Another Trudeau-appointed senator joins Conservative caucus

Darren Major · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 10, 2025 6:26 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

Sen. Mary Jane McCallum of Manitoba is present portion of the Conservatives' Senate caucus — making her the 2nd legislator appointed by erstwhile premier curate Justin Trudeau to articulation the enactment this month.

McCallum, who is Cree and a subordinate of the Barren Lands First Nation, said she made the determination to articulation the Conservatives aft consulting with chiefs and assemblage leaders.

"I consciousness powerfully that this is simply a important measurement successful gathering bridges," she said successful a connection connected Tuesday.

"Our communities person agelong sought opportunities for greater collaboration and communal understanding. By joining the Senate Conservative caucus, I anticipation to assistance broaden the speech and guarantee Indigenous perspectives are reflected crossed the afloat governmental spectrum."

McCallum was appointed to the precocious enclosure successful 2017 by Trudeau. She is the 2nd legislator appointed by the Liberal premier curate to articulation the Conservatives this month. New Brunswick Sen. David Richards joined the Conservative fold past week.

McCallum and Richards — who some had been sitting arsenic non-affiliated senators — articulation the Conservative caucus arsenic its numbers person been dwindling successful caller years.

With the summation of McCallum, the Conservatives present person 13 members successful the reddish chamber. But the Conservatives are still the smallest radical successful the Senate.

The existent standings successful the Senate present beryllium astatine 46 senators successful the Independent Senators Group, 21 successful the Canadian Senators Group, 18 successful the Progressive Senate Group and six non-affiliated senators, with 1 spot near to fill.

Canadian senators indispensable discontinue erstwhile they crook 75, which means that already tiny caucus volition shrink aboriginal this twelvemonth erstwhile Conservative Quebec Sen. Judith Seidman retires successful September and Richards retires the pursuing month. 

Newfoundland and Labrador Conservative Sen. Elizabeth Marshall is slated to retire in September of adjacent twelvemonth and Ontario Sen. Salma Ataullahjan's status day is acceptable for April 2027.

Leader of the Opposition successful the Senate, Sen. Leo Housakos, said McCallum is simply a "principled person and a tireless advocator for Canada's Indigenous communities."

"Her expertise and unsocial position volition beryllium invaluable arsenic we enactment to fortify the Senate's relation arsenic a forum for unfastened debate, diverseness of thought, rigorous accountability and meaningful dialog reflective of each Canadians," Housakos said successful a connection connected Tuesday.

CBC News asked Housakos's bureau if the Conservatives person been actively trying to enlistee senators. 

"We judge that having a divers and increasing rank is captious to ensuring the wellness and effectiveness of the Opposition successful the Senate. A beardown Opposition is indispensable to upholding the Senate's relation arsenic a enclosure of sober 2nd thought," a connection from his bureau said successful response.