Senate Appointments

Q171: Before the next federal government is sworn in, will the current Senate vacancies be filled?
Yes: 30%
(In order for this question to resolve, there must be fewer than 5 Senate vacancies when the next federal government is sworn in)

There are currently 20 vacancies in the 105-seat Senate.  Prime Minister Steven Harper has not been appointing senators since March 2013, because of the Senate expenses scandal (see article here).  There is currently a Federal Court case trying to force Harper to fill the vacancies.  Harper has some history of not appointing senators. He only appointed two Senators in the first three years of his government, before appointing a large number in 2009 due to the threat of the Liberal-NDP-Bloc coalition  (see story here).

I think that Harper may well fill any outstanding vacancies if he is not re-elected in the next election (if he is re-elected, the vacancies will probably remain unfilled).  My understanding is that this could be done after the election but before the new government is sworn in.  This will depend on the post-election situation however, and would be politically unpopular.  Harper might also be forced to fill the vacancies by the result of the Federal Court case.