Canadian Senators Group

Last updated

Canadian Senators Group
Groupe des sénateurs canadiens
Leader Scott Tannas
Deputy Leader Dennis Patterson
FoundedNovember 4, 2019
Split from Independent Senators Group, Conservative Party of Canada
Ideology Non-partisan
Technical group
Senate
14 / 105
Party flag
Logo of the Canadian Senators Group.png
Website
csg.sencanada.ca/home/

The Canadian Senators Group (French : Groupe des sénateurs canadiens) is a parliamentary group of senators in the Senate of Canada founded on November 4, 2019, by eight senators from the Independent Senators Group, two from the Conservative Party of Canada's Senate caucus, and one non-affiliated senator. [1] The group named Scott Tannas as its interim leader and Josée Verner as interim deputy leader, though the actual caucus leadership roles and role titles have yet to be announced. [2]

Contents

History

The caucus was formed on November 4, 2019.

In an interview with CTV News' Don Martin, Tannas said that the motivation for him and at least several other senators to depart the ISG was a perceived lack of independence in the contentious spring 2019 legislation related to west coast oil tanker moratoriums and other oil and gas-related legislation. [2] Additionally, Tannas cited the concern that the Independent Senators Group, then numbering 58 Senators, had become too large, and that a "wider range of views and approaches" was needed. [2] In addition, in an effort to avoid "groupthink", CSG interim leader Senator Scott Tannas announced that the initial founding members of the group had agreed to cap membership in the group to no more than 25 members. [3] [4] Also included among the reasons for the founding of a second, non-partisan, and independent Senate caucus was a perennially renewed effort to focus on regional issues, despite this notionally being the constitutionally-enshrined purpose of the Senate as a whole. [4] [3]

Included among those decamping to the Canadian Senators Group was Elaine McCoy, who previously served as the ISG's founding facilitator from 2016 to 2017. [5]

On November 18, 2019, two more senators joined the CSG: Percy Downe, formerly of the Progressive Senate Group and Senate Liberal Caucus; and Jean-Guy Dagenais, a Conservative. Downe said he still supported the Liberal Party but liked the "diversity of views" in the CSG; while Dagenais cited disagreements with the leadership of Andrew Scheer, particularly Scheer's social views and the "low importance" he placed on Quebec, as the reasons for his defection. [6] [7] [8]

On February 4, 2022, Dennis Patterson joined the CSG, departing the Conservative caucus. The "last straw" was disappointment that members of the party weren't condemning the Freedom Convoy. [9] [10]

On August 4, 2022, Larry Smith left the Conservative caucus to join the CSG. Smith clarified that he would remain a member of the Conservative Party. [11]

Leadership

Former leadership

Membership

Name [1] Province (Division) [12] Former political affiliationMandatory retirement date [5]
Robert Black OntarioIndependent Senators Group27 March 2037
Sharon Burey OntarioNon-affiliated4 December 2032
Jean-Guy Dagenais Quebec (Victoria)Conservative2 February 2025
Percy Downe Prince Edward IslandProgressive Senate Group8 July 2029
Stephen Greene Nova Scotia (Halifax - The Citadel)Independent Senators Group8 December 2024
Gigi Osler ManitobaNon-affiliated9 September 2043
Dennis Patterson NunavutConservative30 December 2023
Rebecca Patterson OntarioNon-affiliated15 June 2040
Jim Quinn New BrunswickNon-affiliated25 January 2032
David Richards New BrunswickNon-affiliated17 October 2025
Larry Smith Quebec (Saurel)Conservative28 April 2026
Scott Tannas AlbertaConservative25 February 2037
Josée Verner Quebec (Montarville)Independent Senators Group30 December 2034
Pamela Wallin SaskatchewanIndependent Senators Group10 April 2028

Former members

NameProvince (Division)Former political affiliationLeft caucusReason
Elaine McCoy AlbertaIndependent Senators Group29 December 2020Died in office
Doug Black AlbertaIndependent Senators Group31 October 2021Resigned from Senate
Diane Griffin Prince Edward IslandIndependent Senators Group18 March 2022Mandatory retirement from the Senate
Vernon White OntarioIndependent Senators Group2 October 2022Resigned from Senate
Larry Campbell British ColumbiaIndependent Senators Group24 October 2022Changed affiliation to non-affiliated

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Flanagan, Ryan (November 4, 2019). "11 senators break away to form new Canadian Senators Group". CTV News. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 Martin, Don (November 4, 2019). "Tannas on Wexit and Western Alienation". Power Play with Don Martin. CTV News. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  3. 1 2 "New Senate group forms to push regional interests in a fractured Parliament". Red Deer Advocate. The Canadian Press. November 4, 2019. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  4. 1 2 Jesse Snyder; Brian Platt (November 4, 2019). "New Senate bloc looking to protect 'regional interests' could hamper Trudeau's efforts to pass legislation". National Post. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Senators List". Senate of Canada. August 25, 2019. Archived from the original on August 1, 2019. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  6. Tasker, John Paul (November 18, 2019). "Two more senators defect to upstart group, one citing Scheer's leadership". CBC News . Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  7. Gilmore, Rachel (November 18, 2019). "Senator leaves Conservative caucus citing Scheer's socially conservative views". CTVNews.
  8. "Tory Senator Ditches Caucus Over Scheer's Views On Abortion, Gay Marriage". HuffPost. November 18, 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  9. Al-Hakim, Aya (February 4, 2022). "Nunavut senator Dennis Patterson quits Conservative caucus: 'This country is divided'". Global News. Toronto ON. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  10. Pelletier, Jeff (February 4, 2022). "Patterson quits Conservatives over Freedom Convoy ties". Nunatsiaq News. Iqaluit NU: Nortext Publishing Corporation (Iqaluit). Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  11. Major, Darren (August 4, 2022). "Quebec senator leaving Conservative caucus but says he will remain a member of party". CBC News .
  12. Juric, Sam (November 4, 2019). "P.E.I.'s Diane Griffin named to Canadian Senators Group". CBC News. Retrieved November 4, 2019.