Representative of the Government in the Senate

The representative of the Government in the Senate (Template:Langx) is the member of the Senate of Canada who is responsible for introducing, promoting, and defending the government's bills in the Senate after they are passed by the House of Commons. The representative is appointed by the prime minister.

The position replaced the leader of the Government in the Senate (Template:Langx), which from 1867 to 2015 was a senator who was a member of the governing party and led the government caucus in the Senate of Canada (whether or not that party held a majority in the Senate). The position of Leader had almost always been held by a Cabinet minister, except briefly in 1926, from 1958 to 63 and from 2013 to the position being discontinued in 2015.

The government representative's counterpart on the Opposition benches is the leader of the Opposition in the Senate, who continues to be a member of the Official Opposition political party.

Senator Marc Gold has served as the second and current representative of the Government in the Senate since January 24, 2020.

History

As Leader of the Government

Early Canadian cabinets included several senators who would be answerable to the Senate for government actions, one of whom would serve as de facto government leader in the Senate. In the nineteenth century, it was not considered unusual for a senator to be Prime Minister. Sir John Joseph Caldwell Abbott and Sir Mackenzie Bowell served as prime minister from the Senate. Abbott and Bowell both found it difficult to lead the government from the Senate, however, and over time, the perceived legitimacy of the Senate declined. Today, it is rare for senators to occupy prominent positions in cabinet. From 1935 on, it was typical for a cabinet to have only one senator who would have the position of minister without portfolio alongside the position of leader of the government in the Senate.

There have been a few rare occasions when the leader of the government in the Senate was not included in the cabinet by virtue of a separate ministerial appointment, such as William Benjamin Ross who served in the position in 1926, and Walter Morley Aseltine and Alfred Johnson Brooks who were not included in the cabinets of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker from 1958-1963. In 1968, the position of leader of the government in the Senate became an official Cabinet position in its own right with the appointment of Paul Martin, Sr. (father of Canada's future prime minister, Paul Martin). From July 2013, under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the government leader in the Senate was again a non-cabinet minister.

Occasionally, senators still hold senior cabinet positions (other than the leader of the government in the Senate) in order to ensure regional balance in cabinet if the governing party is unable to elect members in a particular region or province, e.g., when the Progressive Conservative Party formed the government under the leadership of Joe Clark in 1979, and when the Liberal Party formed the government under the leadership of Pierre Trudeau in 1980. However, it is usually the case that the leader of the government in the Senate is the sole senator serving in Cabinet.

The responsibilities of the leader of the government in the Senate include:

1. Planning and managing the government's legislative program in the Senate
2. Answering all questions for the government during the Senate's Question Period
3. Maintaining relations with the opposition on all matters concerning Senate activities
4. Working with the leader of the Government in the House of Commons to ensure the effective coordination of the government's legislative programme.

The government side in the Senate is the party that forms the government in the House of Commons. This means that the government party in the Senate may have fewer seats than the opposition, particularly when a general election results in a new party forming government.

As Representative of the Government

Due to former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's 2014 decision to remove senators from the Liberal Party of Canada caucus, leaving them all effectively sitting as independent senators, Trudeau named a Representative of the Government in the Senate in the 42nd Canadian Parliament rather than a government leader.<ref name="trudeau">"4 issues hanging on Justin Trudeau’s plans for the Senate". Toronto Star, November 8, 2015.</ref> The situation created some uncertainty about how the Senate would function, and how government legislation would be brought to the Senate.<ref name="trudeau" /> Retired civil servant Peter Harder was named to the position on March 18, 2016.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>"Liberals set up non-partisan, merit-based process for choosing new senators". Toronto Star, December 3, 2015.</ref>

On November 29, 2019, the Prime Minister's office announced<ref name="pmo-pr-29nov2019">Template:Cite news</ref> that Senator Harder would be stepping down from his position as Representative of the Government in the Senate effective December 31, 2019.<ref name="pmo-pr-29nov2019" /> It was also announced that Senator Grant Mitchell would retire as Government Liaison in the Senate but would continue until a replacement for Harder was named in "due course."<ref name="pmo-pr-29nov2019" /> On January 24, 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Senator Marc Gold had agreed to become the new Government Representative in the Senate, sitting as a non-affiliated senator and would also be sworn in as a Privy Councillor.<ref name="canadian-pm-jt-pr-24jan2020">Template:Cite news</ref>

Office holders

Key:

No.	Portrait	Name Template:Small	Term of office		Party		Prime minister Template:Small
			Template:Small	Template:Small
Leader of the Government in the Senate
1	File:Sir Alexander Campbell.jpg	Alexander Campbell Senator for Cataraqui, Ontario (1822–1892)	July 1, 1867	November 5, 1873	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal-Conservative	Sir John A. Macdonald (1st)
2	File:Luc Letellier de Saint-Just.jpg	Luc Letellier de St-Just Senator for Grandville, Quebec (1820–1881)	November 5, 1873	December 14, 1876	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal	Alexander Mackenzie (2nd)
3	File:Sir Richard William Scott.jpg	Richard William Scott Senator for Ottawa, Ontario (1825–1913)	December 14, 1876	October 7, 1878	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal
(1)	File:Sir Alexander Campbell.jpg	Sir Alexander Campbell Senator for Cataraqui, Ontario (1822–1892)	October 18, 1878	February 7, 1887	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Conservative	Sir John A. Macdonald (3rd)
4	File:SirJohnAbbott1.jpg	Sir John Abbott Senator for Inkerman, Quebec (1821–1893)	May 12, 1887	June 6, 1891	rowspan="2" style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Conservative
			June 16, 1891	October 30, 1893	Sir John Abbott (4th)
5	File:SirMackenzieBowell.jpg	Sir Mackenzie Bowell Senator for Hastings, Ontario (1823–1917)	October 31, 1893	December 12, 1894	rowspan="3" style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Conservative	Sir John Thompson (5th)
			December 21, 1894	August 19, 1896	Sir Mackenzie Bowell (6th)
					Sir Charles Tupper (7th)
6	File:Oliver Mowat.jpg	Sir Oliver Mowat Senator for Ontario (1820–1903)	August 19, 1896	November 18, 1897	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal	Sir Wilfrid Laurier (8th)
7	File:David Mills (Canada).jpg	David Mills Senator for Bothwell, Ontario (1831–1903)	November 18, 1897	February 7, 1902	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal
(3)	File:Sir Richard William Scott.jpg	Sir Richard William Scott Senator for Ottawa, Ontario (1825–1913)	February 7, 1902	January 20, 1909	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal
8	File:Cartwright Richard John (Topley photograph).jpg	Sir Richard John Cartwright Senator for Oxford, Ontario (1835–1912)	January 20, 1909	October 10, 1911	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal
9	File:James Alexander Lougheed (cropped).jpg	Sir James Alexander Lougheed Senator for Calgary, Alberta (1854–1925)	October 10, 1911	December 28, 1921	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Conservative	Sir Robert Borden (9th and 10th)
					style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Unionist
					style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Conservative	Arthur Meighen (11th)
10	File:Raoul Dandurand 1 (cropped).jpg	Raoul Dandurand Senator for De Lorimier, Quebec (1861–1942)	December 29, 1921	June 28, 1926	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal	William Lyon Mackenzie King (12th)
11		William Benjamin Ross<ref name="noncab" group="n">Not in the Cabinet.</ref> Senator for De Lorimier, Quebec (1855–1929)	June 28, 1926	September 24, 1926	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Conservative	Arthur Meighen (13th)
(10)	File:Raoul Dandurand 1 (cropped).jpg	Raoul Dandurand Senator for De Lorimier, Quebec (1861–1942)	September 25, 1926	August 6, 1930	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal	William Lyon Mackenzie King (14th)
12		Wellington Willoughby Senator for Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan (1859–1932)	August 7, 1930	February 3, 1932	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Conservative	R. B. Bennett (15th)
13	File:Former PM Arthur Meighen.jpg	Arthur Meighen Senator for St. Mary's, Ontario (1874–1960)	February 3, 1932	October 22, 1935	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Conservative
(10)	File:Raoul Dandurand 1 (cropped).jpg	Raoul Dandurand Senator for De Lorimier, Quebec (1861–1942)	October 23, 1935	March 11, 1942	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal	William Lyon Mackenzie King (16th)
14	File:James Horace King.jpg	James Horace King Senator for Kootenay East, British Columbia (1873–1955)	May 26, 1942	August 24, 1945	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal
15		Wishart McLea Robertson Senator for Shelburne, Nova Scotia (1891–1967)	August 24, 1945	October 14, 1953	rowspan="2" style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal
					Louis St. Laurent (17th)
16	File:William Ross Macdonald.jpg	William Ross Macdonald Senator for Brantford, Ontario (1891–1976)	October 14, 1953	June 20, 1957		style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal
17		John Thomas Haig Senator for Winnipeg, Manitoba (1877–1962)	October 9, 1957	May 11, 1958	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Progressive Conservative	John Diefenbaker (18th)
18		Walter Aseltine<ref name="noncab" group="n" /> Senator for Rosetown, Saskatchewan (1886–1971)	May 12, 1958	August 31, 1962	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Progressive Conservative
19		Alfred Johnson Brooks<ref name="noncab" group="n" /> Senator for Royal, New Brunswick (1890–1967)	August 31, 1962	April 21, 1963	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Progressive Conservative
(16)	File:William Ross Macdonald.jpg	William Ross Macdonald Senator for Brantford, Ontario (1891–1976)	April 22, 1963	February 2, 1964	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal	Lester B. Pearson (19th)
20		John Joseph Connolly Senator for Ottawa West, Ontario (1906–1982)	February 3, 1964	April 20, 1968	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal
21	File:Paul Martin Sr Portrait 1943 (cropped).jpg	Paul Martin Sr.<ref group="n">Until April 1, 1969, Martin was, as had been typical, Minister without portfolio while holding the unofficial post of leader of the government in the Senate. Thereafter, Leader of the Government in the Senate became an official ministerial office.</ref> Senator for Windsor-Walkerville, Ontario (1903–1992)	April 20, 1968	August 7, 1974	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal	Pierre Trudeau (20th)
22		Ray Perrault Senator for North Shore-Burnaby, British Columbia (1926–2008)	August 8, 1974	June 3, 1979	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal
23		Jacques Flynn Senator for Rougemont, Quebec (1915–2000)	June 4, 1979	March 2, 1980	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Progressive Conservative	Joe Clark (21st)
(22)		Ray Perrault Senator for North Shore-Burnaby, British Columbia (1926–2008)	March 3, 1980	September 29, 1982	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal	Pierre Trudeau (22nd)
24	File:Horace Andrew Olson.jpg	Bud Olson Senator for Alberta South, Alberta (1925–2002)	September 30, 1982	June 29, 1984	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal
25	File:Allan MacEachen.jpg	Allan MacEachen Senator for Highlands-Canso, Nova Scotia (1921–2017)	June 30, 1984	September 16, 1984	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal	John Turner (23rd)
26		Dufferin Roblin Senator for Red River, Manitoba (1917–2010)	September 17, 1984	June 29, 1986	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Progressive Conservative	Brian Mulroney (24th)
27		Lowell Murray Senator for Pakenham, Ontario (born 1936)	June 30, 1986	November 3, 1993	rowspan="2" style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Progressive Conservative
					Kim Campbell (25th)
28		Joyce Fairbairn Senator for Lethbridge, Alberta (1939–2022)	November 4, 1993	June 10, 1997	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal	Jean Chrétien (26th)
29		Alasdair Graham Senator for The Highlands, Nova Scotia (1929–2015)	June 11, 1997	October 3, 1999	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal
30		Bernie Boudreau Senator for Nova Scotia (born 1944)	October 4, 1999	January 8, 2001	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal
31		Sharon Carstairs Senator for Manitoba (born 1942)	January 9, 2001	December 11, 2003	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal
32	File:Jacob (Jack) Austin (32966418230).jpg	Jack Austin Senator for Vancouver South, British Columbia (born 1932)	December 12, 2003	February 6, 2006	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Liberal	Paul Martin (27th)
33	File:Marjory LeBreton.jpg	Marjory LeBreton Senator for Ontario (born 1940)	February 6, 2006	July 14, 2013	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Conservative	Stephen Harper (28th)
34		Claude Carignan<ref name="noncab" group="n" /> Senator for Mille Isles, Quebec (born 1964)	August 20, 2013	November 3, 2015	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Conservative
Representative of the Government in the Senate
35		Peter Harder<ref name="noncab" group="n" /> Senator for Ottawa, Ontario (born 1952)	March 18, 2016	December 31, 2019<ref name="pmo-pr-29nov2019" />	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Non-affiliated<ref name=":0" group="n">Sits as non-affiliated but represents the Liberal government for the purposes of introducing legislation and acting as a liaison.</ref><ref name="pmo-pr-29nov2019" />	Justin Trudeau (29)
36		Marc Gold<ref name="noncab" group="n" /><ref name="canadian-pm-jt-pr-24jan2020" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Senator for Stadacona, Quebec (born 1950)	January 24, 2020	Incumbent	style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; " |	Non-affiliated<ref name=":0" group="n">Sits as non-affiliated but represents the Liberal government for the purposes of introducing legislation and acting as a liaison.</ref><ref name="pmo-pr-29nov2019" />

See also

• Leader of the Opposition in the Senate (Canada)

External links

• Parliament of Canada biography of current Leader of the Government in the Senate