Only a government obsessed with its own powers and completely indifferent to our country's constitutional foundation would have tried this ..............
"The transcript of the pre-Confederation conferences shows that the founding fathers discussed the role and composition of the Senate at length," the 20-page ruling said.
"There is no doubt that this institution was a fundamental component of the federal compromise in 1867."
The court even refers to Canada's first prime minister, John A. Macdonald, being dead-set against the idea of elected senators to avoid having the new parliament resemble the Legislative Council of the old parliament of pre-Confederation Canada.
Now if the Harper government wants to reform the Senate, the court says, it needs to get approval from at least seven provinces holding half the country's population.
more
CBC News - Harper Senate reform bill rejected by Quebec appeal court
"The transcript of the pre-Confederation conferences shows that the founding fathers discussed the role and composition of the Senate at length," the 20-page ruling said.
"There is no doubt that this institution was a fundamental component of the federal compromise in 1867."
The court even refers to Canada's first prime minister, John A. Macdonald, being dead-set against the idea of elected senators to avoid having the new parliament resemble the Legislative Council of the old parliament of pre-Confederation Canada.
Now if the Harper government wants to reform the Senate, the court says, it needs to get approval from at least seven provinces holding half the country's population.
more
CBC News - Harper Senate reform bill rejected by Quebec appeal court