View source for Representative of the Government in the Senate

{{Short description|Government representative in the Canadian Senate}}
{{Infobox Political post
| post = Representative
| flag = 
| flagcaption = Flag of the Senate of Canada
| native_name = {{smaller|{{lang|fr|Représentant du gouvernement au Sénat}}}}
| image = 
| incumbent = [[Marc Gold]]
| incumbentsince = January 24, 2020
| abolished = 
| style = [[The Honourable]]
| member_of = {{hlist|[[Senate of Canada|Senate]]|[[Privy Council for Canada|Privy Council]]}}
| reports_to = [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]]
| appointer = Prime Minister<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sen.parl.gc.ca/portal/publications/factsheets/fs-keyroles-e.htm|title = Senate of Canada - About the Senate|date = 25 January 2019}}</ref>
| formation = July 1, 1867
| first = [[Alexander Campbell (Canadian senator)|Alexander Campbell]]<br />(as Leader of the Government)
| salary = $275,000 (2024)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/People/Salaries|title=Indemnities, Salaries and Allowances|publisher=Parliament of Canada}}</ref>
| body = the Government in the Senate
| department = Government Representative Office<br />[[Senate of Canada]]
| website = {{URL|https://senate-gro.ca/}}
}}
{{Politics of Canada}}

The '''representative of the Government in the Senate''' ({{langx|fr|représentant du gouvernement au Sénat}}) is the member of the [[Senate of Canada]] who is responsible for introducing, promoting, and defending the government's bills in the Senate after they are passed by the [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]]. The representative is appointed by the prime minister.

The position replaced the '''leader of the Government in the Senate''' ({{langx|fr|leader du gouvernement au Sénat}}), which from 1867 to 2015 was a senator who was a member of the governing party and led the government caucus in the Senate of Canada (whether or not that party held a majority in the Senate). The position of Leader had almost always been held by a [[Cabinet of Canada|Cabinet minister]], except briefly in 1926, from 1958 to 63 and from 2013 to the position being discontinued in 2015.

The government representative's counterpart on the [[parliamentary opposition|Opposition]] benches is the [[Leader of the Opposition in the Senate (Canada)|leader of the Opposition in the Senate]], who continues to be a member of the Official Opposition political party.

Senator [[Marc Gold]] has served as the second and current representative of the Government in the Senate since January 24, 2020.

==History==

=== As Leader of the Government ===
Early Canadian cabinets included several senators who would be answerable to the Senate for government actions, one of whom would serve as de facto government leader in the Senate. In the nineteenth century, it was not considered unusual for a senator to be [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]]. Sir [[John Joseph Caldwell Abbott]] and Sir [[Mackenzie Bowell]] served as prime minister from the Senate.  Abbott and Bowell both found it difficult to lead the government from the Senate, however, and over time, the perceived legitimacy of the Senate declined. Today, it is rare for senators to occupy prominent positions in cabinet. From 1935 on, it was typical for a cabinet to have only one senator who would have the position of [[minister without portfolio]] alongside the position of leader of the government in the Senate.

There have been a few rare occasions when the leader of the government in the Senate was not included in the cabinet by virtue of a separate ministerial appointment, such as [[William Benjamin Ross]] who served in the position in 1926, and [[Walter Morley Aseltine]] and [[Alfred Johnson Brooks]] who were not included in the cabinets of Prime Minister [[John Diefenbaker]] from 1958-1963. In 1968, the position of leader of the government in the Senate became an official Cabinet position in its own right with the appointment of [[Paul Martin Sr.|Paul Martin, Sr.]] (father of Canada's future prime minister, [[Paul Martin]]). From July 2013, under Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], the government leader in the Senate was again a non-cabinet minister.

Occasionally, senators still hold senior cabinet positions (other than the leader of the government in the Senate) in order to ensure regional balance in cabinet if the governing party is unable to elect members in a particular region or province, e.g., when the [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative Party]] formed the government under the leadership of [[Joe Clark]] in 1979, and when the [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal Party]] formed the government under the leadership of [[Pierre Trudeau]] in 1980. However, it is usually the case that the leader of the government in the Senate is the sole senator serving in Cabinet.

The responsibilities of the leader of the government in the Senate include:

# Planning and managing the government's legislative program in the Senate
# Answering all questions for the government during the Senate's [[Question Period]]
# Maintaining relations with the [[Official Opposition (Canada)|opposition]] on all matters concerning Senate activities
# Working with the [[Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (Canada)|leader of the Government in the House of Commons]] to ensure the effective coordination of the government's legislative programme.

The government side in the Senate is the party that forms the government in the [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]]. This means that the government party in the Senate may have fewer seats than the opposition, particularly when a general election results in a new party forming government.

=== As Representative of the Government ===
Due to former Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]]'s 2014 decision to remove senators from the [[Liberal Party of Canada]] caucus, leaving them all effectively sitting as [[independent (politics)|independent]] senators, Trudeau named a Representative of the Government in the Senate in the [[42nd Canadian Parliament]] rather than a government leader.<ref name="trudeau">[https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/11/08/4-issues-hanging-on-justin-trudeaus-senate-decisions.html "4 issues hanging on Justin Trudeau’s plans for the Senate"]. ''[[Toronto Star]]'', November 8, 2015.</ref> The situation created some uncertainty about how the Senate would function, and how government legislation would be brought to the Senate.<ref name="trudeau" /> Retired civil servant [[Peter Harder (politician)|Peter Harder]] was named to the position on March 18, 2016.<ref>{{cite news|date=March 18, 2016|title=Justin Trudeau names seven new senators|work=Toronto Star|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/03/18/justin-trudeau-names-seven-new-senators.html|access-date=March 18, 2016}}</ref><ref>[https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/12/03/liberals-set-up-panel-to-choose-new-non-partisan-senators.html "Liberals set up non-partisan, merit-based process for choosing new senators"]. ''[[Toronto Star]]'', December 3, 2015.</ref>

On November 29, 2019, the [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister's]] office announced<ref name="pmo-pr-29nov2019">{{cite news|date=29 November 2019|title=The Prime Minister announces changes to the Senate leadership|publisher=Office of the Prime Minister of Canada|agency=Government of Canada|url=https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2019/11/29/prime-minister-announces-changes-senate-leadership|access-date=29 November 2019}}</ref> that Senator [[Peter Harder (politician)|Harder]] would be stepping down from his position as Representative of the Government in the Senate effective December 31, 2019.<ref name="pmo-pr-29nov2019" /> It was also announced that Senator [[Grant Mitchell (politician)|Grant Mitchell]] would retire as Government Liaison in the Senate but would continue until a replacement for Harder was named in "due course."<ref name="pmo-pr-29nov2019" /> On January 24, 2020, [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]] [[Justin Trudeau]] announced that Senator [[Marc Gold]] had agreed to become the new Government Representative in the Senate, sitting as a [[Independent politician|non-affiliated]] senator and would also be sworn in as a [[Queen's Privy Council for Canada|Privy Councillor]].<ref name="canadian-pm-jt-pr-24jan2020">{{cite news|date=24 January 2020|title=The Prime Minister announces new Government Representative in the Senate|publisher=Office of the Prime Minister of Canada|url=https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2020/01/24/prime-minister-announces-new-government-representative-senate|access-date=25 January 2020}}</ref>

==Office holders==
'''Key:'''

{{legend|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}|[[Liberal Party of Canada]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative (historical)}}|[[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}}|[[Conservative Party of Canada]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Independent}}|[[Independent politician|Non-affiliated]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; border:1px #aaf solid;"
|-
! rowspan="2" |No.
! rowspan="2" | Portrait
! rowspan="2" width="200px" | Name<br>{{small|(Birth–Death)}}
! colspan="2" | Term of office
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Party
! rowspan="2" width="100px" |Prime minister<br>{{small|(Ministry)}}
|-
! width="95"|{{small|Took office}}
! width="95"|{{small|Left office}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Leader of the Government in the Senate
|-
|'''1'''
|[[File:Sir Alexander Campbell.jpg|124x124px]]
|'''[[Alexander Campbell (Canadian senator)|Alexander Campbell]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Ontario senators|Cataraqui, Ontario]]</small><br><small>(1822–1892)</small>
|July 1,<br />1867
|November 5,<br />1873
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal-Conservative}}; " |
|width="100px"|[[Liberal-Conservative]]
|[[John A. Macdonald|Sir John A. Macdonald]]<br><small>([[1st Canadian Ministry|1st]])</small>
|-
|'''2'''
|[[File:Luc Letellier de Saint-Just.jpg|103x103px]]
|'''[[Luc Letellier de St-Just]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Quebec senators#Grandville|Grandville, Quebec]]</small><br><small>(1820–1881)</small>
|November 5,<br />1873
|December 14,<br />1876
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Alexander Mackenzie (politician)|Alexander Mackenzie]]<br><small>([[2nd Canadian Ministry|2nd]])</small>
|-
|'''3'''
|[[File:Sir Richard William Scott.jpg|106x106px]]
|'''[[Richard William Scott]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Ontario senators|Ottawa, Ontario]]</small><br><small>(1825–1913)</small>
|December 14,<br />1876
|October 7,<br />1878
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
|-
|'''(1)'''
|[[File:Sir Alexander Campbell.jpg|124x124px]]
|[[Alexander Campbell (Canadian senator)|Sir '''Alexander Campbell''']]<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Ontario senators|Cataraqui, Ontario]]</small><br><small>(1822–1892)</small>
|October 18,<br />1878
|February 7,<br />1887
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative (historical)}}; " |
|[[Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942)|Conservative]]
| rowspan="2" |[[John A. Macdonald|Sir John A. Macdonald]]<br><small>([[3rd Canadian Ministry|3rd]])</small>
|-style="height:49px"
| rowspan="2" |'''4'''
| rowspan="2" |[[File:SirJohnAbbott1.jpg|98x98px]]
| rowspan="2" |[[John Abbott|Sir '''John Abbott''']]<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Quebec senators#Inkerman|Inkerman, Quebec]]</small><br><small>(1821–1893)</small>
|May 12,<br />1887
|June 6,<br />1891
| rowspan="2" style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative (historical)}}; " |
| rowspan="2" |[[Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942)|Conservative]]
|-
|June 16,<br />1891
|October 30,<br />1893
|[[John Abbott|Sir John Abbott]]<br><small>([[4th Canadian Ministry|4th]])</small>
|-
| rowspan="3" |'''5'''
| rowspan="3" |[[File:SirMackenzieBowell.jpg|109x109px]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Mackenzie Bowell|Sir '''Mackenzie Bowell''']]<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Ontario senators|Hastings, Ontario]]</small><br><small>(1823–1917)</small>
|October 31,<br />1893
|December 12,<br />1894
| rowspan="3"  style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative (historical)}}; " |
| rowspan="3" |[[Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942)|Conservative]]
|[[John Sparrow David Thompson|Sir John Thompson]]<br><small>([[5th Canadian Ministry|5th]])</small>
|-
| rowspan="2" |December 21,<br />1894
| rowspan="2" |August 19,<br>1896
|[[Mackenzie Bowell|Sir Mackenzie Bowell]]<br><small>([[6th Canadian Ministry|6th]])</small>
|-
|[[Charles Tupper|Sir Charles Tupper]]<br><small>([[7th Canadian Ministry|7th]])</small>
|-
|'''6'''
|[[File:Oliver Mowat.jpg|106x106px]]
|[[Oliver Mowat|Sir '''Oliver Mowat''']]<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Ontario senators|Ontario]]</small><br><small>(1820–1903)</small>
|August 19,<br>1896
|November 18,<br />1897
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
| rowspan="4" |[[Wilfrid Laurier|Sir Wilfrid Laurier]]<br><small>([[8th Canadian Ministry|8th]])</small>
|-
|'''7'''
|[[File:David Mills (Canada).jpg|115x115px]]
|[[David Mills (Canadian politician)|'''David Mills''']]<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Ontario senators|Bothwell, Ontario]]</small><br><small>(1831–1903)</small>
|November 18,<br />1897
|February 7,<br>1902
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
|-
|'''(3)'''
|[[File:Sir Richard William Scott.jpg|106x106px]]
|[[Richard William Scott|Sir '''Richard William Scott''']]<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Ontario senators|Ottawa, Ontario]]</small><br><small>(1825–1913)</small>
|February 7,<br>1902
|January 20,<br />1909
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
|-
|'''8'''
|[[File:Cartwright Richard John (Topley photograph).jpg|106x106px]]
|[[Richard John Cartwright|Sir '''Richard John Cartwright''']]<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Ontario senators|Oxford, Ontario]]</small><br><small>(1835–1912)</small>
|January 20,<br />1909
|October 10,<br />1911
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
|-
| rowspan="3" |'''9'''
| rowspan="3" |[[File:James Alexander Lougheed (cropped).jpg|105x105px]]
| rowspan="3" |[[James Alexander Lougheed|Sir '''James Alexander Lougheed''']]<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Alberta senators|Calgary, Alberta]]</small><br><small>(1854–1925)</small>
| rowspan="3" |October 10,<br />1911
| rowspan="3" |December 28,<br />1921
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative (historical)}}; " |
|[[Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942)|Conservative]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Robert Borden|Sir Robert Borden]]<br><small>([[9th Canadian Ministry|9th]] and [[10th Canadian Ministry|10th]])</small>
|-
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Unionist}}; " |
|[[Unionist Party (Canada)|Unionist]]
|-
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative (historical)}}; " |
|[[Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942)|Conservative]]
|[[Arthur Meighen]]<br><small>([[11th Canadian Ministry|11th]])</small>
|-
|'''10'''
|[[File:Raoul Dandurand 1 (cropped).jpg|120x120px]]
|'''[[Raoul Dandurand]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Quebec senators#De Lorimier|De Lorimier, Quebec]]</small><br><small>(1861–1942)</small>
|December 29,<br />1921
|June 28,<br>1926
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
|[[William Lyon Mackenzie King]]<br><small>([[12th Canadian Ministry|12th]])</small>
|-
|'''11'''
|
|'''[[William Benjamin Ross]]'''<ref name="noncab" group="n">Not in the Cabinet.</ref><br /><small>Senator for [[List of Quebec senators#De Lorimier|De Lorimier, Quebec]]</small><br><small>(1855–1929)</small>
|June 28,<br>1926
|September 24,<br>1926
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative (historical)}}; " |
|[[Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942)|Conservative]]
|[[Arthur Meighen]]<br><small>([[13th Canadian Ministry|13th]])</small>
|-
|'''(10)'''
|[[File:Raoul Dandurand 1 (cropped).jpg|120x120px]]
|'''[[Raoul Dandurand]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Quebec senators#De Lorimier|De Lorimier, Quebec]]</small><br><small>(1861–1942)</small>
|September 25,<br>1926
|August 6,<br>1930
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
|[[William Lyon Mackenzie King]]<br><small>([[14th Canadian Ministry|14th]])</small>
|-
|'''12'''
|
|'''[[Wellington Willoughby]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Saskatchewan senators|Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan]]</small><br><small>(1859–1932)</small>
|August 7,<br>1930
|February 3,<br>1932
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative (historical)}}; " |
|[[Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942)|Conservative]]
| rowspan="2" |[[R. B. Bennett]]<br><small>([[15th Canadian Ministry|15th]])</small>
|-
|'''13'''
|[[File:Former PM Arthur Meighen.jpg|101x101px]]
|'''[[Arthur Meighen]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Ontario senators|St. Mary's, Ontario]]</small><br><small>(1874–1960)</small>
|February 3,<br>1932
|October 22,<br />1935
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative (historical)}}; " |
|[[Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942)|Conservative]]
|-
|'''(10)'''
|[[File:Raoul Dandurand 1 (cropped).jpg|120x120px]]
|'''[[Raoul Dandurand]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Quebec senators#De Lorimier|De Lorimier, Quebec]]</small><br><small>(1861–1942)</small>
|October 23,<br />1935
|March 11,<br>1942
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
| rowspan="3" |[[William Lyon Mackenzie King]]<br><small>([[16th Canadian Ministry|16th]])</small>
|-
|'''14'''
|[[File:James Horace King.jpg|127x127px]]
|'''[[James Horace King]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of British Columbia senators|Kootenay East, British Columbia]]</small><br><small>(1873–1955)</small>
|May 26,<br>1942
|August 24,<br>1945
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
|-style="height:35px"
| rowspan="2" |'''15'''
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |'''[[Wishart McLea Robertson]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Nova Scotia senators|Shelburne, Nova Scotia]]</small><br><small>(1891–1967)</small>
| rowspan="2" |August 24,<br>1945
| rowspan="2" |October 14,<br />1953
| rowspan="2"  style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
| rowspan="2" |[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Louis St. Laurent]]<br><small>([[17th Canadian Ministry|17th]])</small>
|-
|'''16'''
|[[File:William Ross Macdonald.jpg|115x115px]]
|'''[[William Ross Macdonald]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Ontario senators|Brantford, Ontario]]</small><br><small>(1891–1976)</small>
|October 14,<br />1953
|June 20,<br>1957
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
|-
|'''17'''
|
|'''[[John Thomas Haig]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Manitoba senators|Winnipeg, Manitoba]]</small><br><small>(1877–1962)</small>
|October 9,<br />1957
|May 11,<br>1958
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|PC}}; " |
|[[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative]]
| rowspan="3" |[[John Diefenbaker]]<br><small>([[18th Canadian Ministry|18th]])</small>
|-
|'''18'''
|
|'''[[Walter Aseltine]]'''<ref name="noncab" group="n" /><br /><small>Senator for [[List of Saskatchewan senators|Rosetown, Saskatchewan]]</small><br><small>(1886–1971)</small>
|May 12,<br>1958
|August 31,<br>1962
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|PC}}; " |
|[[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative]]
|-
|'''19'''
|
|'''[[Alfred Johnson Brooks]]'''<ref name="noncab" group="n" /><br /><small>Senator for [[List of New Brunswick senators|Royal, New Brunswick]]</small><br><small>(1890–1967)</small>
|August 31,<br>1962
|April 21,<br>1963
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|PC}}; " |
|[[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative]]
|-
|'''(16)'''
|[[File:William Ross Macdonald.jpg|118x118px]]
|'''[[William Ross Macdonald]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Ontario senators|Brantford, Ontario]]</small><br><small>(1891–1976)</small>
|April 22,<br>1963
|February 2,<br>1964
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Lester B. Pearson]]<br><small>([[19th Canadian Ministry|19th]])</small>
|-
|'''20'''
|
|'''[[John Joseph Connolly]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Ontario senators|Ottawa West, Ontario]]</small><br><small>(1906–1982)</small>
|February 3,<br>1964
|April 20,<br>1968
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
|-
|'''21'''
|[[File:Paul Martin Sr Portrait 1943 (cropped).jpg|107x107px]]
|'''[[Paul Martin Sr.]]'''<ref group="n">Until April 1, 1969, Martin was, as had been typical, Minister without portfolio while holding the unofficial post of leader of the government in the Senate. Thereafter, Leader of the Government in the Senate became an official ministerial office.</ref><br /><small>Senator for [[List of Ontario senators|Windsor-Walkerville, Ontario]]</small><br><small>(1903–1992)</small>
|April 20,<br>1968
|August 7,<br>1974
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Pierre Trudeau]]<br><small>([[20th Canadian Ministry|20th]])</small>
|-
|'''22'''
|
|'''[[Ray Perrault]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of British Columbia senators|North Shore-Burnaby, British Columbia]]</small><br><small>(1926–2008)</small>
|August 8,<br>1974
|June 3,<br>1979
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
|-
|'''23'''
|
|'''[[Jacques Flynn]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Quebec senators#Rougemont|Rougemont, Quebec]]</small><br><small>(1915–2000)</small>
|June 4,<br>1979
|March 2,<br>1980
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|PC}}; " |
|[[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative]]
|[[Joe Clark]]<br><small>([[28th Canadian Ministry|21st]])</small>
|-
|'''(22)'''
|
|'''[[Ray Perrault]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of British Columbia senators|North Shore-Burnaby, British Columbia]]</small><br><small>(1926–2008)</small>
|March 3,<br>1980
|September 29,<br>1982
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Pierre Trudeau]]<br><small>([[22nd Canadian ministry|22nd]])</small>
|-
|'''24'''
|[[File:Horace Andrew Olson.jpg|118x118px]]
|'''[[Bud Olson]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Alberta senators|Alberta South, Alberta]]</small><br><small>(1925–2002)</small>
|September 30,<br>1982
|June 29,<br>1984
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
|-
|'''25'''
|[[File:Allan MacEachen.jpg|122x122px]]
|'''[[Allan MacEachen]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Nova Scotia senators|Highlands-Canso, Nova Scotia]]</small><br><small>(1921–2017)</small>
|June 30,<br>1984
|September 16,<br>1984
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
|[[John Turner]]<br><small>([[23rd Canadian Ministry|23rd]])</small>
|-
|'''26'''
|
|'''[[Dufferin Roblin]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Manitoba senators|Red River, Manitoba]]</small><br><small>(1917–2010)</small>
|September 17,<br>1984
|June 29,<br>1986
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|PC}}; " |
|[[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Brian Mulroney]]<small><nowiki/></small><br><small>([[24th Canadian Ministry|24th]])</small>
|-style="height:35px"
| rowspan="2" |'''27'''
| rowspan="2"  |
| rowspan="2" |'''[[Lowell Murray]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Ontario senators|Pakenham, Ontario]]</small><br><small>(born 1936)</small>
| rowspan="2" |June 30,<br>1986
| rowspan="2" |November 3,<br />1993
| rowspan="2" style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|PC}}; " |
| rowspan="2" |[[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative]]
|-
|[[Kim Campbell]]<br><small>([[25th Canadian Ministry|25th]])</small>
|-
|'''28'''
|
|'''[[Joyce Fairbairn]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Alberta senators|Lethbridge, Alberta]]</small><br><small>(1939–2022)</small>
|November 4,<br />1993
|June 10,<br>1997
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
| rowspan="4" |[[Jean Chrétien]]<br><small>([[26th Canadian Ministry|26th]])</small>
|-
|'''29'''
|
|'''[[Alasdair Graham]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Nova Scotia senators|The Highlands, Nova Scotia]]</small><br><small>(1929–2015)</small>
|June 11,<br>1997
|October 3,<br>1999
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
|-
|'''30'''
|
|'''[[Bernie Boudreau]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Nova Scotia senators|Nova Scotia]]</small><br><small>(born 1944)</small>
|October 4,<br>1999
|January 8,<br>2001
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
|-
|'''31'''
|
|'''[[Sharon Carstairs]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Manitoba senators|Manitoba]]</small><br><small>(born 1942)</small>
|January 9,<br>2001
|December 11,<br>2003
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
|-
|'''32'''
|[[File:Jacob (Jack) Austin (32966418230).jpg|120x120px]]
|[[Jack Austin (politician)|'''Jack Austin''']]<br /><small>Senator for [[List of British Columbia senators|Vancouver South, British Columbia]]</small><br><small>(born 1932)</small>
|December 12,<br>2003
|February 6,<br>2006
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; " |
|[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
|[[Paul Martin]]<br><small>([[27th Canadian Ministry|27th]])</small>
|-
|'''33'''
|[[File:Marjory LeBreton.jpg|98x98px]]
|'''[[Marjory LeBreton]]'''<br /><small>Senator for [[List of Ontario senators|Ontario]]</small><br><small>(born 1940)</small>
|February 6,<br>2006
|July 14,<br>2013
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}}; " |
|[[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Stephen Harper]]<br><small>([[28th Canadian Ministry|28th]])</small>
|-
|'''34'''
|
|'''[[Claude Carignan]]'''<ref name="noncab" group="n" /><br /><small>Senator for [[List of Quebec senators#Mille Isles|Mille Isles, Quebec]]</small><br><small>(born 1964)</small>
|August 20,<br>2013
|November 3,<br />2015
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}}; " |
|[[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative]]
|-
! colspan="8" |Representative of the Government in the Senate
|-
|35
|
|[[Peter Harder (politician)|'''Peter Harder''']]<ref name="noncab" group="n" /><br /><small>Senator for [[List of Ontario senators|Ottawa, Ontario]]</small><br><small>(born 1952)</small>
|March 18,<br>2016
|December 31,<br>2019<ref name="pmo-pr-29nov2019" />
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Independent}}; " |
|[[Independent politician|Non-affiliated]]<ref name=":0" group="n">Sits as non-affiliated but represents the Liberal government for the purposes of introducing legislation and acting as a liaison.</ref><ref name="pmo-pr-29nov2019" />
| rowspan="2" |[[Justin Trudeau]]<br><small>([[29th Canadian Ministry|29]])</small>
|-
|36
|
|'''[[Marc Gold]]'''<ref name="noncab" group="n" /><ref name="canadian-pm-jt-pr-24jan2020" /><ref>{{cite news |date=January 24, 2020 |title=Trudeau appoints constitutional lawyer Marc Gold as government leader in the Senate |work=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-picks-marc-gold-1.5439110 |access-date=January 24, 2020}}</ref><br /><small>Senator for [[List of Quebec senators#Stadacona|Stadacona, Quebec]]</small><br><small>(born 1950)</small>
|January 24,<br>2020
|Incumbent
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Independent}}; " |
|[[Independent politician|Non-affiliated]]<ref name=":0" group="n">Sits as non-affiliated but represents the Liberal government for the purposes of introducing legislation and acting as a liaison.</ref><ref name="pmo-pr-29nov2019" />
|}

==See also==
* [[Leader of the Opposition in the Senate (Canada)]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group="n"}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/People/Profile?personId=18719 Parliament of Canada biography of current Leader of the Government in the Senate]

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