Dion to Support

[jdobbin]

http://www.brandonsun.com/story.php?story_id=43015

OTTAWA (CP) - Stephane Dion says the Liberals will back term limits of 12 to 15 years for senators, bringing the first modest step toward reforming Canada's Senate closer to reality.

The newly minted Liberal leader's decision breaks an impasse in the Senate, where the Liberal majority has been dragging its feet on Prime Minister Stephen Harper's bill to limit senators to eight-year terms.

However, Dion made it clear today his party won't budge in its opposition to a separate bill proposing the election of senators.

I think the elections really do need a constitutional amendment.

Personally, I'd rather have the Senate abolished.

[Canadian Blue]

I'd rather have the senate abolished as well, or at the very least make it an elected body so we don't end up with a lopsided majority for one party in the senate.

[geoffrey]

That's really convenient for Dion to call for a constitutional admendment when he knows damn well it can't possibly happen right now.

He should just come out and say he opposes Senate Reform instead of pretending. That kind of leadership won't win him a government.

[newbie]

That's really convenient for Dion to call for a constitutional admendment when he knows damn well it can't possibly happen right now.

Kinda like Harper calling for an unwinable vote to get rid of same sex marriage.

[geoffrey]

That's really convenient for Dion to call for a constitutional admendment when he knows damn well it can't possibly happen right now.

Kinda like Harper calling for an unwinable vote to get rid of same sex marriage.

No, Harper stood and voted. Dion is saying he supports something that can never happen... when in fact he just believes that the Senate is a fine and dandy place to store old party friends.

[madmax]

I think the elections really do need a constitutional amendment.

Personally, I'd rather have the Senate should be abolished.

Many Liberal Senators also suggested, its better to abolish the Senate.

[jdobbin]

No, Harper stood and voted. Dion is saying he supports something that can never happen... when in fact he just believes that the Senate is a fine and dandy place to store old party friends.

And the courts are where Tories want to put their buddies?

I think the Senate is a lot more complicated than people want to hear. Elected and term limits leaves huge issues of which parliamentary body is more legitimate. The imbalance in seats is huge.

I'd rather not cause a huge mess in Ottawa for something that won't make it work better.

[geoffrey]

I think the Senate is a lot more complicated than people want to hear. Elected and term limits leaves huge issues of which parliamentary body is more legitimate. The imbalance in seats is huge.

I'd rather not cause a huge mess in Ottawa for something that won't make it work better.

Agreed. But abolishing the Senate would also require opening the Constitution. And that's not happening in the next long long time.

[Remiel]

If they were to abolish the Senate, who would be available to staff the commitees?

[hiti]

The founders of Confederation gave the Senate the important role of protecting regional, provincial and minority interests. They assigned each region the same number of seats in order to guarantee that they had an equal voice in the Senate. Seats were added as new provinces and territories entered Confederation.

The Senate has done good work. And there needs to be a check on the Lower House.

[geoffrey]

The Senate has done good work. And there needs to be a check on the Lower House.

Bah. The Senate doesn't provide a check on the Lower House. Any objection causes a constitutional crisis.

[madmax]

Bah. The Senate doesn't provide a check on the Lower House. Any objection causes a constitutional crisis.

This is absolutely true. Canadians elect a government and accept the results. Even though Mulroney didn't win the popular vote in the 80s, he came out the Free Trade Champion, with the Liberals stealing Ed Broadbents thunder, by pretending to oppose it. Once in power, although the majority of the popular vote was clearly against free trade and the election was fought on free trade, once the election was over and the PCs got down to business, the Liberal Senate blocked the bill, that if it had been passed by Liberals would have went through the Senate without waking a soul.

The public, even though against Free Trade were more intolerant of the Senate Games used to slow the bill down.

We accept our Elected Government and expect them to get on with business without interference from the Senate.

We don't need no checks on government

and Liberal and Conservative Senators don't need no Cheques.

Abolish it.

[geoffrey]

Even though Mulroney didn't win the popular vote in the 80s...

Factual falsehood. Mulroney has been the only PM since Dief the Chief to win a majority of popular support.