Senate.

• Author: Moss-Norburry, Vanessa
• Position: Legislative Reports

Speaker of the Senate

The final months of 2014 were a time of change for the Senate of Canada. On November 26, Senator Noel A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate since February 2006, resigned his seat in the Chamber two days before his 75th birthday. Senator Kinsella, who is from New Brunswick, was appointed to the Senate on September 12, 1990 on the advice of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. He served in several leadership roles in addition to his tenure as Speaker, including Opposition Whip, Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Opposition. He also served on over 20 standing, special and joint committees, and Chaired the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology and the Special Committee on Bill C-110, An Act respecting constitutional amendments. Senator Kinsella, an advocate for human rights, has been a professor of psychology, philosophy and human rights at St. Thomas University for 41 years and served as Chairman of the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission for 22 years.

With the departure of Senator Kinsella, the Prime Minister advised the Governor General to appoint Senator Pierre-Claude Nolin as the new Speaker, and this appointment took effect on November 26. Senator Nolin, a lawyer by trade who represents the senatorial designation of Salaberry, Quebec, had been the serving as Speaker pro tempore since November 2013. Senator Nolin was appointed to the Senate in June 1993 on the advice of Prime Minister Mulroney. He has been a member of numerous standing committees and currently chairs the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration. He also chaired the Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs, which was originally struck in 2000.

The position of Speaker pro tempore is now held by Senator Leo Housakos, who represents Wellington, Quebec. His nomination by the Committee of Selection was adopted by the Senate on December 4. Senator Housakos was appointed to the Senate in 2008 and has served as Deputy Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communication.

Senators

There were other departures from the Senate during this period with the retirements of Senators Fernand Robichaud on December 1 and Asha Seth on December 15. Senator Robichaud, like the former Speaker, was also from New Brunswick and served in the Senate since September 1997, when he was appointed on the advice of Prime Minister Jean...