OTTAWA — A week after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced his first picks for the Red Chamber, the federal government has named almost a dozen people to its Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments.

In 2016, the previous Liberal government created the independent advisory board to provide non-binding recommendations on Senate appointments to the prime minister.

Under the Carney government, the board will continue to have three federal members, including a chair, and two additional members from each province or territory where a Senate vacancy is to be filled — the same as it was under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

A news release today says the board will be chaired by François Rolland, who has served as a federal member of the board since 2018.

Others named to the board include former senator Sarabjit Marwah, former mayor of Westmount Christina Smith and Indigenous leader and retired provincial court judge James Igloliorte.

Carney named four new senators to the upper chamber earlier this month, including his principal secretary Tom Pitfield and Conservative MP Richard Martel.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 15, 2026.

Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press