Senate

At the east end of the Centre Block, the Senate Foyer and Chamber present an air of regal splendour.

The Upper House of Canada's Parliament, the Senate plays a central role in our country's legislative process, examining and debating bills passed by the House of Commons as well as introducing new legislation.

Senate Foyer

The design of the Senate Foyer succeeds in blending artistic elegance with functionality.

Visitors to the Senate Foyer are often impressed by its dignified elegance. The Foyer is framed by a series of columns and arches rising to the ceiling. A second arcade with columns of rose-coloured limestone (its reddish tinge chosen for its historical association with the Upper House) adds to the refined appearance of the space.

Under flashes of red and the royal gaze of past sovereigns, the Senate Foyer reveals that Canada is a constitutional monarchy. It is the dignified ceremonial entrance to the Senate Chamber where the sovereign or her representative the Governor General addresses Parliament. Its artisanship reveals the struggles and successes of Canada and Parliament's evolution with reverence and even humour.

Eight paintings of past kings and queens line the Foyer walls. The portraits of King George IV and Queen Victoria are original; the latter having been saved from flames four times.

The foyer is also the backdrop for several of the traditions that link the Senate to its origins. The chamber officials dressed in sombre black robes as part of the Speaker's Parade, and the Usher of the Black Rod who summons the Members of the House of Commons, all pass through here.

In the vivid colours of the stained glass ceiling, royal symbols share space with provincial coats of arms and symbols of the founding peoples of Canada. The ceiling also includes the names of all the Senate Speakers up to its installation in 1920.

Under the ceiling sculptures pay tribute to the people and the events that shaped Canada before Confederation. These sculptures were completed by a team of four sculptors who decided to add to the legends they had carved. Without permission, they added their own faces to the foyer continuing the gothic tradition of including secret faces and signatures in buildings that took decades of work and hundreds of workers to complete.

Senate Chamber

The Upper House of Canada's Parliament, the Senate plays a central role in our country's legislative process, examining and debating bills passed by the House of Commons.

Entering the Senate Chamber for the first time can take one's breath away. Masterful stone and wood carvings, beautiful paintings, large ornate chandeliers, the gilt coffered ceiling, and brilliant red carpeting and accents all lend a sense of grandeur to this proud historic chamber.

Brilliant in royal red and gold, the Senate Chamber is where the Queen or her representative, the Governor General, addresses Parliament and gives assent to bills destined to become law. The Senate is also an equal partner in the legislative process: it is where Senators debate and revise bills passed by the House of Commons, investigate national issues, represent and protect regional, provincial and minority interests and introduce new legislation.

Senators are appointed by the Governor General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. Senators represent regions and provinces in order to balance the representation in the House of Commons. Less populated regions have a stronger voice in the Senate so as to ensure representation for regional and minority interests.

The 105 Senators come from a variety of backgrounds. Able to serve in the Senate until 75, they develop a thorough understanding of complex issues facing Canada, often through their work in Senate committees and their experience outside of the Senate.

As the "chamber of sober, second thought", the Senate plays an essential role in the legislative process, particularly in the review and revision of legislation passed by the House of Commons. The Senate's agreement is needed before any bill can become law.

The Speaker presides over the business of the Senate, assisted by the Clerk and other table officers. To the Speaker's right sits the government party, led by the Leader of the Government and to the left, the opposition, led by the Leader of the Opposition.

The thrones behind the Speaker are for the Queen or the Governor General and his or her consort. The red carpet, the gold offered ceiling, the massive bronze chandeliers and the intricate carved stonework highlight the Chamber as a place for ceremony and confirms its significance in Canada's Parliamentary system.