While senators’ duties are mainly as legislators within Parliament, their work also takes them far beyond. Learn more about some of their activities.

Friday, October 13 — Senator David Wells attended the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, to discuss a number of issues pertaining to international diplomacy and human rights.

Tuesday, October 10 — Senator Ratna Omidvar spoke at a panel on race, identity and citizenship hosted by the Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic (CSALC) and moderated by Avvy Go, CSALC director (far left). Her co-panelists were Renu Mandhane (Ontario Human Rights Commission), Debbie Douglas (Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants) and Susan Eng (community activist).

Monday, October 16 — Senator Paul J. Massicotte spoke at the Renewable Energy Forum in Ottawa on the importance of biofuels in combatting climate change.

Tuesday, October 17 — Senator Pierrette Ringuette took part in a panel on legislative openness, hosted by ParlAmericas.

Tuesday, October 17 — Senator Marilou McPhedran, with senators Mobina S.B. Jaffer and Grant Mitchell, hosted an event looking at Canada’s role with regard to women, peace and security.

Wednesday, October 18 — Senator Diane Griffin took part in an event hosted by the Canadian Association of Optometrists.

Thursday, October 19 — Senator Percy Downe joined a meeting of the Hillsborough Rotary Club in Charlottetown, P.E.I. to update community members on what’s currently being discussed in Parliament.

Thursday, October 19 — Senator Diane Bellemare hosted students from the Maisonneuve Cégep on the role of senators, what it’s like to be an upper chamber representative of Quebec and how Canada’s system compares to others around the globe.

Friday, October 20 — Senator Kim Pate joined a panel on basic income at McGill University.

Saturday, October 21 — Senator Victor Oh took part in the ceremonial puck-drop at the home opener of the Canadian Women's Hockey League in a game between the Markham Thunder and the Kunlun Red Star. Jamie Lee Rattray, from Kanata, Ontario, put two in the net as the Thunder edged the Red Star by a score of 2-1.

Monday, October 23 — Senator Rosa Galvez attended the inauguration of the new Ambassador of Peru to Canada, Martin Vizcarra Cornejo, at Rideau Hall.

Monday, October 23 — A wise owl from Nature Canada swooped into to Parliament this week, seen here with senators Marilou McPhedran and Nancy Greene Raine. The senators and their fine, feathered friend, a great horned owl named Celeste, welcomed prominent Canadian women who give a hoot for nature and who are passing their values on to the next generation of women. The event was hosted by senators Diane Griffin and Rosa Galvez (see banner photo).

Tuesday, October 24 — Senator David Tkachuk, chair of the Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce, talked about his committee’s recent report on a national corridor in a panel hosted by the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies.  

Tuesday, October 24 — Senators Jim Munson and Salma Ataullahjan visited the Canadian Museum for Human Rights with President and CEO John Young. The senators were in Winnipeg to participate in a panel discussion on refugee integration at the University of Winnipeg.

Wednesday, October 25 — Senators Leo Housakos, Jim Munson and Wanda Thomas Bernard participated in a Facebook live panel discussion on autism.

Wednesday, October 25 — Speaker George J. Furey met with Laval University 1963 Law Faculty Alumni.

Wednesday, October 25 — Senator Marilou McPhedran, with the Canadian Council of Muslim Women, hosted an event celebrating the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, now 35 years old.

Wednesday, October 25 — Senators Jane Cordy and Joseph Day participated in a roundtable with the Department of Political Science from the Royal Military College on Parliament Hill.

Other events that senators participated in:

• Tuesday, October 17 — Senator Percy Downe spoke about the work of Senate Committees in studying and improving bills during the 14^th Canadian Parliamentary Seminar hosted by the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
• Wednesday, October 18 — Senator Doug Black took part in the North American Forum, a yearly conference which highlights the major policy issues facing the continent, organized by the Hoover Institution.
• Thursday, October 19 — Senator Nancy Greene Raine was a special guest at the inauguration of the David Foster Harbour Pathway (Victoria, B.C.), the final link in connecting the Great Trail from coast to coast to coast — a dream 25 years in the making.
• Thursday, October 19 — Senator Mobina S.B. Jaffer attended a talk on inclusive democracy and human rights in Bangladesh hosted by the International Community Support.
• Friday, October 20 — Senator Jim Munson joined Ottawa Redblacks coach Rick Campbell and Special Olympics athletes for breakfast hosted by Special Olympics Ontario in Ottawa.
• Saturday, October 21 — Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard spoke at an event hosted by the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers.
• Monday, October 23 — Senators Tony Dean, Sabi Marwah and Howard Wetston gave a talk on Senate modernization hosted by the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law.
• Monday, October 23 — Senator Denise Batters received the 150 Leading Canadians for Mental Health award from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
• Wednesday, October 25 — Senator Ratna Omidvar was highlighted as a contributor to the World Economic Forum on page 6 of its report on migrations and the impact it’s having on cities.
• Thursday, October 26 — Senator Ratna Omidvar joined CBC’s Metro Morning radio show to talk about demographics in Toronto: for the first time ever, a majority of Torontonians identify as a visible minorities.