Canada

Senate

Political system
Parliamentary system
Structure of parliament
Bicameral
IPU membership
Yes

Parliamentary mandate

Start and end of mandate

Not applicable. Members of this parliament/chamber are not elected.
Yes
Start of the parliamentary mandate for appointed members
When the member is sworn in
End of the parliamentary mandate
Other

Notes: When Senators reach the age of 75.

Speaker

Mode of designation of the Speaker
Other

Notes: The Speaker of the Senate is appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister.

Authority that designates the Speaker when the Speaker is designated from outside parliament.
Not applicable
Rank of the Speaker in the hierarchy of the State
Fourth
Speaker becomes interim Head of State in the event of the latter’s death or incapacity
No
Speaker's mandate continues between legislatures
Yes

Notes: The Speaker serves until a new Speaker is appointed. A Speaker may serve for more than one Parliament.

Speaker terms

The term of the Speaker is different from the term of the house
Yes
Speaker's term
No information available
Fixed election date for the Speaker, if any
No information available
There's no fixed term of the Speaker
Yes

Immunity and code of conduct

Parliament’s authorization is required for the detention or prosecution of members
No
There is a Code of conduct for members
Yes
Links to codes of conduct

Salaries and allowances

Members are paid salaries by parliament
Click for historical data
Basic salary, per year
169,600 CAD
(2023)
Basic salary, per year in PPP
137,886
(2023)
Basic allowances
No information available
Names of the basic allowances

Basic Sessional Allowance (paid in 12 months): Deductions from sessional allowance are subject to any terms and conditions set out in law or provided by the Senate. A deduction of $250 for each sitting day that the Senator does not attend is applied, unless the absence was: (a) for public or official business; (b) due to illness; or (c) one of the twenty-one personal leave days per session. See: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/p-1/page-9.html#h-390645

Senators are also provided with an office budget, a living expense budget and a travel point system

Staff

Transportation and moving

Telecommunications

Expenses

Attendance allowance
160,800 CAD
Attendance allowance in PPP
130,732
Periodicity of attendance allowance
Session
Members pay income tax on salaries
Yes
Members pay income tax on allowances
Yes
Members can have remunerated employment outside parliament
Yes
Members are required to declare income from other employment to parliament
Yes
Salary of the Speaker
221,300 CAD
Salary of the Speaker in PPP
179,919
The parliamentary salary is determined in reference to another salary scale
No
Reference scale used for parliamentary salaries
Click for historical data
Information on salaries and allowances on the parliamentary website
Year data was last reported

2020

Facilities, services and allowances for constituency work
Personal staff to work directly for the parliamentarian
Yes
Office at parliament
Yes
Constituency office
Yes
Housing
Yes
Other cash or in-kind allowances for constituency work
Yes

Notes: Travel between the senator’s province or territory and the Parliamentary District.

Additional salaries and allowances for leadership positions
Additional salaries and allowances provided for leadership positions
Yes

Notes:

Basic salary per annum:

Leader of the Government in the Senate: $244,800 + car allowance

Speaker: $221,300 + car and housing allowance

Leader of the Opposition in the Senate: $198,900

Committee chairs: $170,200

Sources: Additional allowances for parliamentarians with special roles (Speaker, minister, chairs of committees, etc.) are set out in the Parliament of Canada Act, the Salaries Act, the Ministries and Ministers of State Act and the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians Act.

List of salaries and allowances for leadership positions
Salary Allowances
Speaker Yes
Yes
Committee Chair Yes
Yes

Participation in the government

Members of the government must also be members of parliament
Can be a member of parliament
Number of members of the parliament/chamber who are also members of the government
Click for historical data
Members for whom data is available
92
(2021)
Percentage of members of parliament/chamber who are also members of the government
Click for historical data

Historical data for IPU membership

Historical data for IPU membership
Year IPU membership
2020-09
List of values for 2020-09
No
2019-04
List of values for 2019-04
No
2018-06
List of values for 2018-06
No