It is ‘amusing’ to read once again how the holier-than-thou crowd long for “a truly non-partisan body of sober second thought” capable of independent thought. 

Tell that to Senator Lynn Beyak, who has been ostracized for expressing a POV that does not conform to the received “wisdom” of the day -- a POV, by the way, apparently shared by someone who actually lived the residential school experience.
Quoted in a Lorrie Goldstein column titled "In defence of Senator Lynn Beyak", Order of Canada recipient Tomson Highway apparently stated the following:
“All we hear is the negative stuff, nobody’s interested in the positive, the joy in that school. Nine of the happiest years of my life, I spent it at that school."

Mr. Ibbitson admits the Trudeau appointments have been “mostly progressives”. Is toeing the ‘progressive’ line really an improvement over conforming to a party line? Oh sure, as long as it isn't a 'conservative' line -- which Ms. Ambrose & Sen. Smith have seemingly abandoned.