FAQs

How many Senators are there?
105

How many senatorial seats does Alberta have?
6

Who are Alberta's Senators?

How many Senators are women?
37 (35% of the total). Both the Leader of the Government and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate are women.

How many Senators are Liberal, Conservative and Independent?
                      Liberal          36        Conservative   64
                      Independent   4        Vacant               1

What is an independent Senator?
Independent Senators are not required to vote the party line and may vote with or against government, opposition or independent proposals as they see fit. They also do not attend any party caucus meetings.

Progressive Conservative Senators are technically classified as independents.

How often do Senators vote the party line?
34% of the Senators always voted the party line over the last five years. Just 1 in 7 Senators recorded a dissenting vote in 15 percent or more of the votes they cast during the same period of time.

How much money do Senators make?
$132,300 per year.  The Speaker, Leaders and Committee Chairs make more.

How does this compare to other federal politicians?



I have heard that Senators can be in their positions for 45 years.
Of the 875 Canadians who served in the Senate since 1867, only one sat for 45 years. Since the tenure of Senators was limited to age 75 in 1965, only eight have served for 30 years or more.

How long do Senators stay around on average?
10.29 years (based on average tenures over the past 14 years).

How long has the longest serving current Senator served?
Senator Anne Cools (Ontario) has served since January 13, 1984.

Which current Senator has served the least amount of time?
The 7 Conservative Senators whose appointments were announced by Prime Minister Harper on January 6, 2012.