	Foreword
1.	Working For Canadians
2.	The Senate and Legislation
3.	Senate Committees - The Heart of the Senate's Work
4.	Senate Activities
5.	Administering the Senate
6.	Senate Finances to March 31st, 2005
7.	How to Reach Us
	Appendices

1. Working For Canadians

"There shall be One Parliament for Canada, consisting of the Queen, an Upper House styled the Senate, and the House of Commons."

Constitution Act, 1867, s. 17

Provocative questions - thoughtful answers

Debate is one of the core features of a democracy. Citizens in democracies have a fundamental right to challenge, question, analyze, disagree with, exchange ideas and offer alternatives to the government of the day on matters of policy that affect them. When citizens are unable to deal with the government directly, their representatives do it for them. It is an important part of Canada's Constitution that the Senate's composition provides for equality of the regions and that senators represent Canada's minorities. Canada's senators are questioning, listening, analyzing, discussing and reporting on issues that are important to millions of Canadians.

"The best committee work on Parliament Hill in the last decade has all been done in the Senate. Michael Kirby's report on health care, three years in the making, defined the debate. Colin Kenny's report on defence, dramatically urging the recall of troops from abroad until the mission is redefined at home, was a provocative cry for help. Leo Kolber's report on bank mergers, recommending they be permitted, was produced in warp-speed time of six weeks."

(Montreal Gazette - L. Ian MacDonald, December 8, 2004)

In the last Parliament (2000-2004), the Senate made 36 amendments to 13 bills. This represents just over 10 percent of bills passed by the Commons (13 out of 124). Since 1993, the Senate has made 122 amendments to 37 bills. The House of Commons generally agrees with Senate amendments. Since 1993, the Commons has agreed to 89 percent of Senate amendments (109 of 122). Of the 36 amendments in the last Parliament, the Commons disagreed with only three, and proposed a compromise on one other.

Senate committees hear evidence, often voluminous, from groups and individuals who would be affected by the particular bill under review. Groups that may not have an opportunity to address their concerns on the bill before the House of Commons seek out the Senate to air their views. Listening to Canadians' thoughts about bills going through the legislative process is an important part of the "sober-second thought" that the Senate brings to the legislative process.
These are just some of the topics discussed in reports and special studies tabled by Senate committees in 2004-2005:

The present state and the future of agriculture and forestry in Canada
The development and marketing of value-added agricultural, agri-food and forest products, on the domestic and international markets
Canada's international obligations in regard to the rights and freedoms of children
Issues relating to human rights
The need for a National Security Policy
Examination of the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
The services and benefits provided to veterans
Charitable giving in Canada
The present state of the domestic and international financial system
Climate change and the One Tonne Challenge
Issues concerning mental health and mental illness
The current state of Canadian media industries
Quota allocations and benefits to Nunavut and Nunavik fishermen
The involvement of Aboriginal communities and businesses in economic development activities in Canada
Land claims and self-government agreement among the Tlicho
Matrimonial real property on reserves
Real property taxation powers of First Nations, to create a First Nations Tax Commission
Development and security challenges facing Africa
The application of the Official Languages Act

Canada's Senate

In 1867, Canada's founders sought to build a nation by uniting a collection of small communities, scattered over vast distances and divided by differences in economy, language, religion, law and education. Canada needed a Parliament that would represent the wishes of the Canadian majority, while protecting regional and minority interests. Today's Parliament is composed of the Queen, the Senate (105 members based on representation by region) and the House of Commons (308 members based on representation by population). The Senate, also known as the 'Upper House', is an important part of the legislative process as no bill can become law unless the Senate approves it. The Constitution describes the Senate's roles and responsibilities:

The Senate is comprised of men and women from all walks of Canadian life.

Among their ranks are Aboriginal leaders, business people, public servants, journalists, farmers, lawyers, politicians, social activists, doctors, artists and teachers. They offer expertise in many areas, including agriculture, business and economics, the environment, fisheries, forestry, public policy, justice and law enforcement, the military, the oil and gas industry, and unions.

Seven senators are of Inuit, North American Indian or Métis origin.

Women make up nearly 36 percent of the Senate, one of the highest proportions of any legislative assembly in North America.

Legislative Role

The Senate may adopt (with or without amendment), delay or reject a bill. The Senate often refines and corrects legislative measures first considered by the House of Commons, hence earning its reputation as a place of sober second thought. The Senate can also initiate bills, except for money bills that collect or disburse federal public funds.

(For more on the legislative role of the Senate see The Senate and Legislation)

Investigative Role

Individual senators have frequently shown leadership in their chosen professions. They tap into this knowledge and experience as they explore, promote awareness and seek Canadian views on a wide range of issues and topics. Senators often examine public policy issues in greater depth and with more freedom from party politics than is possible in the House of Commons. Senators can, with short notice, raise an issue in the Senate for debate. Such initiatives can lead to the creation of a Senate committee to undertake studies of major social and economic issues that may not be part of the elected government's parliamentary agenda.

(For more on the investigative role of the Senate see Senate Committees - The Heart of the Senate's Work)

Representative Role

Senators can focus on the regional impact of legislation and policies. Senators routinely communicate with individuals, business representatives, universities and schools, community and interest groups in their regions. This gives them the insight necessary to ensure their region's interests are considered in the public policy process. Some senators adopt informal constituencies, focusing their efforts on groups whose rights and interests are of particular concern to them.

Senate in Numbers

Election called June 28, 2004
4.5-month period of dissolution
The Senate sat 62 days over 20 weeks during the 2004-2005 fiscal year
3 Senate government bills, 28 Commons' government bills, 23 Senate public bills, 2 Commons' public bills and 2 private bills were introduced in the Senate
The Senate passed 3 Senate government bills, 27 Commons' government bills, 4 Senate public bills and 3 Commons' public bills
34 bills received Royal Assent
Committee Meetings 408
Committee Reports 113
Hours in Committee 730.2
Committee Witnesses 1,249
Special Studies 49

Canada's Senators

Senators are appointed by the Governor General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. In order to become a senator, you must:

be a subject of the Queen;
be at least 30 years old;
own $4,000 worth of land in the province or territory you represent;
have a personal net worth of $4,000;
be resident in the province or territory for which you are appointed; and
if you represent Quebec, hold real property in the senatorial division for which you are appointed, or be a resident of that division.

Senators may serve until retirement at age 75.

Speaking Out for Special Interests and Canada's Regions

Both in the Senate and in the community at large, many senators have chosen to advocate on behalf of particular causes, including the rights of children, language rights, the Special Olympics and literacy. As a result of their work, many senators have been acknowledged as leading experts in their fields.

The Senate's 105 seats provide for the following representation of Canada's regions:

Maritimes (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island)	24
Ontario	24
Quebec	24
Western Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan)	24
Newfoundland and Labrador	6
Northwest Territories	1
Yukon Territory	1
Nunavut	1

In Caucus

On February 22, 2005, the Honourable Jack Austin, Leader of the Government in the Senate and the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, introduced a motion asking the Senate to approve the appointment of Jean T. Fournier as the first Senate Ethics Officer.

On February 24, 2005, the motion was debated in Committee of the Whole when Mr. Fournier was called as a witness. The appointment was approved by the Senate and then by the Governor in Council. Mr. Fournier assumed his duties on April 1, 2005.

The Senate Ethics Officer is appointed for a seven-year term pursuant to the provisions of the Parliament of Canada Act and has the rank of a deputy head of a department of the Government of Canada.

The Senate Ethics Officer is independent and non-partisan. His mandate is to administer and to interpret the Conflict of Interest Code for Senators. A major responsibility is to advise senators on how to meet their obligations under the Code. This is done by assisting senators in understanding their obligations, identifying areas of conflict or possible conflict of interest, giving opinions and making recommendations, thereby preventing ethical problems before they occur, a primary objective of the new office.

Senators can sit as members with a political affiliation or as independent senators. Every Wednesday morning when Parliament is in session, senators and members of the House of Commons with a political affiliation meet in private in their respective national party caucuses. Senators bring their regional perspectives and issues to the table, while MPs make the views of their constituents known, as each caucus makes decisions on its parliamentary strategy and party policy.

As of March 31, 2005, the breakdown by party affiliation of the 98 sitting senators (seven seats were vacant) was:

Liberal	64
Conservative	23
Progressive Conservative	5
New Democratic	1
Independent	5

The seven vacant seats were:

New Brunswick	1
Prince Edward Island	1
Quebec	3
Manitoba	1
British Columbia	1

Seating in the Chamber

Each senator has a designated seat in the Senate Chamber. The Speaker sits on a raised platform at the front of the Chamber. Senators belonging to the governing political party in the House of Commons sit to the Speaker's right. To the Speaker's left sit those senators belonging to all other parties, as well as those who have chosen to sit as independent senators.

Senators on March 31, 2005

Alberta
Tommy Banks (Lib-Edmonton, Alberta)
Joyce Fairbairn, P.C. (Lib-Lethbridge, Alberta)
Dan Hays (Lib-Calgary, Alberta)
Elaine McCoy (P.C.-Calgary, Alberta)
Grant Mitchell (Lib-Edmonton, Alberta)
Claudette Tardif (Lib-Edmonton, Alberta)

British Columbia
Jack Austin, P.C. (Lib-Vancouver South, British Columbia)
Pat Carney, P.C. (C-British Columbia)
D. Ross Fitzpatrick (Lib-Okanagan-Similkameen, British Columbia)
Mobina S. B. Jaffer (Lib-British Columbia)
Edward M. Lawson (Lib-Vancouver, British Columbia)
Gerry St. Germain, P.C. (C-Langley-Pemberton-Whistler, British Columbia)

Manitoba
Sharon Carstairs, P.C. (Lib-Manitoba)
Maria Chaput (Lib-Manitoba)
Janis G. Johnson (C-Winnipeg-Interlake, Manitoba)
Mira Spivak (Ind-Manitoba)
Terry Stratton (C-Red River, Manitoba)

New Brunswick
John G. Bryden (Lib-New Brunswick)
Eymard G. Corbin (Lib-Grand-Sault, New Brunswick)
Joseph Day (Lib-Saint John-Kennebecasis, New Brunswick)
Noël A. Kinsella (C-Fredericton-York-Sunbury, New Brunswick)
Viola Léger (Lib-Acadie, New Brunswick)
Rose-Marie Losier-Cool (Lib-Tracadie, New Brunswick)
Pierrette Ringuette (Lib-New Brunswick)
Brenda Robertson (C-Riverview, New Brunswick)
Fernand Robichaud, P.C. (Lib-Saint-Louis-de-Kent, New Brunswick)
Marilyn Trenholme Counsell (Lib-New Brunswick)

Newfoundland and Labrador
George Baker, P.C. (Lib-Newfoundland and Labrador)
Ethel M. Cochrane (C-Newfoundland and Labrador)
Joan Cook (Lib-Newfoundland and Labrador)
C. William Doody (P.C.-Harbour Main-Bell Island, Newfoundland and Labrador)
George J. Furey (Lib-Newfoundland and Labrador)
William Rompkey, P.C. (Lib-North West River, Labrador, Newfoundland and Labrador)

Northwest Territories
Nick G. Sibbeston (Lib-Northwest Territories)

Nova Scotia
John M. Buchanan, P.C. (C-Halifax, Nova Scotia)
Gerald J. Comeau (C-Nova Scotia)
Jane Cordy (Lib-Nova Scotia)
James S. Cowan (Lib-Halifax, Nova Scotia)
J. Michael Forrestall (C-Dartmouth / Eastern Shore, Nova Scotia)
Michael Kirby (Lib-South Shore, Nova Scotia)
Terry M. Mercer (Lib-Northend Halifax, Nova Scotia)
Wilfred P. Moore (Lib-Stanhope St. / Bluenose, Nova Scotia)
Donald H. Oliver (C-Nova Scotia)
Gerard A. Phalen (Lib-Nova Scotia)

Nunavut
Willie Adams (Lib-Nunavut)

Ontario
Norman K. Atkins (P.C.-Markham, Ontario)
Anne C. Cools (C-Toronto-Centre-York, Ontario)
Consiglio Di Nino (C-Ontario)
Art Eggleton, P.C. (Lib-Toronto, Ontario)
John Trevor Eyton (C-Ontario)
Isobel Finnerty (Lib-Ontario)
Jerahmiel S. Grafstein (Lib-Metro Toronto, Ontario)
Mac Harb (Lib-Ontario)
James F. Kelleher (C-Ontario)
Colin Kenny (Lib-Rideau, Ontario)
Wilbert Joseph Keon (C-Ottawa, Ontario)
Marjory LeBreton (C-Ontario)
Frank W. Mahovlich (Lib-Ontario)
Michael A. Meighen (C-St. Marys, Ontario)
Lorna Milne (Lib-Peel County, Ontario)
Jim Munson (Lib-Ottawa/Rideau Canal, Ontario)
Lowell Murray, P.C. (P.C.-Pakenham, Ontario)
Nancy Ruth (P.C.-Toronto, Ontario)
Landon Pearson (Lib-Ontario)
P. Michael Pitfield, P.C. (Ind-Ottawa-Vanier, Ontario)
Marie-P. Poulin (Charette) (Lib-Northern Ontario, Ontario)
Vivienne Poy (Lib-Toronto, Ontario)
David P. Smith, P.C. (Lib-Cobourg, Ontario)
Peter A. Stollery (Lib-Bloor and Yonge/Toronto, Ontario)

Prince Edward Island
Catherine S. Callbeck (Lib-Prince Edward Island)
Percy Downe (Lib-Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island)
Elizabeth Hubley (Lib-Prince Edward Island)

Quebec
W. David Angus (C-Alma, Quebec)
Lise Bacon (Lib-De la Durantaye, Quebec)
Michel Biron (Lib-Mille Isles, Quebec)
Roméo Dallaire (Lib-Gulf, Quebec)
Pierre De Bané, P.C. (Lib-De la Vallière, Quebec)
Marisa Ferretti Barth (Lib-Repentigny, Quebec)
Joan Fraser (Lib-De Lorimier, Quebec)
Aurélien Gill (Lib-Wellington, Quebec)
Céline Hervieux-Payette, P.C. (Lib-Bedford, Quebec)
Serge Joyal, P.C. (Lib-Kennebec, Quebec)
Jean Lapointe (Lib-Saurel, Quebec)
Raymond Lavigne (Lib-Montarville, Quebec)
John Lynch-Staunton (C-Grandville, Quebec)
Shirley Maheu (Lib-Rougemont, Quebec)
Paul J. Massicotte (Lib-De Lanaudière, Quebec)
Pierre Claude Nolin (C-De Salaberry, Quebec)
Lucie Pépin (Lib-Shawinegan, Quebec)
Madeleine Plamondon (Ind-The Laurentides, Quebec)
Marcel Prud'homme, P.C. (Ind-La Salle, Quebec)
Jean-Claude Rivest (Ind-Stadacona, Quebec)
Charlie Watt (Lib-Inkerman, Quebec)

Saskatchewan
A. Raynell Andreychuk (C-Saskatchewan)
Lillian Eva Dyck (NDP-North Battleford, Saskatchewan)
Leonard J. Gustafson (C-Saskatchewan)
Pana Merchant (Lib-Saskatchewan)
Robert W. Peterson (Lib-Regina, Saskatchewan)
David Tkachuk (C-Saskatchewan)

Yukon
Ione Christensen (Lib-Yukon)

Changes in Senate Membership

Appointments
March 24, 2005	Art Eggleton (Lib-Toronto, Ontario) Elaine McCoy (C-Calgary, Alberta) Grant Mitchell (Lib-Edmonton, Alberta) Robert W. Peterson (Lib-Regina, Saskatchewan) Nancy Ruth (C-Toronto, Ontario) James Cowan (Lib-Halifax, Nova Scotia) Lillian Eva Dyck (NPD-North Battleford, Saskatchewan) Roméo Dallaire (Lib-Gulf, Quebec) Claudette Tardif (Lib-Edmonton, Alberta)
Retirements
April 15, 2004	Gérald-A. Beaudoin (C-Quebec)
May 21, 2004	Alasdair B. Graham (Lib-Nova Scotia)
May 23, 2004	Brenda Robertson (C-New Brunswick)
June 14, 2004	Douglas Roche (Ind-Alberta)
July 14, 2004	Eileen Rossiter, (C-Prince Edward Island)
September 24, 2004	Edward M. Lawson (Ind-British Columbia)
October 22, 2004	Jean-Robert Gauthier (Lib-Ontario)
November 21, 2004	Laurier L. LaPierre (Lib-Ontario)
November 28, 2004	Yves Morin (Lib-Quebec)
January 4, 2005	Herbert O. Sparrow (Lib-Saskatchewan)
Resignation
September 24, 2004	Richard H. Kroft (Lib-Manitoba)

Key Roles in the Senate Chamber

Eight senators hold leadership positions and help to organize the work of the Senate:

Speaker of the Senate: Dan Hays (Lib-Calgary, Alberta)
Appointed by the Governor General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, the Speaker is responsible for speaking for the institution and for maintaining order in the Chamber and ruling on points of order and questions of privilege. Senator Hays was appointed as Speaker in January 2001. He is the first Albertan to serve as Speaker.

Speaker pro tempore: Shirley Maheu (Lib-Rougemont, Quebec)
A Speaker pro tempore, or acting Speaker, is appointed for each parliamentary session and serves whenever the Speaker is unable to attend a sitting of the Senate.

Leader of the Government: Jack Austin (Lib-Vancouver South, British Columbia)
The Leader of the Government in the Senate is appointed by the Prime Minister and usually serves as a cabinet minister. As such, the Government Leader is able to speak with the authority of the government during Senate debates on bills and during Senate Question Period, while simultaneously representing the Senate in cabinet.

Leader of the Opposition: Noël A. Kinsella (C-Fredericton-York-Sunbury, New Brunswick)
The Leader of the Opposition often speaks for the Opposition during debate on government bills and coordinates the efforts of colleagues in the Senate Chamber and in committees.

Deputy Leader of the Government: William Rompkey, P.C. (Lib-North West River, Labrador, Newfoundland and Labrador)

Deputy Leader of the Opposition: Terry Stratton (C-Red River, Manitoba)
The deputy leaders provide support in preparing and managing day-to-day Senate business. The deputy leaders work together to organize legislative business and the Senate's sitting schedule.

Government Whip: Rose-Marie Losier-Cool (Lib-Tracadie, New Brunswick)

Opposition Whip: Marjory LeBreton (C-Ontario)
Party whips keep senators in their respective parties informed about Chamber and committee business and scheduling, and attendance to sittings and votes. Although the whips work to maximize participation when a vote is called, party discipline in the Senate does not tend to be as rigorous as in the House of Commons.