Senators make room for independents on Senate committees

In anhistoric decision, Senator ClaudeCarignan, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, and Senate Liberal leader JamesCowan have announced their caucuses will each give up a slot on Senate committees to non-aligned senators.

Committees are where much of the Senate's work takes place with committee members studying legislation, investigating policy matters and examining government spending proposals.

Non-aligned or independent senators were not usuallyassignedtoSenate committees an issue the Senate is having to confront as the current Liberal government implements a new non-partisan Senate appointments process.

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Independents now represent the third largest group in the Senate with 21 members, but that number could overtake the number ofLiberal representatives as early as this summer, as up to 22 vacancies are filled in the coming months.

In a joint letter tothe Senate's selection committee, CarignanandCowan asked chair Elizabeth Marshall tosolicit interest from non-partisan senators and appoint them to committee slotsas soon as possible.

On CBC News Network'sPower &Politics Monday, Marshall said the decision tooffer spots to Independents was done as a sign of goodwill from both caucuses, and inrecognition ofthelarge number of non-aligned senators whowere previouslyunderrepresentedon committees.

Making room for independent Senators

8 years ago

Duration 10:51

Senators James Cowan and Elizabeth Marshall discuss the move to open up a spot on Senate committees to new non-aligned Senators

According to the letter, thetwo spots per committee to be reserved for independentsenators will be determined by the non-partisan senators themselves in an effort to best reflect their background, expertise, andgender with regional representationand relative standings in the Senate. Senate committee membership ranges from nine to 15depending on the committee.

Marshall told Power & Politics host Rosemary Barton she does notforeseethe Senate eliminating partisan caucuses all-together in thenear future, however it is moving forward towards independence.

The two caucus leaders said their joint decision is a recognition from both partisan sides of the Upper Chamber of the need to ensure the changing makeup of the Senate is reflected and represented at the committee level.

Cowan, appearing with Marshall on Power & Politics said, "I think all of us believe the Senate needs to be more independent than it is."

New appointees eligible

This decision comes just a month after Prime Minister Trudeau named seven new non-aligned appointees. The new senate members include former Ontario NDP cabinet minister Frances Lankin, university administrator RaymondeGagn, refugee advocate Ratna Omidvar, La Pressecolumnist Andr Pratte, Justice Murray Sinclair and Paralympic Chantal Peticlerc. Former senior civil servant Peter Harder, who also helmed Trudeau's transition team, was name the government's representative in the Senate at the same time.

Thisdecisionopensthe door for any of Trudeau'snew appointees to sit on committees and influence legislative decisions.

Harder asks for $800K office budget

8 years ago

Duration 10:30

Government representative in the Senate, Peter Harder, discusses why he needs the same budget as the government leader in the Senate.