Foreign News: Centenarian Senator

Last week, for the second time in its entire existence, the Canadian Senate congratulated one of its members on the 100th anniversary of his birth by presenting him with a portrait of himself. The hoary Senator is the Honorable George Casimir Dessaulles of St. Hyacinthe; his birthplace, Province of Quebec.

When Governor General Earl Grey appointed Mr. Dessaulles to the Senate in 1907 the centenarian was 79 years old. Loud & long were the protests that he was “too” old.” Even some of the Senators complained to Premier Sir Wilfred Laurier. But the wily French Canadian statesman smiled and said: “He will be here when most of you are gone.” And, when Senator Dessaulles looks around the Senate at his slightly less hoary colleagues, he must admit that the prophecy has been fulfilled.

Canadian Senators are appointed for life and receive, if they attend three-quarters of the sessions, $4,000 a year. To all intents and purposes they are irremovable, which accounts for the fact that many of them are so decrepit that they have to be trundled to the Senate building in armchairs.

It is now 60 years ago since the Dominion Senate was established and for most of that period a movement to “end or mend the Senate” has been an annual slogan of Canadian politics. But the aged Senators have been so tenacious of office that they have resisted every effort at reform; for, without their consent, nothing can be done to change the present constitution of that venerable house.

At present there are one centenarian, one nonagenarian, six octogenarians and many a septuagenarian in a Senate that numbers only 96 members.