Interview with Senate Speaker, Noël A. Kinsella

[Greg]

The interview was a big success. You can read the whole interview here:

http://www.mapleleafweb.com/interviews/sen...sella-interview

Thanks to those of you who submitted questions. Questions by August1991 and Capricorn were included in the questions I asked the Speaker.

Please stay tuned for the interview with former General Lewis McKenzie. That particular interview was considerably longer and it is taking awhile to get it ready for publishing,

Thanks!

[Greg]

This is your last day to submit a question to the Speaker of the Senate...

[August1991]

Did you join the Progressive Conservative Party before or after Brian Mulroney named you to the Senate?

In your view, will the Senate be reformed in your lifetime?

The Senate costs around $100 million annually to taxpayers. Do you think Canadians get value for their money?

[DrGreenthumb]

I am interested to know if you have read the Senate Report on

'The Non-Medicinal Use of Drugs" from 2002. If you have read the report will you do your duty as a Canadian senator and refuse to pass the government's bill C-26? The report states that the prohibition of Cannabis causes more harm to Canadians than the substance itself ever could. Is it not then the responsibility of the senate to prevent a law that would further increase the harm caused by that prohibition from passing?

I would also like to know your thoughts on the extradition request by the US for Marc Emery, Michelle Rainey, and Greg Williams. The BC3 ,as they are called by their many supporters, face 30 years to life in prison in the US for selling Cannabis seeds on the internet. In Canada the courts have determined the appropriate punishment is a 200 dollar fine. Marc sold these seeds openly for 10 years in Canada and online and the Canadian authorities never determined his activities to be worth prosecuting, in fact health Canada refered its medical marijuana patients to Marc Emery seeds so they could grow their own medicine. Revenue Canada glady accepted over a half million in income tax on earnings that Marc declared as from Cannabis seed sales. If we allow this extradition don't you think it will impede Canada's ability to set its own standards for what "crimes" we deem worth prosecuting? Won't this set a precedent where Canadians could be subject to other US laws and punishments that we as Canadians may not agree with?

In the future could we see a Canadian extradited to america to face 10 years in prison for downloading music?

I know this is a complicated matter but I would appreciate your thoughts on it. I a a firm believer in the need for an independant, unelected senate that is not accountable to the will of a sometimes hysterical majority. The house of sober second thought is necessary, I hope you do not take this responsibility lightly.

[capricorn]

Do you agree with limiting the term Senators may serve? If no, why not? If yes, how many years should they be allowed to serve and why?

[blueblood]

What would your ideas be for improving accountability in the Senate?

Should Senators be subject to parliamentary review and possible dismissal?