The Right Honourable Stephen Harper P.C., M.P. (Calgary Southwest), Prime Minister, is risking the creation of a constitutional crisis by refusing to provide advice on the appointment of new senators to the Upper House. Section 21 of the Constitution Act, 1867, demands that the Senate consist of 105 senators; section 24 of the same Act requires the Governor General to name senators to the Red Chamber. By refusing to provide advice on the appointment of senators, the Prime Minister is putting the Crown into an untenable circumstance of constitutional non-compliance.
If the Prime Minister continues to boycott his own constitutional responsibilities, then the Senate will be looking at up to twenty (20) vacancies before the end of the calendar year. Provinces to be under-represented in the Senate, at the end of the calendar year, are as follows:
If the Prime Minister continues to boycott his own constitutional responsibilities, then the Senate will be looking at up to twenty (20) vacancies before the end of the calendar year. Provinces to be under-represented in the Senate, at the end of the calendar year, are as follows:
- Ontario (5 vacancies) [and 1 suspended]
- Québec (4 vacancies)
- New Brunswick (1 vacancy)
- Nova Scotia (2 vacancies)
- Manitoba (3 vacancies)
- Saskatchewan [1 suspended]
- Prince Edward Island (1 vacancy) [and 1 suspended]
- British Columbia (1 vacancy)