Prime Minister announces the appointment of a senator

OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 14, 2025 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that the Governor General, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, appointed Danièle Henkel as an independent senator to fill a vacancy in the Senate for Quebec.

Danièle Henkel is a businesswoman, strategic advisor, mentor, coach, speaker, and respected author with more than 30 years of expertise. She is the founder of Entreprises Danièle Henkel Inc., Académie Danièle Henkel, and the Henkel Média digital platform, which provides tools for the entrepreneurial community. She has shared her expertise with numerous organizations to advance causes close to her heart, including the fight against cancer, and has received various awards and recognitions.

This new senator was recommended by the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments and chosen using a merit-based process open to all Canadians. Introduced in 2016, this process ensures senators are independent and able to tackle the broad range of challenges and opportunities facing the country.

Quote
"I congratulate Ms. Henkel on her appointment as Parliament's newest independent senator. Her experience and expertise will be of great benefit to the Senate. I am confident that she will serve Quebecers and all Canadians well in her new role."
— The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

Quick Facts

• The Senate is the Upper House of Canada's parliamentary democracy.
• Candidate submissions were reviewed by the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments, which provided recommendations to the Prime Minister. The Board is guided in its work by public, transparent, non-partisan, and merit-based criteria to identify highly qualified candidates for the Senate.
• With today's announcement, there have been 94 independent appointments to the Senate made on the advice of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. All of them were recommended by the Board.
• Under the Canadian Constitution, the Governor General appoints individuals to the Senate. By convention, senators are appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister.
• Once appointed by the Governor General, new senators join their peers to examine and revise legislation, investigate national issues, and represent regional, provincial and territorial, and minority interests – important functions in a modern democracy.

Biographical Note

• Danièle Henkel

Associated Links

• Senate of Canada
• Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments
• Senate appointments Process – Questions and Answers

This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca

SOURCE Prime Minister's Office

PMO Media Relations: [email protected]