Diane Griffin recommended for Senate appointment

Stratford, P.E.I.'s Diane Griffin has been recommended for appointment to the Senate by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The current Stratford town councillor confirmed the appointment to CBC News on Thursday morning. Griffin said she will have more to say about the recommendation later in the day.

• Q&A: P.E.I.'s Diane Griffin on her Senate recommendation

"It gives me an opportunity to advance many of the causes and issues that I've devoted all my career to so I see it as a great opportunity and my husband and I are both really excited about this," Griffin told CBC News: Compass.

P.E.I. Senator Percy Downe broke the news — and congratulated Griffin — just before 8 a.m. local time. 

'A very kindhearted person who works very hard'

Griffin has been on the front lines of environmental issues in the province for decades. She is a former deputy environment minister and served as executive director of the Island Nature Trust.   

She currently volunteers on the board of the Nature Conservancy of Canada. The organization commended the recommendation.

"I think this is a wonderful selection and an inspiring one," said Nature Conservancy of Canada spokesperson Andrew Holland.

"I think she represents what is good about people and about Maritimers, I really do … She just a very kindhearted person who works very hard. She knows everybody across Prince Edward Island and was instrumental in a lot of our land conservation projects and initiatives really in all corners of P.E.I."

Holland said Griffin is well positioned to assist the government on climate change issues.

"Diane can bring an important perspective in the context of preserving forest — that these help store carbon, that they help store pollution that's in the air."

She has received the Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal and the P.E.I. Environment award. Griffin is also a published author, penning a book called Atlantic Wildflowers.

New senators to be appointed by Governor General

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has recommended five women and four men as independent members of the chamber.

• Meet Canada's 9 new senators

Senators are appointed by the Governor General, on the advice of the Prime Minister.

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