Canadian Senate Reform

[gryphon]

This has been on my mind for a long time.

The Canadian senate as it exists now is not what it was meant to be. Far from being a sober second thought, it answers directly to whichever party is in power at the moment. The senate should be answerable to the people but the people have no say.

I used to want an elected senate but then I realized that opened up another can of worms. An elected senate means campaign finance issues, such as people or groups with certain interests essentially buying a senator.


So I ask you, how do we reform the senate to serve the people of Canada? Or is it too late for the senate?

[gryphon]

Any thoughts on this?

[anisa]

No clue Gryph on how to make it a better group of ppl.

I think a good way to bring about some reform is to start with encouraging more ppl to vote, and with some reform to how votes are counted in Canada.
I don't have all the info on the proposed changes to vote counting, but I do know there are groups who are actively pursuing reform to the electoral system.

[Natalka]

Harper Announces Moratorium On Senate Appointments



In Regina today with SK Premier Brad Wall, who wants abolition.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/07...n_7862748.html

[gryphon]

Thats a start

[Natalka]

Nothing else can be done because there needs to be unanimity of the provinces, and that won't happen because of Quebec.

[DaveP]

I agree this should all be in the hands of the provinces. Senators represent their provinces so the provinces should decide who to elect or appoint, and how to do it. Harper is leaving it to the provinces to decide what they want to do now. And if the provinces can't agree then the Senate will slowly disappear through attrition. The Conservatives didn't want anything to do with the Senate (as it is) from the beginning. And they sure don't want anything to do with it now after several disastrous appointments.