Mandate and members
What is the mandate of the Advisory Board?
The Advisory Board is an independent body whose mandate is to provide the Prime Minister with non-binding, merit-based recommendations for Senate appointments. Established in January 2016 it consists of three federal members and two members from each of the provinces or territories where a vacancy is to be filled. The Advisory Board is chaired by one of the federal members and is supported by the Privy Council Office.
Terms of reference for the Advisory Board
What is the role of the Advisory Board?
An open application process has been established to enable Canadians to apply for appointment to the Senate.
The Advisory Board assesses applications based on public, merit-based criteria, identifying Canadians who would make a significant contribution to the Senate's work. These criteria help to ensure a high standard of integrity, collaboration, and independence in the Senate.
The Advisory Board provides a short-list of seven names for each vacancy to the Prime Minister for his consideration, in accordance with their Terms of reference.
How many members sit on the Advisory Board?
The Advisory Board consists of five members: a federal Chair, two additional federal members and two ad hoc provincial or territorial members representing the province or territory where a vacancy is being filled.
Who are the current federal members of the Advisory Board?
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The Chair position is currently vacant
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Melissa Blake
Melissa Blake was elected to six consecutive terms, beginning in 1998, for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. She was first elected as mayor in October 2004 and concluded her final term in 2017.
Being the top elected official for one of Canada's largest municipalities brought with it tremendous challenges and opportunities. Wood Buffalo is the heart of Canada's energy industry and is often subject to global scrutiny. When the 2016 Horse River Wildfire forced the evacuation of 88,000 people, Mayor Blake’s strength and dedication earned the hearts and minds of Albertans, Canadians and the world. In Wood Buffalo, she worked hard to get her citizens "home".
Ms. Blake has served on numerous committees in addition to her regular council duties, including those related to development, protective services, community services and affordable housing. She has also served on two provincial associations.
Ms. Blake brought a range of experience from her corporate career to elected service, including public affairs, materials and services, and human resources. She holds a Bachelor of Administration degree from Athabasca University and has received numerous awards for her work.
She resides in Fort McMurray, Alberta, with her husband and two sons.
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François Rolland
The Honourable François Rolland was appointed a Superior Court of Quebec justice in 1996 and Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec in 2004, a position he held until he retired in 2015.
Following his retirement, the Quebec government appointed Mr. Rolland as Director of the Voluntary Reimbursement Program, where he served until the program ended in November 2017. He also presides over private mediation and arbitration mandates involving mostly commercial matters, including large multi-jurisdictional class actions.
Mr. Rolland, Advocatus Emeritus, is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a founding member of the Institut québécois de réforme du droit et de la justice since 2018 and its Vice President since 2024, a member of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA), a founding member and former chair of the Judges’ Forum of the CBA, and a past president of the CBA’s Quebec Branch and of the Young Bar of Montréal. Mr. Rolland was awarded the Louis St-Laurent award for his exceptional contribution to the CBA and the CBA’s Centennial Medal.
A board member of the Canadian Forum on Civil Justice, Mr. Rolland is also a member of the International Insolvency Institute and a Commissioner of Ethics for the Barreau du Québec. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Centre d’accès à l’information juridique from 2015 to 2021, including Vice President from 2017 to 2019, and was Chair of the Board of Directors of Éducaloi from 2017 to 2023. He also taught ethics at the National Judicial Institute for 10 years.
The Honourable François Rolland graduated from University of Montréal in 1974 and was called to the Barreau du Québec in 1975. Before his appointment as a judge, he was a partner at the law firm Fasken Martineau, practising mainly in the field of commercial and civil litigation.
In 2019, he joined Langlois Lawyers as Senior Counsel, Mediator and Arbitrator.
Who are the current provincial or territorial members of the Advisory Board?
Alberta
- Both positions are currently vacant
British Columbia
- Both positions are currently vacant
Manitoba
- Both positions are currently vacant
New Brunswick
- Both positions are currently vacant
Newfoundland and Labrador
- Both positions are currently vacant
Northwest Territories
- Both positions are currently vacant
Nova Scotia
- Both positions are currently vacant
Nunavut
- Both positions are currently vacant
Ontario
- Both positions are currently vacant
Prince Edward Island
- Both positions are currently vacant
Quebec
- Both positions are currently vacant
Saskatchewan
- Both positions are currently vacant
Yukon
- Both positions are currently vacant
How are the members appointed to the Advisory Board?
The Governor in Council, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, appoints the Advisory Board members.
How long is each Advisory Board member’s term?
Members of the Advisory Board each serve a term not exceeding three years.
May an Advisory Board member’s term be renewed?
Yes, a member’s term may be renewed.
Are members of the Advisory Board paid for their services?
Advisory Board members are entitled to a per diem rate which is consistent with the Remuneration guidelines for part-time Governor in Council appointees in agencies, boards and commissions. This per diem range is $375-$450 for members and $550-$650 for the Chairperson.
Can I contact the Chair or other members of the Advisory Board?
Yes. The Advisory Board Secretariat manages the Board’s correspondence. Click here to learn how to contact the Advisory Board.