PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCES NEW SPEAKER OF THE SENATE AND NEW DEPUTY GOVERNMENT LEADER IN THE SENATE

January 26,2001
Ottawa, Ontario

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien today announced the appointment of the Honourable Dan Hays as Speaker of the Senate and the Honourable Fernand Robichaud as Deputy Government Leader in the Senate. In making the announcement, the Prime Minister expressed deep appreciation to outgoing Senate Speaker, the Honourable Gildas Molgat, for his exemplary and very distinguished performance as a servant of the Senate and Parliament.

Senator Dan Hays was born in Calgary, Alberta, in 1939. He was appointed to the Senate on June 29, 1984 to represent Alberta. He was appointed Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate on October 12, 1999. At the time of his appointment, to the Senate, Mr. Hays was Chair of the Executive Committee of Macleod Dixon, one of the largest law firms in Western Canada. He is also a highly successful rancher and farmer.

Senator Fernand Robichaud was born on December 2, 1939 in Shippagan, New Brunswick. He was appointed to the Senate on September 23, 1997 to represent New Brunswick. Mr Robichaud was elected to four terms as a Member of Parliament and served in the Ministry as Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Secretary of State for Agriculture, Agri-food, Fisheries and Oceans.

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