Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed nine senators Thursday, including Yuen Pau Woo, former president of the Vancouver-based Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, which means B.C. now has its full complement of six senators.
But not one from Vancouver Island. If that sounds a bit parochial, consider that Prince Edward Island, with a population smaller than that of Saanich and Victoria combined, has four senators. New Brunswick’s population of 750,000 matches Vancouver Island’s, yet that province has 10 senators.
The Island has not always been without a voice in the upper chamber. We were represented by two senators from 1897 to 1915, and from 1917 to 1935. After that, the quota was cut to one, and then to nothing. We have been represented by eight senators, but five of them were appointed more than 90 years ago.
B.C.’s senators are supposed to represent the entire province, but it’s not the same as having someone who lives here, who understands that the Island is not quite the same as the rest of B.C.
There is, however, a new senator who has that understanding. Thursday’s appointments included Patricia Bovey, former director of the Winnipeg Art Gallery and former member of the board of trustees of the National Gallery of Canada.
But more important than that, she served for 18 years as the director of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria before taking the Winnipeg position in 1999. Her late husband, John, served as B.C.’s provincial archivist for nearly 20 years before his retirement in 1998.
She will officially represent Manitoba, but she has undoubtedly retained her love for Victoria and Vancouver Island.
It’s not the same as having our own senator, but until reforms bring better balance to the Senate, we will take it.
