Harper Introduces Senate Reform Bill
Posted December 13, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
With the prospect of an election in the near future, Prime Minister Stephen Harper introduced legislation that could result in a power shift on Parliament Hill.
Harper is pushing to give the public a greater say in how senators are appointed, giving the Prime Minister a feel of the opinions of average Canadians when it comes to making appointment choices.
Under the Prime Minister’s proposed law, voters would choose preferred candidates to represent their province or territory in the upper chamber in a special polling system run by Elections Canada.
This proposal comes shortly after Harper introduced a bill limiting senatorial terms to eight years.
“This bill will allow us to move to a new era in democracy,” Harper said Wednesday.
“Imagine that, after a century and a half, democracy will finally come to the Senate of Canada.
“I have warning for the Liberals. A democratically elected and genuinely accountable Senate may not serve the Liberal party, but it will serve the Canadian people, and their interests come first to the Conservative party.”
Harper’s announcement comes as opposition parties consider sparking an election in the New Year.
His proposal falls just short of actually electing senators, a change that would require a constitutional amendment and full consultative process. The issue is still expected to face great opposition as Harper’s vision of having senators represent provinces could undermine the power of MPs.
“If you’re going to have elected senators, who will the power come from?” Liberal Senator Dennis Dawson asked.
“Will it come from the provinces, because if you’re taking it away, you’re taking it away from someone, either from the House or from the provinces or the Council of provinces.
“That debate is more important today than having a Christmas bill.”
Liberal Senator Romeo Dallaire said he’s in favour of Harper’s proposal, but added that if senators are to be given real powers, that should be addressed with a constitutional change.
“If you’re gong to start tinkering with something so fundamental with a constitutional dimension to it, then you’ve got to open the whole complex debate and do it properly and not fiddle on the periphery of it,” he said.
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