The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that the Governor General, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, appointed Mohammad Al Zaibak as an independent senator to fill a vacancy in the Senate for Ontario.
Mohammad Al Zaibak is an entrepreneur with expertise in corporate governance, international business, and diverse technology industries. Beyond his professional experience, he has shown a deep commitment to improving social development and promoting diversity. He has been a proud community leader, with roles supporting organizations such as the Royal Ontario Museum and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. He also co-founded Lifeline Syria, a humanitarian organization helping Syrian refugees resettle to Canada.
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“I welcome the appointment of Mohammad Al Zaibak as Parliament’s newest independent senator. His business and philanthropic experience, along with his community leadership in diversity and inclusion, will only make the Senate better. I look forward to working with him and all senators to grow the middle class and build a strong future for everyone.”
Quick Facts
- The Senate is the Upper House in Canada’s parliamentary democracy. It unites a diverse group of accomplished Canadians in service of their country. Created to counterbalance representation by population in the House of Commons, the Senate not only defends regional interests, it also creates a space for the voices of historically underrepresented groups like Indigenous Peoples, racialized communities, and women.
- In 2016, the selection process for senators was opened to all Canadians. Candidate submissions are reviewed by the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments, which provides recommendations to the Prime Minister. The Board is guided by public, transparent, non-partisan, and merit-based criteria to identify highly qualified candidates.
- With today’s announcement, there have been 80 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.