At least two of Alberta’s senators-in-waiting may not have to wait much longer.
Liberal senator Joyce Fairbairn stepped down Jan. 18, suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s disease. The 73-year-old former journalist and aide to former prime minister Pierre Trudeau served 28 years in the Senate and was not slated to retire until next year.
She is a long-time member and former chair of the Senate agriculture committee.
Meanwhile, former Alberta farmer and elected Alberta senator Bert Brown, who was appointed in 2007, retires March 22 when he turns 75.
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It opens up two Senate appoint-ments for prime minister Stephen Harper, who has pledged to appoint senators selected in province-wide votes.
Alberta is the first province to hold elections, although several other provinces have committed to or are considering Senate elections.
At the head of the line when Harper decides to fill vacancies in Alberta are Calgary lawyer Doug Black, High River business owner Scott Tannas and Calgary Police Commission chair Mike Shaikh, based on results of the Senate vote held last year as part of the provincial election.
The two impending Alberta vacancies, as well as the March 16 retirement of Manitoba Conservative Terry Stratton, give Harper a chance to appoint eight new senators, strengthening his grip on the Senate that must approve legislation passed by the Conservative-dominated House of Commons.
Current standings in the Senate are 60 Conservatives and 37 Liberal, and the gap will grow when Harper makes new appointments.
The Liberals were firmly in control of the Senate just a decade ago after years in power. Now, the Conservative dominance will last for at least several decades.
Harper has vowed to reform the Senate to make it elected and effective, although the lack of provincial agreement means permanent change through constitutional reform is impossible at the moment. Some provinces oppose elections because senators are supposed to represent provincial interests, while others prefer abolishing the Senate.
As a compromise, Harper has been appointing senators who agree to support reform legislation, agree to run if elections are called in their provinces and agree to serve for fixed nine-year terms.
