Amplifying Canadian voices: the role of an independent Senate

In November 2023—the first time I rose in the Senate Chamber as an independent Senator representing the province of Newfoundland and Labrador—I spoke about the repatriation of an unknown First World War soldier from Northern France. A month ago, on my return from Beaumont-Hamel, France, I rose again to speak on the same solemn topic and quoted the song Sing You Home from The Ennis Sisters: “Too soon to leave this earthHow could all your work be doneAsh to ash and dust to dustSeemed to me you just begun.” To this day, Beaumont-Hamel remains a vital piece of our history to be passed to the children of Newfoundland and Labrador. On the morning of July 1, 1916, 800 of our soldiers charged into an onslaught of machine gun fire. Only 68 answered the roll call the next day. The advance halted only because “dead men could advance no further.” With the repatriation from France of the unknown soldier of Newfoundland and Labrador, all the lost sons of our beloved place have returned. Last month, I had the honour and privilege to represent the Senate of Canada at ceremonies held in France. I returned to Canada on a flight carrying the exhumed remains of the unknown soldier back home to Newfoundland and Labrador after more than 100 years. This was a remarkable and deeply meaningful experience, which culminated on Memorial Day—July 1—when the unknown soldier was interred permanently at the refurbished National War Memorial in downtown St. John's. Independent Senator Iris G. Petten represents Newfoundland and Labrador. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade I am from the small fishing community of Port de Grave, an hour outside of St. John’s. My parents, Shirley and Vernon Petten, still live in the same house in which I was born and grew up. They instilled in us sisters and brothers a deep love of family, of province, and of fishing. Port de Grave—like the whole province of Newfoundland and Labrador—has an enviable reputation for having warm, open, and straightforward people. When I am in Ottawa, I try to bring these same values to every interaction I have with people who come from across Canada, and to reflect the voices of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. Making sure I represent the voices of my province is one of the reasons I chose to sponsor Bill C-49, the Atlantic Accords Amendment Act, in the Senate to allow for offshore wind development in jointly managed waters off the coasts of our province and Nova Scotia. This change is vital to our economy, Canada’s goals to achieve net-zero by 2050, as well as efforts to protect 25 per cent of Canada’s oceans by 2025, and 30 per cent by 2030. This is also why I joined the Independent Senators Group. As an Independent Senator, I am always free to follow my conscience, to consider the input of stakeholders from the province, to apply the guiding principles of my home community, and to vote as I see fit in the interest of the nation without partisan considerations or pressures. The important role played by independent Senators is broadly recognized. When asked in a recent poll whether future governments should maintain the current system or go back to the previous way of appointing Senators, 69.3 per cent of Canadians said they would prefer to keep the independent appointment process. In Atlantic Canada specifically, 78.5 per cent were in favour of the current process, the highest across Canada. I believe that because of the independent appointment process, Senators now better represent the wider population of the country—the places they come from, and the diverse ethnic, socio-economic and cultural background of all Canadians. The historic raison d’etre of the Senate remains unchanged. We proudly represent minority voices while acting in the wider public interest. Currently, 55 per cent of Senators identify as women, compared to 31 per cent of Members of Parliament. Canada ranks 59th worldwide in terms of women’s representation in national lower or single houses of parliament. Given that women make up more than 50 per cent of the population of Canada, this is another way that the Senate is representative of the interests of Canadians in Parliament. There are currently nine vacancies in the Senate. I believe it is imperative that these seats are filled—with the best candidates—to strengthen the Senate’s ability to represent all the provinces and territories. In my province, we are proudly celebrating the 75th anniversary of Newfoundland and Labrador joining Confederation. On July 1, as we paid solemn respect to our fallen on Memorial Day, we gave thanks that we are the newest province of the great nation of Canada. Independent Senator Iris G. Petten represents Newfoundland and Labrador. The Hill Times

Amplifying Canadian voices: the role of an independent Senate

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Amplifying Canadian voices: the role of an independent Senate

Without a party line to toe, local voices can tell local stories, and apply the guiding principles of Senators’ home communities.

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