Senate appointments

[madmax]

The more I read this thread, the more we need to abolish the Senate.

[Smallc]

the more we need to abolish the Senate.

Or rather, the more you think we need to.

[Nat]

I thought we were suppose to be voting in May 2009 during the provincal election to fill the 3 seats from BC.

[punked]

RAAAAAAAAAAA I WANT DEMOCRACY RAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!! NOW WE ARE IRAQ RAAAAAAAAAA.

[cybercoma]

Unelected? Who knew?

Watch for the MSM to criticize Harper for these nominations.

The rhetorically charged reporting on that story is a little excessive. "Unelected Senate"... yeah thanks. "Conservative LOYALISTS"... how often are Senate appointments made from other parties? Never? Harper already attempted to put through a bill for a Triple E Senate, didn't he? Obviously that didn't work too well. The sensationalism on that story is ridiculous.

[cybercoma]

I can't recall Liberals making any promises about the Senate except to say that it requires a constitutional meeting. Harper makes promises that he ends of breaking.

So, you don't have a problem with partisan appointments... you just think Harper is a liar. Except, nothing can get accomplished in parliament because every time the Conservatives try to make changes, it gets shot down by the Liberals. You see, the only reason Harper is a liar is because the Liberals won't pass his bills.

[Smallc]

how often are Senate appointments made from other parties? Never?

Sometimes.

[Shakeyhands]

So, you don't have a problem with partisan appointments... you just think Harper is a liar. Except, nothing can get accomplished in parliament because every time the Conservatives try to make changes, it gets shot down by the Liberals. You see, the only reason Harper is a liar is because the Liberals won't pass his bills.

Such as?

[punked]

So, you don't have a problem with partisan appointments... you just think Harper is a liar. Except, nothing can get accomplished in parliament because every time the Conservatives try to make changes, it gets shot down by the Liberals. You see, the only reason Harper is a liar is because the Liberals won't pass his bills.

Nope Harper killed his own reform bill when called the election in Oct. Harper was the one who stopped the reform and is now appointing people.

[Smallc]

Paul Martin -Liberal- 2003.12.12 - 2006.02.06

Liberal = 12

Conservative = 2

Progressive Conservative = 2

New Democratic Party = 1

Pierre Trudeau -Liberal- 1980.03.03 - 1984.06.29

1968.04.20 - 1979.06.03

Liberal = 70

Progressive Conservative = 7

Independent = 3

Social Credit = 1

Louis St. Laurent -Liberal- 1948.11.15 - 1957.06.20

Liberal = 51

Independent Liberal = 2

Progressive Conservative = 1

Independent = 1

Robert Laird Borden -Conservative- 1911.10.10 - 1917.10.11

Unionist 1917.10.12 - 1920.07.09

Conservative = 57

Liberal = 3

Liberal (Unionist) = 1

Independent Conservative = 1

And there are a few more.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canad..._Prime_Minister

Edited December 11, 2008 by Smallc

[cybercoma]

Yeah... I'm pretty much completely wrong about that stuff up there. I don't know where I got that information from... sorry.

[noahbody]

RAAAAAAAAAAA I WANT DEMOCRACY RAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!! NOW WE ARE IRAQ RAAAAAAAAAA.

Odd comment. The only two PMs that have respected democracy in regard to appointing senators are Mulroney and Harper. Alberta has elected senators since 89. The Liberals ignored this democracy for 13 years of power, preferring to appoint whoever they pleased. 'Step down if an election occurs' is respecting democracy. Personally, I'd rather have him appoint them at this time instead of having them filled with NDPers courtesy of some back room coalition deal. Most NDPers are incapable of sober thought from what I've seen.

[Smallc]

I mean, yeah, most appointments are partisan, but not quite all.

[capricorn]

RAAAAAAAAAAA I WANT DEMOCRACY RAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!! NOW WE ARE IRAQ RAAAAAAAAAA.

You must be a Bob Rae supporter.

[madmax]

I'd rather have him appoint them at this time instead of having them filled with NDPers

Considering the NDP will not accept Senate Seats, you shouldn't have a worry.

That said, To think that this is front and foremost on Harpers mind, suggests to me, that he believes he has lost the confidence of the house and believes he is going down in January.

Every lame Duck Prime Minister,feels the need to get their Senators chosen on the way out the door.

[cybercoma]

the NDP will not accept Senate Seats

Someone should have let Lillian Dyck know that when she was appointed in 2005. The party refuse to allow her to be a member of their caucus after her appointment; however, as an NDP politician, she still accepted a senate seat.

[Smallc]

Someone should have let Lillian Dyck know that when she was appointed in 2005. The party refuse to allow her to be a member of their caucus after her appointment; however, as an NDP politician, she still accepted a senate seat.

But she's not part of the NDP caucus.

[cybercoma]

But she's not part of the NDP caucus.

She was when she was appointed, she was kicked out of the party when she accepted the appointment; however, she sits as an "Independent New Democratic Party" member of the Senate.

[punked]

She was when she was appointed, she was kicked out of the party when she accepted the appointment; however, she sits as an "Independent New Democratic Party" member of the Senate.

Wow one, you are right there will be so many NDP members if the coalition goes through, cause one person who got kicked of the cacus got appointed. That was the point remember, it was that Cons think if the coalition goes through the Senate would have so many appointments to the Senate.

[Wild Bill]

Wow one, you are right there will be so many NDP members if the coalition goes through, cause one person who got kicked of the cacus got appointed. That was the point remember, it was that Cons think if the coalition goes through the Senate would have so many appointments to the Senate.

There were strong rumours at the height of the coalition furor that if they got in they also intended to give 6 senate seats to the Bloc!

Anyhow, it's easy to criticize Harper but in this situation what is he supposed to do? Only a couple of provinces have elected senators in waiting. The other provinces have not supported the idea. Is he supposed to name only the opposition to the Senate? An Opposition that just tried to turf him out? Historically, the Liberals have NEVER put more than a token number of Tories into the Senate!

Even after Harper's appointments the Liberals will still have a majority. There is no time left for Harper to wait to see if the other provinces will adopt the idea of electing their senators. Besides, they've had years already to make up their minds. How much time do they want to say no anyway?

It just smacks to me that criticizing Harper now is just a cheap shot, like bitching at a man who promised to perform as a dancer who had just lost his legs in an accident on the way to the gig!

[punked]

There were strong rumours at the height of the coalition furor that if they got in they also intended to give 6 senate seats to the Bloc!

Anyhow, it's easy to criticize Harper but in this situation what is he supposed to do? Only a couple of provinces have elected senators in waiting. The other provinces have not supported the idea. Is he supposed to name only the opposition to the Senate? An Opposition that just tried to turf him out? Historically, the Liberals have NEVER put more than a token number of Tories into the Senate!

Even after Harper's appointments the Liberals will still have a majority. There is no time left for Harper to wait to see if the other provinces will adopt the idea of electing their senators. Besides, they've had years already to make up their minds. How much time do they want to say no anyway?

It just smacks to me that criticizing Harper now is just a cheap shot, like bitching at a man who promised to perform as a dancer who had just lost his legs in an accident on the way to the gig!

OMG NOT unsubstantiated rumors well you changed my opinion with something that is probably made up and lie.

[Mr.Canada]

I'm sure.

jdobbin, is every single thing that Harper or the Tories do wrong?

You seem to attack them no matter what they do.

Is it that this is a political forum and everyone is supposed to be hyper-partisan?

Just curious.

[cybercoma]

you are right there will be so many NDP members if the coalition goes through

That's not what I said. The poster I was replying to said the NDP doesn't accept senate seats. I showed that an NDP member in 2005 accepted a senate seat, that's all.

[madmax]

Someone should have let Lillian Dyck know that when she was appointed in 2005. The party refuse to allow her to be a member of their caucus after her appointment; however, as an NDP politician, she still accepted a senate seat.

I have no idea if she was an NDP politician or not. According to reports, she didn't carry an NDP membership. She is not part of the NDP caucus and she does not sit as an NDP member in the Senate.

Probably as NDP as Bob Rae, or Dosanjh. Maybe as Liberal as Emerson. Hard to tell. But not a sitting member of the NDP.

.....more reason to abolish the Senate.

[punked]

That's not what I said. The poster I was replying to said the NDP doesn't accept senate seats. I showed that an NDP member in 2005 accepted a senate seat, that's all.

And was kicked out of caucus the problem with your post was that you didn't mention that making the post look hyper-partisan.