
Treason - Indictable offence - Bankrupt

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Senators are entitled to prefix "The Honourable" to their names for life. The annual salary of each senator, as of 2005, is $119,100; members may receive additional salaries in right of other offices they hold (for instance, the Speakership). Senators rank immediately above Members of Parliament in the order of precedence.

Related Topics:
The Honourable - 2005 - $ - Speakership - Members of Parliament - Order of precedence

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