How to apply

To submit an application, we encourage you to follow the steps in the order presented below.

• About the Senate
  Information about the role and the composition of the Senate, as well as what the job of Senator involves. You will also find information on current Senators, including their mandatory retirement date.

• Assessment criteria
  Constitutional eligibility requirements and merit-based criteria for appointment to the Senate.

• Questions and answers
  Answers to frequently asked questions about the Senate appointments process.

The following six documents are required to submit an application:

• Curriculum vitae
• Cover letter
• Reference letter 1
• Reference letter 2
• Reference letter 3
• Background check consent form

Curriculum vitae (CV)

The CV should include dates and indicate your academic qualifications and employment history. It should also indicate any professional affiliations, major achievements, distinctions and awards you have received for at least the last 10 years. The CV must be up to 1,500 words, and no attachments or other supplementary documentation are to be submitted. You may use your own CV or create one with our template.

Cover letter

Your cover letter must be up to 1,500 words and must include two sections:

1. a personal statement to describe how you meet the knowledge, personal qualities and qualifications related to the role of the Senate, using specific examples to highlight your skills and experience.
2. a non-partisanship statement to demonstrate your ability to bring a perspective and contribution to the work of the Senate that would be independent and non-partisan.

Reference letters (3)

You are required to provide three reference letters from individuals attesting to your suitability for a Senate appointment. You are encouraged to identify referees from your province or territory. The referee can provide the letter as an individual or on behalf of an organization, must have known you for a minimum of five years and cannot be a close family member.

We suggest sending the template to your referees so they know what information the Advisory Board is looking for. However, they may write their own letter. A reference letter must be up to 1000 words. Referees may be contacted during the course of the process; therefore, their contact information must be included. They should sign their letter, by hand or electronically, prior to sending it back to you.

The Advisory Board will only accept three reference letters.

Background check consent form

You must use the form provided. Other forms or background check results from other organizations will not be accepted. When preparing your Background check consent form, please note that you may complete and sign your form electronically or by hand. If you wish to complete and sign your Background check consent form by hand, please follow the instructions noted below:

1. start by reading the instructions at the end of the form;
2. ensure that all required information has been entered, including the dates in sections L and M;
3. print the completed form;
4. you and your partner (as applicable) sign the form by hand;
5. scan the form and save it in PDF format with low resolution to reduce the size; and
6. ensure that all of the content is clearly visible in the scanned file.

How to convert your documents to PDF or RTF, if required

The following instructions aim to help you convert unsupported document types so you can use them in your application.

PDF

Most word processing software contains functionality to convert documents to PDF.

Use the below link(s) corresponding to your application package document(s) format to learn how to convert to PDF:

• Pages for Mac
• OpenOffice
• Google Drive Document

If the above links do not help, you may be able to convert your document to PDF format using a PDF printer.

Print to PDF in Windows

The following instructions provide the steps necessary to convert a document to PDF format using a printer in Microsoft Windows:

Note: If you are using an older version of Windows, you will likely need to install 3rd party software to convert your document.

Print to PDF in OSX

Mac OS X includes a built in PDF export functionality. Follow the steps below to convert your word processor document to PDF format on Mac OS X.

RTF

To save a file in Rich Text Format you will need:

• a word processor (WordPerfect, Wordpad, Pages, etc.); and
• your document.

To convert a document to RTF:

If you already have a profile in our system, you may access it by going to our Opportunities page and selecting My profile on the sidebar menu. Under Returning user, enter your email address and your password.

If you have been nominated, the system has created a temporary profile for you. To access it, please follow the steps below, under If you have been nominated.

To create a profile

If you have been nominated

Your application is valid for a two-year period starting on the day it was submitted. At any time during this period, you may update your profile information and your supporting documents. Please note, however, that if there is an application review date for the opportunity you applied for, your updated documents may not be considered if the update takes place after the review date.

You can also withdraw your application at any time.

To update your profile information:

To update previously submitted application documents:

To withdraw your application: