Prime Minister Appoints 5 Senators

[TenPenny]

I don't know why anyone takes the claims of Senate reform seriously, it's like claims to remove the GST; they are transparent bs, and shouldn't fool anybody. I don't believe they actually do fool anyone, except a bizarre extreme minority (see above).

 

[Walter]

I don't know why anyone takes the claims of Senate reform seriously, it's like claims to remove the GST; they are transparent bs, and shouldn't fool anybody. I don't believe they actually do fool anyone, except a bizarre extreme minority (see above).

Removing the GST was a Liberal promise and it didn't happen; lowering the GST was a Conservative promise and it happened. See the difference?

 

[TenPenny]

Removing the GST was a Liberal promise and it didn't happen; lowering the GST was a Conservative promise and it happened. See the difference?

Removing the gst was a liberal promise, and it didn't happen (and never was intended to); reforming the senate was a conservative promise, and it didn't happen (and never was intended to). See the difference?

 

[pgs]

Actually yes I do.
Harper does not have the power in the house to make such changes.
Cretin did.

 

[Colpy]

Removing the gst was a liberal promise, and it didn't happen (and never was intended to); reforming the senate was a conservative promise, and it didn't happen (and never was intended to). See the difference?

Give it time. Senate reform is still high on the PM's agenda.....it was simply impossible without using his power to stack the Senate.........

 

[Bar Sinister]

Under the current situation Senate reform is unlikely for several reasons. The first is the fact that three provinces Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland have more than half the Senate seats between them. Convincing these provinces to relinquish their hold on the Senate is almost impossible.

The second is that that constitutional conferences have established the precedent that no change in the Canadian constitution can take place without general agreement by all of the provinces - or at least all of the provinces except Quebec.

Given these two obstacles and the fact that many premiers do not share identical views on Senate reform don't expect any real change. Especially now that Harper appears to have gone back on any idea of reform by using the established method of appointing Senators. It is hard to promote the idea of change when you have gone back on your own political philosophy.

 

[JLM]

I guess he was attending to business while perogying...

 

[Liberalman]

Harper will not bring in senate reform because he controls the Senate.
The former Reform MPs said that they wanted to get rid of the golden pension but soon changed their minds when they were in a position of getting one.

If Prime Minister Harper goes for senate reform he might lose control of the Senate so this idea will be put on the back burner.

We just have to wait and see if the appointed Senators will be loyal to the PMO or to the people of Canada.

 

[wulfie68]

This whole situation saddens me for a couple reasons but mainly:

-that such an undemocratic institution as the Canadian Senate can exist in a country that prides itself on being a modern democracy and example to others

-that reform of said institution has to be done via an end-run like this: if the Conservative controlled senate does bring forth and support reform, such as limiting of terms for senators, etc, I wonder about the long term constitutionality of such reforms

I don't like the way the whole scenario has unfolded. I think we do need a second chamber (elected by the people, not appointed by the PMO to rubber stamp their wishes), and I know the various provinces are so far apart in their aspirations that a constitutional ammendment would never happen. I'm too much of an idealist to give in to "the ends justifies the means" on this type of issue. I don't like what the divides in the regions say about our country and its future.