N.B. cancer researcher appointed to Senate by prime minister

N.B. cancer researcher appointed to Senate by prime minister

The announcement came Tuesday along with changes to Senate appointment process

New Brunswick’s Dr. Rodney Ouellette is set to become one of the newest members of Canada’s Senate.

The announcement was made on Tuesday that Ouellette, who’s from Cap-Pelé and lives in Dieppe, was being appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Ouellette is a physician and a scientist who worked on advancing cancer research, precision oncology and molecular medicine throughout his career.

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He found out recently that he may be appointed after submitting an application about a decade ago.

"Obviously surprised ... you kind of get a call at one point where the prime minister's office asks if you're still interested in serving... So it's all very recent in the last few weeks," said Ouellette.

He is the founder of the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute and currently serves as R.R. Léger Chair in Precision Cancer Research

Ouellette is also the head of molecular diagnostics at the Dr. Georges‑L.‑Dumont University Hospital Centre in Moncton.

He has also been appointed to the Order of New Brunswick in 2025.

Ouellette thinks his past experience will be helpful for him as a Senator.

"There's a wealth of lived experience and knowledge in this field that can be useful to guide the decisions, the drafting of new legislation, amending of legislation and the Senate committees," he said.

Ouellette said in the health and research world you're impacted by government decisions.

He said he initially applied to be a senator because he was concerned with New Brunswick's ability to receive research and innovation funding compared to bigger provinces.

He said his job in the Senate is to represent New Brunswickers and try to understand how they might be impacted.

But, Ouellette admits he is new to politics and that it may be a "steep learning curve."

He said other senators have reached out to him with congratulations and offers for any help he needs.

As a senator, Ouellette also wants to help address drug pricing and the companies who sell them.

"That's going to affect health care and that's the most important topic to Canadians," said Ouellette. "That's something we're going to hear a lot of in the coming years and if I can help navigate those waters, I certainly will try."

Following an announcement that Carney is changing the Senate appointment process, he named Ouellette along with three other new senators. Ouellette was the only New Brunswicker in the group.

Conservative MP Richard Martel and Thomas Pitfield, one of Carney’s advisors, are from Québec and Geeta Tucker is a chartered professional accountant and corporate executive from Manitoba.

Dawn Arnold, a former mayor of Moncton, was the last New Brunswick Senate appointment in March 2025.

Oliver Pearson is a reporter at CBC New Brunswick. He can be reached at oliver.pearson@cbc.ca

With files from Raechel Huizinga