Carney says he will consider advisory committee on Senate appointments

Prime Minister Mark Carney says he will take into account the recommendations of an independent advisory committee when filling Senate vacancies, but he did not say exactly how much weight those views will have. The committee was created under former prime minister Justin Trudeau, who changed the Senate appointment process by moving away from partisan Liberal appointments and toward a more independent model. Carney has not yet appointed any senators, even as vacancies have grown to nine seats and more are expected in the months ahead. The advisory body is itself short on members, with only a small number of federal and provincial or territorial positions filled. Its recommendations are nonbinding, and Carney’s comments leave open whether his government will keep Trudeau’s approach or choose a different path.