Canadian Senators Group
Groupe des sénateurs canadiens
LeaderScott Tannas
Deputy LeaderRebecca Patterson
FoundedNovember 4, 2019
Split fromIndependent Senators Group, Conservative Party of Canada
IdeologyNon-partisan
Technical group
Senate
15 / 105
Party flag
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] Its inaugural and current leader is Scott Tannas.[2]

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 affiliation Mandatory retirement date[5]
Robert Black Ontario Independent Senators Group 27 March 2037
Sharon Burey Ontario Non-affiliated 4 December 2032
Jean-Guy Dagenais Quebec (Victoria) Conservative 2 February 2025
Colin Deacon Nova Scotia Independent Senators Group 1 November 2034
Percy Downe Prince Edward Island Progressive Senate Group 8 July 2029
Stephen Greene Nova Scotia (Halifax - The Citadel) Independent Senators Group 8 December 2024
Gigi Osler Manitoba Non-affiliated 9 September 2043
Rebecca Patterson Ontario Non-affiliated 15 June 2040
Paul Prosper Nova Scotia Non-affiliated 4 November 2039
Jim Quinn New Brunswick Non-affiliated 25 January 2032
David Richards New Brunswick Non-affiliated 17 October 2025
Larry Smith Quebec (Saurel) Conservative 28 April 2026
Scott Tannas Alberta Conservative 25 February 2037
Josée Verner Quebec (Montarville) Independent Senators Group 30 December 2034
Pamela Wallin Saskatchewan Independent Senators Group 10 April 2028

Former members

Name Province (Division) Former political affiliation Left caucus Reason
Elaine McCoy Alberta Independent Senators Group 29 December 2020 Died in office
Doug Black Alberta Independent Senators Group 31 October 2021 Resigned from Senate
Diane Griffin Prince Edward Island Independent Senators Group 18 March 2022 Mandatory retirement from the Senate
Vernon White Ontario Independent Senators Group 2 October 2022 Resigned from Senate
Larry Campbell British Columbia Independent Senators Group 24 October 2022 Changed affiliation to non-affiliated
Dennis Patterson Nunavut Conservative 30 December 2023 Mandatory retirement from the Senate

See also

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.
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