The chief commissioner of the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission has been named one of five new independent senators.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced David Arnot has been appointed as senator Thursday.
“This is a great honour and I am truly humbled,” Arnot said in a news release from the Human Rights Commission.
“The Prime Minister was clear when he spoke to me that he expects me to make a significant contribution to the work of the Senate, and to help tackle the broad range of challenges and opportunities facing our country. He also underlined the fact that I will be able to contribute to the work of the Senate in an independent and non-partisan fashion to ensure integrity and collaboration in service to Parliament and all Canadians.”
Arnot was appointed chief commissioner in 2009. Prior to that, he worked as the federal treaty commissioner for the province, a provincial court judge, a crown prosecutor, and as director general of aboriginal justice in the Department of Justice Canada.
In 1993, as a judge with the Provincial Court of Saskatchewan, Arnot worked closely with the Poundmaker First Nation to pioneer the use of sentencing circles and restorative justice measures to promote healing in legal proceedings. He also gave a voice to victims and families to work towards resolutions, the release said.
There have now been 60 independent appointments to the Senate on the advice of Trudeau.
“I look forward to serving my province and my country in this capacity,” Arnot said in the release.
Michèle Audette, one of the commissioners for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Karen Sorensen, Clement Gignac, David Arnot and Amina Gerba were all named independent senators as well.