By Canadian Press

One-time Liberal senators rename themselves as Progressive Senate Group

Nov 14, 2019 | 8:16 AM

OTTAWA — The last group of former Liberal senators in Parliament’s upper chamber are rebranding themselves.

The nine senators say they will now call themselves the Progressive Senate Group to reflect their approach to legislating, with an aim to restore balance in the evolving Senate.

The new group’s interim leader, Sen. Joseph Day, says the naming simply reflects that the nine have always been progressive and independent, while his deputy, Terry Mercer, adds the move is about embracing the future while remaining to true to their shared principles.

The nine were part of the Liberal caucus until Justin Trudeau severed direct ties with his party’s senators in 2014.

And since he became prime minister in 2015, Trudeau has only appointed senators who don’t sit as party members, as part of what the government says is a push to remove partisanship from the Senate.

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The rebranded group of senators will be able to be members of any political party, but their numbers will dwindle over the course of 2020 as Day, Lillian Dyck and Serge Joyal will reach the mandatory retirement age of 75.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2019.

The Canadian Press