Terry Mercer

Terry M. Mercer (born May 6, 1947) is a former Canadian Senator who represented Nova Scotia from 2003 to 2022.

The Honourable
Terry Mercer
Whip and Caucus Chair of the
Progressive Senate Group
In office
December 12, 2019 – May 6, 2022
LeaderJane Cordy
Preceded byPosition established
Interim Deputy Leader of the
Progressive Senate Group
In office
November 14, 2019 – December 11, 2019
LeaderJoseph A. Day Interim
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byDennis Dawson
Canadian Senator
from North End Halifax, Nova Scotia
In office
November 7, 2003 – May 6, 2022
Nominated byJean Chrétien
Appointed byAdrienne Clarkson
Personal details
Born (1947-05-06) May 6, 1947
Political partyLiberal (until 2014)
Independent Liberal
(2014-2019)
Progressive Senate Group
(2019-present)

Career

From 1974 to 1978, Mercer worked as Executive Assistant to Nova Scotia's Minister of Labour and Housing. Mercer then acted as an administrator and fundraiser for numerous charitable organizations such as the Kidney Foundation of Canada, St. John Ambulance, the Nova Scotia Lung Association, the YMCA and the Canadian Diabetes Association and is currently Past Chair of the Association of Fundraising Professionals' Foundation for Philanthropy in Canada.

As Senator

A long-time fundraiser and organizer for the Liberal Party of Canada, Mercer was appointed to the Senate representing Nova Scotia by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien in November 2003, shortly before Prime Minister Chrétien's retirement. Mercer served as National Director of the Liberal Party during much of Chrétien's tenure as party leader.

In February 2013, Mercer became a subject of criticism for having spent the most out of any senator in the past year.[1]

On January 29, 2014, Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau announced all Liberal Senators, including Mercer, 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]

With the Senate Liberal Caucus facing losing official parliamentary caucus status in 2020 with a third of its caucus facing mandatory retirements on their turning age 75, Senator Joseph Day announced that the Senate Liberal Caucus had been dissolved and a new Progressive Senate Group formed in its wake,[4][5] with the entire membership joining the new group, including this senator.[4]

With Senator Day's mandatory retirement in January 2020, on December 12, 2019, Senator Jane Cordy tweeted[6] that her colleagues in the PSG had selected her as the new leader, ostensibly effective that same date.[6] Additionally, she subsequently announced[7] later that day Senator Mercer would be moving into the Whip/Caucus Chair role, that Senator Dennis Dawson would become the new Deputy Leader, and that the interim monikers were being removed at the same time.[7] Senator Mercer retired on May 6, 2022, upon reaching the age of 75, as required by the constitution.[8]

References
  1. "Meet Terry Mercer, Canada's most expensive senator". CTV News Atlantic. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  2. "Liberal leader says senators not welcome in caucus". CBC News. January 29, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  3. "Trudeau's expulsion catches Liberal senators by surprise". The Globe and Mail. January 29, 2014. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  4. Tasker, John Paul (J.P.) (November 14, 2019). "There's another new faction in the Senate: the Progressive Senate Group". CBC News. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  5. "One-time Liberal senators rename themselves as Progressive Senate Group". CTV News. The Canadian Press. November 14, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  6. Cordy, Jane (December 12, 2019). "Thank you to @SenDayNB for his strong leadership during a time of change in the Senate. I wish him well in retirement. I am honoured that my colleagues in the Progressive Senate Group have elected me to represent them as their leader". Twitter. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  7. Cordy, Jane (December 12, 2019). "I am very pleased to be working with our new Deputy Leader @dennis_dawson and our Whip/Caucus Chair @SenTMM. We look forward to working collaboratively with all senators to promote progressive policies for all Canadians". Twitter. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  8. "'Don't forget where you come from': Senator Mercer retires". Senate of Canada. May 6, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
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