List of Canadian territorial senators explained

This is a list of past and present members of the Senate of Canada representing the territories of Yukon, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. The territories are currently represented by one senator each.

Parliament has the power to provide for the representation of territories in the Senate by virtue of section 1 of the Constitution Act, 1886 and section 44 of the Constitution Act, 1982.

The Northwest Territories was granted two Senate seats in 1888 and doubled to four seats in 1903. After Alberta and Saskatchewan were created in 1905, the territories would not have Senate representation until the enactment of the Constitution Act, 1975 (No 2), which gave one seat to the Northwest Territories and one seat to the Yukon. Nunavut was granted one seat upon its creation in 1999 by virtue of the Constitution Act, 1999 (Nunavut).

The Constitution Act, 1999 (Nunavut) arguably impliedly repeals the Constitution Act, 1975 (No 2) since, despite its short title the Constitution Act, 1999 (Nunavut) provides for the representation of the three territories, not just that of Nunavut.

The Constitution Act, 1975 (No 2) and now the Constitution Act, 1999 (Nunavut) adapt the qualifications under section 23 of the Constitution Act, 1867 for those representing the territories so that they could fulfill their real property requirement and be resident in their territory.[1] Nunavut Senator Dennis Patterson has proposed the repeal of the real property qualification with the aim of increasing the number of residents of Nunavut qualified to be summoned to the Senate by the Governor General.[2]

Current

align=left class="unsortable"NamePartyDivisionDate appointedAppointed byMandatory retirementIndependent Senators GroupYukonTrudeau, J.NunavutProgressive Senate GroupNorthwest TerritoriesTrudeau, J.

Historic

Northwest Territories

The Northwest Territories had representation in the Senate from 1888 to 1905. After the creation of Alberta and Saskatchewan in 1905, however, the territories were not represented in the Senate until 1975.

align=left class="unsortable"NamePartyDivisionDate appointedAppointed byEnd of termIndependent Senators GroupNorthwest TerritoriesJ. TrudeauIncumbentLiberalNorthwest Territories[3] LiberalNorthwest Territories[4] LiberalPrince Albert, NWT[5] LiberalRegina, NWT[6] ConservativeCalgary, NWT[7] ConservativeWolseley, NWT[8] ConservativeEdmonton, NWT

Yukon

The first senator for Yukon was appointed in 1975.

align=left class="unsortable"NamePartyDivisionDate appointedAppointed byEnd of term
Independent Senators GroupYukonIncumbent
ConservativeYukon
[9] LiberalYukon
[10] LiberalYukon

Nunavut

The first senator for Nunavut was appointed in 1999.

align=left class="unsortable"NamePartyDivisionDate appointedAppointed byEnd of term[11] ConservativeNunavutLiberalNunavutChrétien

See also

Notes and References

  1. Constitution Act, 1867, ss 23(3), (5), 31(5), 128, Fifth Schedule.
  2. See e.g. https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/44-1/bill/S-228/first-reading.
  3. http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=6caba4ba-0997-4ad4-89c8-eb1ed483f375&Language=E&MenuID=lists.senators.aspx&MenuQuery=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.parl.gc.ca%2FParlinfo%2Flists%2Fsenators.aspx%3FLanguage%3DE%26Parliament%3D%26Name%3D%26Party%3D%26Province%3D3cddecb2-8072-44b2-a1e5-7e1da0ccf526%26Gender%3D%26Current%3DFalse%26PrimeMinister%3D%26TermEnd%3D%26Ministry%3D%26Picture%3DFalse%26SortColumn%3DStartDate%26SortDirection%3DASC Adams, The Hon. Willie
  4. http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=6f8757b8-14e1-4066-84f8-108affd94890&Language=E&MenuID=lists.senators.aspx&MenuQuery=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.parl.gc.ca%2FParlinfo%2Flists%2Fsenators.aspx%3FLanguage%3DE%26Parliament%3D%26Name%3D%26Party%3D%26Province%3D3cddecb2-8072-44b2-a1e5-7e1da0ccf526%26Gender%3D%26Current%3DFalse%26PrimeMinister%3D%26TermEnd%3D%26Ministry%3D%26Picture%3DFalse%26SortColumn%3DStartDate%26SortDirection%3DASC Davis, The Hon. Thomas Osborne
  5. http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=a16b128a-9275-4da4-bef7-44778b937eb5&Language=E&MenuID=lists.senators.aspx&MenuQuery=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.parl.gc.ca%2FParlinfo%2Flists%2Fsenators.aspx%3FLanguage%3DE%26Parliament%3D%26Name%3D%26Party%3D%26Province%3D3cddecb2-8072-44b2-a1e5-7e1da0ccf526%26Gender%3D%26Current%3DFalse%26PrimeMinister%3D%26TermEnd%3D%26Ministry%3D%26Picture%3DFalse%26SortColumn%3DStartDate%26SortDirection%3DASC Ross, The Hon. James Hamilton
  6. http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=a8430b5a-8476-4ac0-b441-a3251c3bbdb0&Language=E&MenuID=lists.senators.aspx&MenuQuery=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.parl.gc.ca%2FParlinfo%2Flists%2Fsenators.aspx%3FLanguage%3DE%26Parliament%3D%26Name%3D%26Party%3D%26Province%3D3cddecb2-8072-44b2-a1e5-7e1da0ccf526%26Gender%3D%26Current%3DFalse%26PrimeMinister%3D%26TermEnd%3D%26Ministry%3D%26Picture%3DFalse%26SortColumn%3DStartDate%26SortDirection%3DASC Lougheed, The Hon. Sir James Alexander, P.C.
  7. http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=721ba068-2580-4ba8-bcdd-d49ee4ebfe93&Language=E&MenuID=lists.senators.aspx&MenuQuery=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.parl.gc.ca%2FParlinfo%2Flists%2Fsenators.aspx%3FLanguage%3DE%26Parliament%3D%26Name%3D%26Party%3D%26Province%3D3cddecb2-8072-44b2-a1e5-7e1da0ccf526%26Gender%3D%26Current%3DFalse%26PrimeMinister%3D%26TermEnd%3D%26Ministry%3D%26Picture%3DFalse Perley, The Hon. William Dell
  8. http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=268eb455-eda8-4fa1-9aed-8b352f973f70&Language=E&MenuID=lists.senators.aspx&MenuQuery=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.parl.gc.ca%2FParlinfo%2Flists%2Fsenators.aspx%3FLanguage%3DE%26Parliament%3D%26Name%3D%26Party%3D%26Province%3D3cddecb2-8072-44b2-a1e5-7e1da0ccf526%26Gender%3D%26Current%3DFalse%26PrimeMinister%3D%26TermEnd%3D%26Ministry%3D%26Picture%3DFalse Hardisty, The Hon. Richard Charles
  9. http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=5a7a63bc-1c7c-4516-9cc3-37210b02cd4d&Language=E&MenuID=lists.senators.aspx&MenuQuery=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.parl.gc.ca%2FParlinfo%2Flists%2Fsenators.aspx%3FLanguage%3DE%26SortColumn%3DStartDate%26SortDirection%3DASC%26Parliament%3D%26Name%3D%26Party%3D%26Province%3D541ea9a1-9be8-4c14-bb9e-91af86ef1df1%26Gender%3D%26Current%3DFalse%26PrimeMinister%3D%26TermEnd%3D%26Ministry%3D%26Picture%3DFalse Christensen, The Hon. Ione Jean, C.M.
  10. http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=1af61b82-d68e-443a-a058-e1250ce9aacb&Language=E&MenuID=lists.senators.aspx&MenuQuery=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.parl.gc.ca%2FParlinfo%2Flists%2Fsenators.aspx%3FLanguage%3DE%26SortColumn%3DStartDate%26SortDirection%3DASC%26Parliament%3D%26Name%3D%26Party%3D%26Province%3D541ea9a1-9be8-4c14-bb9e-91af86ef1df1%26Gender%3D%26Current%3DFalse%26PrimeMinister%3D%26TermEnd%3D%26Ministry%3D%26Picture%3DFalse Lucier The Hon. Paul
  11. https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/People/Profile?personId=6934 Patterson, The Hon. Dennis Glen