The most recent budget brought down by Her Majesty’s Government for Canada may see some changes made very soon — by the Honourable the Senate of Canada. The Government’s budget not only included budgetary measures, but several other legislative measures (as an omnibus bill) that the Government knew that opposition parties would probably not support as independent pieces of legislation. By keeping those measures bundled to a budget (the defeat of which would have forced a general election), the Government would be able to see some more controversial and unpalatable measures passed by the House of Commons.
However, as the Government is not responsible to the Senate, our honourable senators have the freedom to amend and change the budget as they deem appropriate without the risk of sending Canadians to the polls. Honourable senators for Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition in the Senate (with the support of an honourable senator for the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada) look set to use the majority of non-Government senators to force the budget to be split into multiple pieces of legislation; the actual budget would only keep budgetary provisions, and other issues would be moved to separate bills.
The revised budget would then be returned to the Commons, where the Government could attempt to replace the provisions that had been removed. Should the Senate and Commons be unable to agree on a budget to be passed, the prime minister could either (a) request that Her Majesty the Queen of Canada authorise the summons of an extra eight Government senators to pass the budget pursuant to s. 26 of the Constitution Act, 1867, or (b) request the prorogation of the Parliament of Canada so that a new budget can be proposed upon its return (as the Commons cannot introduce legislation of the same subject matter twice during the same session of the legislature). The Commons cannot override the Senate.
I entirely support this move by Liberal senators; Canada has always avoided the use of omnibus legislation. The Senate would not be changing the budget, but only moving unrelated policy to separate pieces of legislation to be debated on their own merits rather than forcing the Commons to accept those measures to avoid an election. What do you think? Should the Senate split this omnibus budget into separate bills, or leave it as-is? Should the Senate have the power to amend or reject budgets passed by the House of Commons? Should the Senate have any role at all when it comes to budgets? Let’s discuss.
However, as the Government is not responsible to the Senate, our honourable senators have the freedom to amend and change the budget as they deem appropriate without the risk of sending Canadians to the polls. Honourable senators for Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition in the Senate (with the support of an honourable senator for the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada) look set to use the majority of non-Government senators to force the budget to be split into multiple pieces of legislation; the actual budget would only keep budgetary provisions, and other issues would be moved to separate bills.
The revised budget would then be returned to the Commons, where the Government could attempt to replace the provisions that had been removed. Should the Senate and Commons be unable to agree on a budget to be passed, the prime minister could either (a) request that Her Majesty the Queen of Canada authorise the summons of an extra eight Government senators to pass the budget pursuant to s. 26 of the Constitution Act, 1867, or (b) request the prorogation of the Parliament of Canada so that a new budget can be proposed upon its return (as the Commons cannot introduce legislation of the same subject matter twice during the same session of the legislature). The Commons cannot override the Senate.
I entirely support this move by Liberal senators; Canada has always avoided the use of omnibus legislation. The Senate would not be changing the budget, but only moving unrelated policy to separate pieces of legislation to be debated on their own merits rather than forcing the Commons to accept those measures to avoid an election. What do you think? Should the Senate split this omnibus budget into separate bills, or leave it as-is? Should the Senate have the power to amend or reject budgets passed by the House of Commons? Should the Senate have any role at all when it comes to budgets? Let’s discuss.