Mr. Speaker, on January 29, 2014, the member for Papineau made an extraordinary announcement, the purpose of which was to put an end to partisanship and patronage in the Senate.
On July 7, 2016, the Minister of Democratic Institutions launched our new independent Senate appointment process. Over 2,700 Canadians applied to the advisory board to fill the 21 vacancies. We thank them for their interest.
Following the recommendations made by the Prime Minister of Canada, I would like to congratulate the new senators, who reflect the diversity of our country.
Among the recent appointments is a Haitian-born Canadian. Dr. Marie-Françoise Mégie has had a remarkable journey. My fellow Haitian Canadians and I are extremely proud that Dr. Mégie will be a member of this great institution of parliamentary democracy in Canada. Congratulations.