Trudeau government creates Senate-appointment advisory board, will fill five

New senators in the Trudeau era are expected to be non-partisan reviewers of legislation, while acting as representatives for Canada’s regions and minority groups.

Liberal insiders, backed up by a number of constitutional experts, say there’s nothing in the Constitution or in the top court’s ruling that prevents the prime minister from consulting with whomever he chooses about Senate appointments, provided that he does not legally fetter his own discretion.

The Liberal plan ran into quick opposition, with British Columbia Premier Christy Clark tweeting that her province would not participate in the process to appoint senators.

“It brings real change to the Senate for the first time in decades”. “Our position has not changed; the Senate should be fixed or folded but we should not be distracted by it”. “Our priority remains a strong economy and job creation”.

Conservative democratic reform critic Scott Reid said the new process “simply creates an unelected, appointed body to recommend unelected, appointed senators”.

Like each of the three Prairie provinces, B.C. has six seats in the 105-seat upper chamber, or 5.7 per cent of the representation, despite having roughly 13 per cent of the national population.

You’ll have to provide documentation to prove that your “place of permanent residence” is in the province you wish to represent. “And we’re not going to dignify it and legitimize it by being involved that way'”.

She says a transition advisory board will begin selecting five senators immediately: two from Ontario, two from Manitoba and one from Quebec, in order to improve regional balance in the Senate.

Everyone will be watching how Trudeau handles the Senate issue and if it’s not done right, he will for sure end up disappointing many of his supporters.

Former B.C. Liberal energy minister Richard Neufeld is one of five people now representing B.C.in the Senate.

“I know that appointing people who are chosen by an impartial non-partisan process and then expecting them to do independent-minded work, and not partisan work in the Senate will go a long way toward a sense of transparency and openness”, he said.

There will also be a check for scandal-prone candidates.

And you’ll have to demonstrate “outstanding personal qualities”, including adhering to the principles and standards of public life, ethics and integrity.