Senate Reform - How To Do It Wrong

[Wilber]

Perhaps you should look up EEE.

Perhaps so.

[wyly]

I've never understood this hostility towards the upper house. Most democracies have bicameral legislatures, and the theory that one should essentially be a representative of the populace, the other regional in representation, at least dates back to the formulation of the US Senate. I won't defend the current way the Senate is constituted. It may have made sense in 1867 when it essentially attempted to duplicate the House of Lords as it stood at a period when the British Parliament's functioning was being heavily reformed (the Commons had long before essentially usurped most of the legislative roles and the trend was towards diminishing the Lords powers, but it was still considerably in flux until the turn of the 20th century).

I think some sort of Triple-E Senate is a damned good idea, and one that would answer some of the problems some of us have long had about the imbalance in Parliament. Further, taking the original US model (prior to the 17th Amendment) as a guide, I think allowing the provinces to determine individually how senators are chosen is a damned good idea too. This might be a bone to throw to Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes in return for reducing their presence in the Senate. Then the provinces could determine on their own whether they wanted Senators elected by general election, by vote in the legislature, or however they would want to do it. In essence, the Prime Minister would relinquish any role in selecting Senators, thus ending at least one power imbalance.

if it's so effective why the call for a triple E?...it's not effective, government functions fine without them being effective...fire them...

[Smallc]

Senators come in all varieties ranging from useless tits to very concientious and hard working.

Just like the rest of us, I suppose.

[Smallc]

if it's so effective why the call for a triple E?...it's not effective, government functions fine without them being effective...fire them...

There's always a call for something from somewhere.

[Wilber]

Just like the rest of us, I suppose.

True, I don't have a problem with the people as such, there are some I respect a great deal and others I don't know who are no doubt worthy. I just have a problem with the institution as it presently exists.

[Smallc]

True, I don't have a problem with the people as such, there are some I respect a great deal and others I don't know who are no doubt worthy. I just have a problem with the institution as it presently exists.

And it seems a lot of people do (again, I really don't, but I'm in the minority), so I want to see real change take place...something the government isn't even trying to do.

[wyly]

There's always a call for something from somewhere.

it's like paying insurance and maintenance on extra cars in your driveway you no longer need or drive...sell'em for scrap..

[Dave_ON]

Perhaps you should look up EEE.

I don't think we should drop the appointment aspect of senators. We should definitely move this power to the provinces however, and I'm all for Equal representation by region, that just makes sense. I'm not a fan of this particular house being elected nor do I see the need for it to be elected. Honestly the commons is our elected body and represents the will of the people. The senate is not so much concerned with the will, or whims, of the people as it is with regional fairness. They're job is to ensure that the will of the majority doesn't overshadow the needs of the few. To make them elected is to politicize the whole thing and given their role I don't see it as necessary.

The trick is how to manage this? Those who have the most to lose, namely Ontario and Quebec, are disinclined to give up that power. Of course the west is all for it, they have nothing to lose and everything to gain from it. If you're ever going to get Quebec and Ontario on board, which is the only way any type of constitutional change will occur, you're going to have to toss some kind of a bone.

[Smallc]

I don't think we should drop the appointment aspect of senators. We should definitely move this power to the provinces however, and I'm all for Equal representation by region, that just makes sense. I'm not a fan of this particular house being elected nor do I see the need for it to be elected. Honestly the commons is our elected body and represents the will of the people. The senate is not so much concerned with the will, or whims, of the people as it is with regional fairness. They're job is to ensure that the will of the majority doesn't overshadow the needs of the few. To make them elected is to politicize the whole thing and given their role I don't see it as necessary.

You're preaching to the choir on this one.