Senate leadership rules updated

Summary#

This is the Order Fixing July 26, 2022 as the Day on Which Division 13 of Part 5 of the Budget Implementation Act, 2022, No. 1 Comes into Force. It declares that Division 13 of the Budget Implementation Act, 2022, No. 1 took effect on July 26, 2022. Division 13 makes changes to the Parliament of Canada Act that reflect the Senate’s shift toward non‑partisan groups and extends certain pay and participation rules to more Senate leaders.

What it does#

• Brings Division 13 of the Budget Implementation Act, 2022, No. 1 into force on July 26, 2022.
• Changes the Parliament of Canada Act so leadership positions in Senate groups beyond the traditional Government and Opposition can receive annual leadership allowances.
• Requires that at least one senator from each group that receives a leadership allowance be represented on the parliamentary committee created under the Emergencies Act.
• Lets leaders or facilitators of recognized Senate parties and groups:
  • make membership changes to the Senate Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration; and
  • be consulted on appointments of certain officers and agents of Parliament, including the Senate Ethics Officer, the Parliamentary Budget Officer, the Information Commissioner, the Auditor General of Canada, the Privacy Commissioner, the Commissioner of Official Languages for Canada, the Commissioner of Lobbying, and the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner.
• Requires leaders or facilitators to be consulted on appointments of senators to the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians.
• Adds the titles Government Representative in the Senate, Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate, and Government Liaison into the Parliament of Canada Act.

Who's affected#

• Senators who hold leadership roles in recognized Senate parties and groups. This expands eligibility beyond the traditional Government and Opposition leaders.
• Recognized Senate groups such as the Independent Senators Group, the Canadian Senators Group, and the Progressive Senate Group (these groups formed after changes to Senate appointment practices).
• Parliamentary committees named in the changes, including the committee under the Emergencies Act and the Senate Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration.
• Officers and agents of Parliament listed above, because their appointments will now involve consultations with more Senate leaders.
• Public finances: the Order enables additional annual allowances to be paid so that the three largest recognized groups (other than Government and Opposition) are eligible for allowances for up to four leadership positions each.

Why it matters#

• It updates Senate rules in law to reflect the way the Senate now operates, with multiple non‑partisan groups rather than just Government and Opposition blocs.
• More Senate groups and their leaders get formal pay, committee representation, and a say in key appointments. That can change who sits on important oversight committees and who helps choose watchdog officers.
• There will likely be modest additional public spending for the expanded leadership allowances.
• For the public, this is a step toward recognizing the Senate’s evolving role and making that role clearer in statute.