Abolish the Senate

Dixie Cup

Dixie Cup

Senate Member
Sep 16, 2006
6,279
3,992
113
Edmonton
mentalfloss said:
Harper promised as much and he's failed to deliver on that promise and instead we get to enjoy Duffy TV.
Click to expand...



And I give him credit for at least trying. It's not his fault that it hasn't happened. Try talking to the PROVINCES who have to give the Ok. They are too greedy for power and refuse to acknowledge that the senate needs either to be abolished or, at the very least, reformed so that they are accountable to Canadians. But the provinces with the most to lose, aka Ontario and Quebec and the Maritime provinces REFUSE to go to the table and talk about reform, much less abolition. Don't blame Harper - he has stated from the first time he was elected that he wanted to make changes to the Senate but he cannot do it without all of the provinces (or at least 7 out of 10) provinces.. It is completely disingenuous for any political party to blame Harper for the lack of changes to the Senate. HE CANNOT DO IT ON HIS OWN!


It pisses me off when people blame Harper for not making changes. He cannot do it arbitrarily! (Read the Constitution) He was hoping that the provinces would get together and come to some sort of agreement but they have not so whose fault is that? He waited how long before being forced to appoint 18 people to the Senate because NOT ONE PROVINCE except Alberta, was willing, as part of their election process, to have individuals run for the Senate seats that were open at the time. Do you not recall that there were several provinces that were having elections and who could have readily included the election of Senators at the same time? Alberta did and the Senator that was elected was appointed by Harper. I recall Mr. Harper pleading with the provinces involved to elect Senators and he would appoint them as the will of the people of the provinces involved. But did that happen? NO. Whose fault is that? Oh, of course, it was Harpers. How silly of me.


Finally, Harper had no choice but to appoint Senators to the empty seats. NO ONE objected to Pamela Wallin or Duffy or any of the other Senators that were appointed - NOT ONE OPPOSITION LEADER objected to ANY of his appointments. So what happened? People got greedy and lost their sense of right and wrong - **** happens - rules weren't clear - but that didn't matter. There couldn't have been a more p'd off person then Harper. Do you think really think he was happy with what happened? Are you kidding me? With the main stream media already blabbing about how you had a "hidden agenda" etc., you would be happy with the Wallin/Duffy affair? You really think he planned this? Seriously???


Sometimes, I think people's brains are in their butts! Yes, he's the PM but I don't believe for a minute he knew what was going to happen but I also I believe he takes responsibility for the appointments he made. He's not a happy camper, nor should he be. Hind sight is 20 20. I doubt he or anyone else had any idea of what was happening inside the Senate insofar as what expenses were allowed and who was doing what. The Senators themselves should be held accountable period. Did Harper make mistakes? Absolutely.


But I also believe that the Senior Public Service officials have some answering to do as well. Who approved the expenditures? If the rules weren't clear, why and why weren't these addressed? Heads should roll and not necessarily just in the PMO's office. A large part of what happens on the Hill is run by bureaucrats. These same bureaucrats worked under the Liberals as well so whatever has been going on has not just happened under the Conservatives. Asked why some expenses were approved, a "bureaucrat stated - "its always been done that way." Excuse me?? Oh, I guess that makes it okay. Right. See how that would work in the private sector.


Well, that's my rant for now. But it is really annoying that everything negative that happens is all of Harper's fault. He may not be perfect but he's the best we have for now and for the future. I cannot, in all honesty, support Trudeau or Mulclair as I feel that neither individual has a clue of what is really going on in the world - their heads are in the sand as far as I can see. They are in it for themselves whereas I believe Harper is in it for the Country.


That's the way I see it.


Dixie
 
JLM

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
75,301
548
113
Vernon, B.C.
Ron in Regina said:
How close is the closest oil rig to Vernon? How close is the closest booming
economy? How close is the closest Provincial or Federal Capital? Outside of
tourist season, what excuse do the resteraunts have for jacking up the prices?

You've got it good. Enjoy it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's a different world here. My son who worked in the oil patch for 20+ years in N. Alberta is happy to have work here now at $15 - $17 an hour- not exactly I guess, but he's come to understand the reality of it. He figures on going back to patch in the winter.
 
mentalfloss

mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
39,817
471
83
BlackburnNews.com - Harper steers clear of Senate expense scandal
blackburnnews.com

National News


KYIV, Ukraine - Prime Minister Stephen Harper is keeping his distance from the latest revelations in the Senate expenses scandal.

Harper was asked about the issue on Saturday as he visited Ukraine, but he said little more other than the Senate is an independent body that is dealing with the problem itself.

An explosive audit of expenses that will be made public next week says there is little oversight and accountability in the upper chamber.

And auditor-general Michael Ferguson's report — sections of which were viewed by The Canadian Press — urges "transformative change" to fix systemic problems.

A total of 21 senators have been found to have made questionable expense claims and the RCMP is being asked to look at the expenses of another nine senators.

Harper says he views any abuse of taxpayer dollars by Parliamentarians to be unacceptable, but suggested the matter is out of his hands.

"The Senate is responsible for its own expenses, its own expense rules," Harper told reporters during a brief visit to Ukraine, where he stopped before attending the G7 summit in Germany.

Seven of the nine senators who have had their expenses referred to the RCMP are retired, including Liberal senator Rod Zimmer.

His disputed expense claims total 176-thousand dollars — including travel that auditors allege was for non-Senate business, and a housing allowance that he wasn't entitled to.

BlackburnNews.com - Harper steers clear of Senate expense scandal
 
JLM

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
75,301
548
113
Vernon, B.C.
mentalfloss said:
BlackburnNews.com - Harper steers clear of Senate expense scandal
blackburnnews.com

National News


KYIV, Ukraine - Prime Minister Stephen Harper is keeping his distance from the latest revelations in the Senate expenses scandal.

Harper was asked about the issue on Saturday as he visited Ukraine, but he said little more other than the Senate is an independent body that is dealing with the problem itself.



BlackburnNews.com - Harper steers clear of Senate expense scandal
Click to expand...

They are just a bunch of out and out f**king thieves. In 1958 in B.C. a cabinet minister got 5 years in the slammer for taking bribes- that slowed them down for many years.
 
S

Sal

Hall of Fame Member
Sep 29, 2007
17,135
33
48
JLM said:
They are just a bunch of out and out f**king thieves. In 1958 in B.C. a cabinet minister got 5 years in the slammer for taking bribes- that slowed them down for many years.
Click to expand...
wow he went to jail...now that shocks me...today we would tell him to be more careful
 
pgs

pgs

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 29, 2008
28,501
8,100
113
B.C.
Dixie Cup said:
And I give him credit for at least trying. It's not his fault that it hasn't happened. Try talking to the PROVINCES who have to give the Ok. They are too greedy for power and refuse to acknowledge that the senate needs either to be abolished or, at the very least, reformed so that they are accountable to Canadians. But the provinces with the most to lose, aka Ontario and Quebec and the Maritime provinces REFUSE to go to the table and talk about reform, much less abolition. Don't blame Harper - he has stated from the first time he was elected that he wanted to make changes to the Senate but he cannot do it without all of the provinces (or at least 7 out of 10) provinces.. It is completely disingenuous for any political party to blame Harper for the lack of changes to the Senate. HE CANNOT DO IT ON HIS OWN!


It pisses me off when people blame Harper for not making changes. He cannot do it arbitrarily! (Read the Constitution) He was hoping that the provinces would get together and come to some sort of agreement but they have not so whose fault is that? He waited how long before being forced to appoint 18 people to the Senate because NOT ONE PROVINCE except Alberta, was willing, as part of their election process, to have individuals run for the Senate seats that were open at the time. Do you not recall that there were several provinces that were having elections and who could have readily included the election of Senators at the same time? Alberta did and the Senator that was elected was appointed by Harper. I recall Mr. Harper pleading with the provinces involved to elect Senators and he would appoint them as the will of the people of the provinces involved. But did that happen? NO. Whose fault is that? Oh, of course, it was Harpers. How silly of me.


Finally, Harper had no choice but to appoint Senators to the empty seats. NO ONE objected to Pamela Wallin or Duffy or any of the other Senators that were appointed - NOT ONE OPPOSITION LEADER objected to ANY of his appointments. So what happened? People got greedy and lost their sense of right and wrong - **** happens - rules weren't clear - but that didn't matter. There couldn't have been a more p'd off person then Harper. Do you think really think he was happy with what happened? Are you kidding me? With the main stream media already blabbing about how you had a "hidden agenda" etc., you would be happy with the Wallin/Duffy affair? You really think he planned this? Seriously???


Sometimes, I think people's brains are in their butts! Yes, he's the PM but I don't believe for a minute he knew what was going to happen but I also I believe he takes responsibility for the appointments he made. He's not a happy camper, nor should he be. Hind sight is 20 20. I doubt he or anyone else had any idea of what was happening inside the Senate insofar as what expenses were allowed and who was doing what. The Senators themselves should be held accountable period. Did Harper make mistakes? Absolutely.


But I also believe that the Senior Public Service officials have some answering to do as well. Who approved the expenditures? If the rules weren't clear, why and why weren't these addressed? Heads should roll and not necessarily just in the PMO's office. A large part of what happens on the Hill is run by bureaucrats. These same bureaucrats worked under the Liberals as well so whatever has been going on has not just happened under the Conservatives. Asked why some expenses were approved, a "bureaucrat stated - "its always been done that way." Excuse me?? Oh, I guess that makes it okay. Right. See how that would work in the private sector.


Well, that's my rant for now. But it is really annoying that everything negative that happens is all of Harper's fault. He may not be perfect but he's the best we have for now and for the future. I cannot, in all honesty, support Trudeau or Mulclair as I feel that neither individual has a clue of what is really going on in the world - their heads are in the sand as far as I can see. They are in it for themselves whereas I believe Harper is in it for the Country.


That's the way I see it.


Dixie
Click to expand...
Pretty well stated I would say .
 
mentalfloss

mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
39,817
471
83
NDP's Pat Martin wants MPs to defund the Senate

'We may be unable to abolish the Senate unilaterally, but we can cut off its blood supply,' MP says

If you can't beat 'em, take away their money.

The New Democrats, long opposed to the Senate, are trying once again to abolish the upper chamber in an unlikely way — gut it of its funding.

It's not the first time the New Democrats have tried this tactic.

"It's almost a tradition," said NDP MP Pat Martin, adding that the idea dates back to the 1920s. "Since then, we've regularly moved to block the funding for the Senate. We may be unable to abolish the Senate unilaterally, but we can cut off its blood supply."

Martin, who is opposition critic for public works and government services, says he'll stand in the House of Commons this evening to present a motion opposing the Senate's more than $57 million in funds for current fiscal year.

"My view is, we've got to stop giving them money because it only encourages them, it seems," Martin said.

NDP motion comes ahead of AG report

According to the Treasury Board, the Senate's budget for 2015-2016 is estimated at $88.7 million. Of this amount, $57 million — which Martin says is for program spending and activities — requires approval by Parliament.

The motion will be presented at 6:30 p.m. ET in the House. MPs will vote at 10 p.m. ET after hours of debate.

"I don't know if they will vote against funding the senate, but for God's sakes, how can they look their constituents in the eye and vote to send them another $57 million? Look at how they managed the last pile of money we gave them," he said.

"So, this is the whole point, is we want Canadians to go into this with their eyes open."

Earlier, Senate Speaker Leo Housakos and Opposition Leader James Cowan announced they are repaying ineligible expenses flagged by the auditor general and will not be contesting the findings before an arbitrator, in a bid to dispel any perception of a conflict of interest.

Housakos, Cowan and Conservative Government Leader Claude Carignan are ultimately responsible for the Senate's new process to handle disputed expense claims, which includes the appointment of an independent arbiter. Housakos announced the appointment of former Supreme Court justice Ian Binnie to that role last month.

The highly anticipated auditor general's report into the Senate's expense claims will be released Tuesday, and will contain details of the contested expenses of 30 former and sitting senators, as well as the auditor general's recommendations for tightening up Senate expense rules.

http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/politics/ndp-s-pat-martin-wants-mps-to-defund-the-senate-1.3104876
 
MHz

MHz

Time Out
Mar 16, 2007
41,030
43
48
Red Deer AB
Perhaps they should just change how you get to be a member, elected politician who is over 14 and under 50, after 50 they can run as a political party member and would be the ones that could run as the leader. Of course it would also mean Canada gets to call the shots for Canada so it isn't on any horizon.
 
Locutus

Locutus

Adorable Deplorable
Jun 18, 2007
32,230
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JLM

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
75,301
548
113
Vernon, B.C.
Sounds like about 25% of them should be in jail. Maybe Harper knew something when he made the decision to build more prisons! :)
 
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