What does a Canadian Senator do exactly? скачать в хорошем качестве

What does a Canadian Senator do exactly?

For most Canadians, the Senate of Canada remains something of a mystery—an appointed body they vaguely remember from high school civics class. But as Senator Mary Coyle explained in this week’s episode of Let’s Talk Antigonish, the reality of Senate work is far more dynamic, consequential, and increasingly independent than most citizens realize. Senator Coyle, who has represented Nova Scotia in the upper chamber for eight years and calls Antigonish home, used the conversation to pull back the curtain on what she describes as a job that keeps her “brain on fire all day, every day”—investigating everything from Arctic sovereignty to medical assistance in dying, from climate solutions to the rights of Indigenous peoples. The Senate’s primary function, Coyle explained, is straightforward but crucial: every law in Canada must pass through three readings in both the House of Commons and the Senate before receiving royal assent. But the Senate’s role goes far beyond rubber-stamping legislation from the elected lower house. “We primarily are legislators,” Coyle noted, “but in addition to that, senators represent regions. I represent the province of Nova Scotia along with nine colleagues. And then the final thing we do is investigate—we look around at what are the issues of burning concern to Canada and to our world.” This investigative function plays out through Senate committees, where Coyle has served on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Indigenous Peoples, Fisheries and Oceans, and a Special Committee on the Arctic. These committees do two things: scrutinize bills with rigorous detail before they become law, and study major issues facing the country—from Coast Guard search and rescue capabilities in a changing climate to the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The committee work involves calling witnesses, receiving submissions from Canadians, consulting Library of Parliament analysts who provide specialized research, and often traveling to communities to hear directly from those affected by proposed legislation. Increasingly, witnesses appear online rather than in person—a shift accelerated by COVID-19 that has made the process more accessible. A crucial distinction separates today’s Senate from its historical predecessor: the independent appointment process introduced in 2016 under Justin Trudeau’s government. Coyle had to apply for her position through what she described as “quite a rigorous application process” that took months. “I would have never been a senator under the partisan system,” Coyle acknowledged. “I’m not a fierce partisan, and I would have been very unlikely to be appointed. The independence attracted me.” Today, out of 105 Senate seats, only 12 to 13 are held by partisan Conservatives in an official caucus. Five senators represent the government but are described as “unaffiliated,” while Coyle belongs to the largest group, the Independent Senators Group. Critically, there’s no whipping of votes—no party leadership demanding senators vote a particular way. “One piece of advice I was given when I was a new senator was don’t vote with your buddies,” Coyle recalled. “Stay independent, talk to your colleagues, but make sure the decision the way you vote is true to your own sense of what the right thing is to do.” This independence creates fascinating dynamics. Coyle described one instance where Conservative senators, though opposed to a government bill, voted in favor of it when they realized it might otherwise fail—prioritizing respect for the elected government’s agenda over their own partisan position. However, the transformation isn’t complete. “The chamber and all the rules are still set up to a large extent to be a bipartisan chamber,” Coyle explained. “So a lot of our job, in addition to legislate, represent, investigate, is to renovate.” The future of Senate independence now hangs in the balance with Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new government. Several Senate seats are vacant, and everyone is watching to see whether Carney will continue using the independent appointment process or revert to partisan appointments. “We don’t have any indication that he will scrap it,” Coyle noted, “but we also haven’t seen any evidence that he’s going to use the new system.” Key Insights from Senator Mary Coyle: Regional Representation by Design: Nova Scotia insisted on disproportionate Senate representation as a condition of joining Confederation. With 10 senators compared to Ontario and Quebec’s 24 each, smaller provinces have far more influence than their population would suggest—and that was the whole point. Three Core Functions: Senators legislate (all laws must pass both houses), represent (their provinces and underrepresented voices), and investigate (studying critical issues facing Canada through committees). The Power of Amendment: The Senate focuses primarily on improving bills rather than rejecting them outri...