This is a list of past and present members of the Senate of Canada representing the territories of Yukon, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. The territories are currently represented by one senator each.
Parliament has the power to provide for the representation of territories in the Senate by virtue of section 1 of the Constitution Act, 1886 and section 44 of the Constitution Act, 1982.
The Northwest Territories was granted two Senate seats in 1888 and doubled to four seats in 1903. After Alberta and Saskatchewan were created in 1905, the territories would not have Senate representation until the enactment of the Constitution Act, 1975 (No 2), which gave one seat to the Northwest Territories and one seat to the Yukon. Nunavut was granted one seat upon its creation in 1999 by virtue of the Constitution Act, 1999 (Nunavut).
The Constitution Act, 1999 (Nunavut) arguably impliedly repeals the Constitution Act, 1975 (No 2) since, despite its short title the Constitution Act, 1999 (Nunavut) provides for the representation of the three territories, not just that of Nunavut.
The Constitution Act, 1975 (No 2) and now the Constitution Act, 1999 (Nunavut) adapt the qualifications under section 23 of the Constitution Act, 1867 for those representing the territories so that they could fulfill their real property requirement and be resident in their territory.[1] Nunavut Senator Dennis Patterson has proposed the repeal of the real property qualification with the aim of increasing the number of residents of Nunavut qualified to be summoned to the Senate by the Governor General.[2]