As the Senate sitting resumed this fall, five new independent senators took their seats in the Red Chamber for the first time.

• Senator Charles Adler represents Manitoba.
• Senator Victor Boudreau represents New Brunswick.
• Senator Daryl Fridhandler represents Alberta.
• Senator Tracy Muggli represents Saskatchewan.
• Senator Kristopher Wells represents Alberta.

The new senators were appointed on the recommendation of an independent advisory board with a mandate to provide merit-based recommendations for Senate appointments.

Thanks to the new appointment process, the Senate is more diverse than ever before. More than half of all senators are women, there is greater Indigenous representation than ever before, and there is a broader range of backgrounds, both professionally and culturally.

Currently, 85 out of 100 sitting senators are not affiliated with either the Government or the Opposition. There are now three non-partisan parliamentary groups, in addition to a handful of independent senators who sit with no affiliation to any group.

Senator Adler (centre) emigrated to Canada from Hungary as a refugee, and has decades of experience as a journalist and broadcaster.

Senator Boudreau (right) served his community and New Brunswick at both the municipal and provincial level for decades before his appointment to the Senate.

Senator Fridhandler (centre) has worked as a lawyer, arbitrator and mediator in Alberta.

Senator Muggli (centre) is a registered social worker, senior executive, and former provincial public servant with experience in the health and social services sectors.

Senator Wells (right) has worked to advance equality and diversity in Alberta and across the country, including as a champion of the 2SLGBTQI+ community.