From Fredericton to the Red Chamber: How 2 N.B. students became Senate pages

Frederictonians Amanda Morris and Tate Leroux, both going to university in Ottawa, are two of only 17 pages in the Senate page program.

N.B.'s new Senate pages proud to serve in coveted role in Ottawa

Jordan Gill · CBC News · Posted: Jan 25, 2026 5:00 AM EST | Last Updated: January 25

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A composite photo of two women. On the left is a woman with braids and a purple shirt. On the right is a woman with brown hair and a red sweater. — Amanda Morris and Tate Leroux of Fredericton are taking part in the Senate page program. (Tara King-Stewart)

It's been five years since there's been a participant from New Brunswick in the Canadian Senate's page program — now the province has two.

Amanda Morris and Tait Leroux of Fredericton, who both go to university in Ottawa, are two of 17 pages from across the country in the Senate page program.

Senate pages assist with the day-to-day operations of the Senate, including passing messages between senators, printing out speeches and documents and setting up Senate committees.

Morris said it’s a “big honour” to represent New Brunswick in the program.

“It's something that I'm very proud to do because of the community that has supported me throughout the entirety of my high school career,” Morris said.

Leroux also points to her hometown as part of the reason she and Morris made the cut.

“I think Fredericton punches above its weight in a lot of ways,” Leroux said.

“It kind of shows people that Fredericton is capable of a lot to have two people in a group of only 17.”

'We've known each other for so long'

Morris said she was happy to get the coveted position and happy to see another New Brunswicker, who she knows well, in the program.

“Tait and I will talk a lot about New Brunswick,” she said.

“Things like moon mist ice cream, which is apparently only a Maritime thing.”

A woman looking in a desk — Morris goes about some of her page duties in the Senate. (Senate of Canada)

Conversations about ice cream aside, Leroux said she was happy to have a fellow Frederictonian to talk to about home.

“Sometimes me and Amanda just start talking about a teacher we had in middle school or something,” Leroux said.

“It's hard for [the other pages] to believe that we've known each other for so long.”

WATCH | 'Fredericton punches above its weight in a lot of ways,' says Senate page: :

Hundreds apply, but 2 N.B. students rose to the top for job in Canadian Senate

January 25|

5:45

Every year, hundreds of full-time undergraduate students from across the country apply to the Senate page program.

Senate pages are all full-time university students.

While they can be from any university in Canada, during their time as pages they attend class at a university in the Ottawa area.

Any full-time student can apply online to be a page, which is a paid position. The application process includes a group interview and skills testing to ensure candidates are fully bilingual.

In addition to their jobs as pages, which takes up an average of about 20 hours a week, both Morris and Leroux are full-time students.

A woman in a Senate page uniform. — 'I think Fredericton punches above its weight in a lot of ways,' Leroux says. (Senate of Canada)

For Leroux, the key is keeping her work life and her school life separate.

“I would say that when I'm at work, I just think about work. When I'm at school, I can study.

“I find separating those two things is really helpful.”

Morris said she has relied on being organized and being an expert scheduler.

“It's not enough just to write down that I have this task to accomplish. I have to write down, ‘OK, I have this task to accomplish. How many smaller tasks make up this one task?’”