Pana Merchant

Pana Merchant
Canadian Senator
from Saskatchewan
In office
December 12, 2002 – March 31, 2017
Nominated byJean Chrétien
Appointed byAdrienne Clarkson
Personal details
BornPana Papas Merchant
(1943-04-02) April 2, 1943
PartySenate Liberal Caucus
Other political
affiliations
Liberal (until 2014)
SpouseAnthony Merchant
Children3
Alma materUniversity of Saskatchewan
University of Regina

Pana Pappas Merchant (born April 2, 1943) was a Liberal Senator from the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. She held the position since her appointment to the Senate by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien in 2002 until her retirement in 2017.[1]

Background

On January 29, 2014, Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau announced all Liberal Senators, including Merchant, were removed from the Liberal caucus, and would continue sitting as Independents.[2] The Senators refer to themselves as the Senate Liberal Caucus even though they are no longer members of the parliamentary Liberal caucus.[3]

Pana Merchant was a longtime member of the Board of Directors of The Parliamentary Network, a founding and long term member of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, and a longtime member of the World Hellenic Inter-Parliamentary Association.

Senator Pana announced her resignation from the Senate on March 31, 2017, approximately a year ahead of her mandatory retirement date.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Pana Merchant". Senator Biography. Senate of Canada. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  2. ^ "Justin Trudeau removes senators from Liberal caucus | CBC News".
  3. ^ "Trudeau's expulsion catches Liberal senators by surprise". Globe and Mail. January 29, 2014. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  4. ^ "Debates of the Senate of Canada". The Speaker of the Senate. 30 March 2017.