Independent Senators Group

Groupe des sénateurs indépendants

The Independent Senators Group is the largest of three non-government Senate caucuses created after the 2016 Senate modernization reforms, alongside the Canadian Senators Group and the Progressive Senate Group. ISG senators are appointed through the merit-based independent advisory process established by the Trudeau government in 2016 and do not caucus with any political party. The reform was a response to the Senate-expenses scandal of 2013-2015 and follows years of advocacy for a less partisan upper chamber. The ISG works on a consensus-based, non-whipped model: senators vote based on individual judgment rather than party direction. ISG senators have sponsored major reform legislation including Bill C-77 (Modern Treaty Implementation Commissioner) and Bill S-5 (CEPA 1999 modernization).