Failed Conservative Candidates Find New Home...

Jack Weber · May 18, 2011

We now know where the "Coaliton of Losers" is....

It's in the Senate!!!

Saipan · May 18, 2011

With regards to the issue of the Senate the CCF/NDP has a 70 + Year track record. They have been given the chance

When did we have NDP federal government?

Saipan · May 18, 2011

Someone needs to shove Harper's own words down his throat and call his hypocritical ass out for this pork barrel patronage move.

Like "killing GST and NAFTA"?

"We don't support any Senate appointments."

Stephen Harper, Winnipeg Free Press, January 29, 1996

We don't. Now we have to convince the Opposition it's time to change.

g_bambino · May 18, 2011

We don't. Now we have to convince the Opposition it's time to change.

The Opposition? A change to the method of selecting senators requires a constitutional amendment.

Moonlight Graham · May 18, 2011

It seems the senate is clearly already elected, though indirectly. Canadian voters virtually always determine the party that will form the government (unless it's a coalition). This government chooses senators mostly from their party, or at least will vote in the views.

At the polls, a vote for your Liberal or CPC MP etc. is a vote for a Liberal or Conservative senator when the spot comes up.

The senate doesn't provide much of a check on the power of the PM/government if they are being stacked with members of the same party.

Edited May 18, 2011 by Moonlight Graham

Topaz · May 18, 2011

Canadians elected the man who gets to appoint Senators. Canadians elected to give Harper the power to appoint these senators, hence they were elected. It's only an undemocratic process when a conservative PM gets to do it. Try to keep up.

He has become a dictator and as the power grows so will his evil ways will and just remember who elected him and gave him to power to do what HE wants for Canada. Watch the national debt grow along with the deficit, watch the poor get poorer asnd the middle-class disappear. Just look at his cabinet and taxpayers will be paying more in their golden pensions. It's undemocratic for ANY PM to do what Harper has done in the last five years but I sure he'll set a new record.

Smallc · May 18, 2011

The senate doesn't provide much of a check on the power of the PM/government if they are being stacked with members of the same party.

Except that because Senators have much longer terms, it often takes many years of government before a party has an opposition in the upper chamber.

Rick · May 18, 2011

Like "killing GST and NAFTA"?

We don't. Now we have to convince the Opposition it's time to change.

Harper's the one who needs to change his lying hypocritical ways.

The Official Opposition have long maintained that the Senate should be abolished.

Unfortunately, the piggies in the pork barrel senate who are Stevie's Conservative appointed cronies aren't willing to change their attitudes that they're entitled to their entitlements..

Rick · May 18, 2011

He has become a dictator and as the power grows so will his evil ways will and just remember who elected him and gave him to power to do what HE wants for Canada. Watch the national debt grow along with the deficit, watch the poor get poorer asnd the middle-class disappear. Just look at his cabinet and taxpayers will be paying more in their golden pensions. It's undemocratic for ANY PM to do what Harper has done in the last five years but I sure he'll set a new record.

Well said Topaz.

g_bambino · May 19, 2011

It's undemocratic for ANY PM to do what Harper has done in the last five years...

Do you have a straight face when you type this kind of overdramatised hyperbole?

noahbody · May 19, 2011

Harper's the one who needs to change his lying hypocritical ways.

Actually, you can pretty much bet that all of the senators he appoints are believers in senate reform. That's the only way senate reform will happen. Heck, his bill to limit their term to 8 years couldn't even make it though the House.

The Official Opposition have long maintained that the Senate should be abolished.

The NDP has sat a grand total of 0 days as Official Opposition. Harper has sat as the leader of a majority government for 0 days.

Unfortunately, the piggies in the pork barrel senate who are Stevie's Conservative appointed cronies aren't willing to change their attitudes that they're entitled to their entitlements.

Which senators specifically are you referring to?

scouterjim · May 19, 2011

Harper's the one who needs to change his lying hypocritical ways.

The Official Opposition have long maintained that the Senate should be abolished.

Unfortunately, the piggies in the pork barrel senate who are Stevie's Conservative appointed cronies aren't willing to change their attitudes that they're entitled to their entitlements..

I didn't see any Liberal senators appointed by Jean (spend millions on a fountain) Chretien refusing their "entitlements".

RNG · May 19, 2011

I didn't see any Liberal senators appointed by Jean (spend millions on a fountain) Chretien refusing their "entitlements".

Ah, Rick and his ilk just love spouting off without realizing that their heroes are as bad if not worse than what we have now. Don't feed the troll.

MiddleClassCentrist · May 19, 2011

I expected as much of a discussion from this.

If anything, Senate Reform is needed.

We need to remember that Harper, as conservatives point out, is fully entitled to do this under the current system.

What I would like to see Stephen Harper do, is appoint a socialist to the Senate. It would show, at least politically, the ability to compromise and respect the work of an individual regardless of political affiliation.

If he wants to make a point on Senate Reform. I recommend the Vegas MP, Brosseau.

That is, if he did this original move as an example of why the Senate is a bad idea.

Edited May 19, 2011 by MiddleClassCentrist

g_bambino · May 19, 2011

Harper... is fully entitled to do this under the current system.

He's entitled to try and start the process. No change will take place (other than maybe an eight year limit on senators' terms) without the approval of the majority of provinces with more than 50% of the population, though.

Topaz · May 19, 2011

Do you have a straight face when you type this kind of overdramatised hyperbole?

[/quote

NOT when tells the truth. NO PM is above the law of Canada or the law Parliament. Now I wonder what moral values those 40% of Tories supporters really have?

g_bambino · May 19, 2011

NO PM is above the law of Canada or the law Parliament.

Indeed, they're not. That fact doesn't have any relation to what you said, though, which was that the prime minister is undemocratic. What I saw when I last checked is that the prime minister occupies his post only so long as the govenror general allows it, based on the approval or disapproval of the majority of the elected House of Commons. That's not undemocratic.

Topaz · May 19, 2011

The Tory Leader of the Senate was caught by the media and they asked her about reforming the senate and she said its coming at the appropriate time. Meaning? Harper has many bills to pass and wants to make sure he gets everything gets done OR he really doesn't want to reform and they are stalling as long as possible before they have to.

g_bambino · May 19, 2011

Harper has many bills to pass and wants to make sure he gets everything gets done OR he really doesn't want to reform and they are stalling as long as possible before they have to.

Maybe not enough provinces are interested.

Topaz · May 19, 2011

I found this view of one Canadian online and would like thoughts on it. I think Harpers way of getting reform of the senate is making the Canadians outrage of what he does with it they will scream for reform as this one writers says. http://www.atory01.com/blog/2011/5/19/short-term-pain.html

madmax · May 19, 2011

We don't. Now we have to convince the Opposition it's time to change.

hahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.....

MiddleClassCentrist · May 19, 2011

Maybe not enough provinces are interested.

I'm sure the Conservatives have the answer. They spend enough on polling to know.

I'm for changing the way senators get their jobs. There needs to be more accountability or at very least, a limited term.

Smallc · May 19, 2011

There needs to be more accountability or at very least, a limited term.

That's a terrible idea to do first. That means that any PM can completely stack the Senate in 8 years.

bloodyminded · May 19, 2011

Now I wonder what moral values those 40% of Tories supporters really have?

We can only speculate. My guess is that more or less 90% of them have strong and conventional moral values, and 10% lack a real moral compass, or are actively degenerates. And without demanding that society must be mathematically equal, I'd nonetheless assume roughly, give-or-take, the same proportion for supporters of the other parties, and for supporters of none.

Edited May 19, 2011 by bloodyminded

madmax · May 19, 2011

I don't know how strongly the party feels about the matter, but I am aware the NDP advocates the abolition of the Senate. That ludicrous position is one of the reasons I'd be happy to never see an NDP government in Ottawa; not, at least, until the party smartens up. The naiveté necessary to believe that dissolving the Senate is a good idea is indication alone that the top levels of the NDP don't have the know-how to run a country as big and complex as Canada.

"

Later that day, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, a supporter of the prime minister, came out and said the appointments actually do the opposite.

Wall said the point of Senate reform is to have a more democratic institution. The latest appointments, he said, will likely fuel longstanding questions about whether the Senate is even necessary . "

Edited May 19, 2011 by madmax