Robert Black (Canadian politician)

Robert Black (born March 27, 1962) is a Canadian Senator from Ontario. He was named to the Senate by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on February 15, 2018. Prior to his appointment, Black was a leader in the agricultural community. He has been chief executive of the Rural Ontario Institute since 2010 and has also been involved in the 4-H farm youth organization since the 1970s.[1] He subsequently joined the Independent Senators Group and, on November 4, 2019, he joined the Canadian Senators Group.[2]

On February 27, 2020, in an apparent last ditch attempt to defend fellow Senator Lynn Beyak - who is the Senator from Northwestern Ontario twice suspended from the Chamber for posting racist letters directed at Aboriginal Peoples - Black Voted along with only Senator Josee Verner; to further study the matter respecting Beyak and the "ethics" committee, which would have effectively bought Beyak (71) more time in the Federal Senate. These vain efforts were handily defeated by a majority of Independent and Progressive senators. [3]

Black has also been a councillor on the Wellington County council from 2014 until his appointment to the Senate[4] and was a civil servant with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture for fifteen years.[1] He has also served on the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame's board of directors.[5]