Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has named two new senators to sit as members of the upper chamber as his government's push to rid the chamber of partisan appointees continues. A long-time resident of Wellington County, an area in southwestern Ontario, Black currently serves as the chief executive officer of the Ontario Rural Institute, a group focused on mentoring community leaders in Ontario's rural and northern communities. Unlike many of Trudeau's recent picks for the Senate, Black is no stranger to electoral politics. Deacon and Black expected to sit as IndependentsWith these two appointments, Trudeau has named 32 senators to the Red Chamber. The Independent Senators Group (ISG) has a plurality in the Senate with 41 seats, followed closely by 33 Conservative senators and 12 Liberals.

Source: CBC News February 15, 2018 19:17 UTC