Abolish the Senate? Be careful what you
wish for, we all know that it has become highly partisan and some of
those appointed feel they are entitled to their entitlements and take
even more, reform is needed but do away with it entirely? I maintain
that it is not the institution that is the problem but the people who
are appointed to it and the manner of appointment, despite his
appointment of many undeserving and unprincipled conservative flacks
to ensure that he can jam questionable legislation through Mr Harper
would like nothing better than to remove this impediment to his
plans. I begin to wonder if all this recent expense scandal was not
deliberately created to bring the senate into disrepute in order to
sway public option against the senate and for abolition.
Without a bill having to be sent to the
Senate it would be much easier and quicker for a majority government
(any majority government) to push legislation through without
sufficient examination and debate. Is this a good thing, I dont think
so. Many of these bills are complex and written in such a way as to
be all but impossible to fully understand the full ramifications, MPs
have little time to fully dissect such legislation and all to often
simply take their partys word upon both the content and upon how to
vote. True the Senate is becoming a similar partisan rubber stamp
despite the ability to more fully examine and debate a bill, but that
once again is a problem with those appointed not the senate itself or
for the most part its way of doing things.
Reform yes, abolition no. Besides the
fact that it would be almost impossible to meet the conditions set
down for such a move it would simply put more power into the hands of
a majority PM who it would seem has very few checks and balances upon
his power, many of the 'rules' be convention not requirements, and
there being no consequences for ignoring such 'conventions'. Senators
are meant to represent their Province not a particular party, if the
next PM were to simply say to the Provinces 'I will accept you
recommendation for filling this position (subject to the normal
checks and debate) we would at least have a broader range of
individuals appointed.
“But
is abolition any more feasible than reform? It has proved hard
enough just to change the length of senators’ terms. How is it
supposed you could abolish it altogether? Indeed, whereas major
reforms to the Senate — including changes to its powers, the
numbers of senators from each province or the method of their
selection — would invoke the Constitution’s general amending
formula, requiring the support, not only of both Houses
of Parliament, but of seven provinces with 50
per cent of the population, abolition would seem to require
unanimity.”
The issue of the length of term,
compensation & pensions is, in my opinion a separate issue and
one that needs examining for both the Senate and the House of
Commons. It is difficult for Canadians who struggle to make ends meet
on a daily basis to justify the amount of money these folks receive
both during their time in Ottawa and after they 'retire' from the
legislature.
Thats just one opinion, the debate
continues......probably for years and most certainly beyond the next
election!
Support Democracy - Recommend this Post at Progressive Bloggers
