Callbeck was summoned to the Senate of Canada representing Prince Edward Island, continuing her public service federally.
On September 23, 1997, Catherine Callbeck was summoned to the Senate of Canada, representing the province of Prince Edward Island. This appointment came less than a year after her resignation as Premier, marking a seamless transition from provincial to federal public service.
As a Senator, Callbeck continued to champion issues important to Atlantic Canada, including regional economic development, agriculture, fisheries, and social policy. Her extensive experience as a former premier, federal MP, and provincial cabinet minister gave her a uniquely comprehensive perspective on Canadian governance, spanning both levels of government and multiple branches of legislative and executive service.
Her Senate appointment reflected recognition of her decades of public service and her status as a trailblazer for women in Canadian politics. Serving in the Senate allowed her to continue influencing national policy discussions for Prince Edward Island and to serve on various Senate committees, further extending her decades-long record of firsts and public contributions. She would go on to serve in this role until reaching mandatory retirement age in 2014, one of the longest periods of continuous public service of any Canadian woman politician of her generation.