Methinks John Ivison has hit the nail right on its head with this: If the Auditor-General’s report does suggest a systemic problem of corruption and abuse, who would bet against the Conservatives using the Senate as a classic wedge issue, pointing out that the Liberals are in favour of preserving
Continue readingTag: Senate Reform
A BCer in Toronto: Harper’s credibility, the evening news and life outside the Commons
The mistake many politically aware and involved people make is believing everyone follows the ins and outs of every political development as much as they do. They don’t. People are busy. They have other priorities. Believing that everyone shares their anger is a mistake partisans too routinely make. Most Canadians,
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: More On Duffy and Conservative Corruption
I must admit that while I really don’t much like Mike Duffy and the seemingly endless stream of evidence of corruption with him at the root of it is fatiguing to read about all the time, it is still an important issue. I am not going to argue about Senate
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Referendum on Senate? Only if it includes all options – including a “reform” one
Michael Bliss, Professor at U of T, argues in the Globe today that the Senate must be abolished, and lays out why it can’t be reformed. I’ll put aside that part of the argument for now; what I’m interested in is how he feels abolishing the Senate would be any
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: The Rot Starts At The Top
Regular readers of this space will know that I am no fan of Prime Minister Harper. Yesterday’s revelation that a “boot camp” for new Conservative Senators explicitly told the new Senators that partisan travel was a legitimate expense makes me downright furious. Three former Conservative senators at the heart of
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: The Legitimacy Of Harper’s Senate Appointees
With the latest set of revelations in the ongoing Senate Scandal, we find out that Senator Wallin spends the majority of her time living in Toronto. Frankly, I don’t much care where Ms. Wallin lives. That is largely her business – except for that part of her life where she
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: On The Ongoing Senate Scandal
As the summer wears on, more keeps dribbling out about the misdeeds of various Senators. Whether we are talking about Wallin, Duffy or Brazeau the outrage that we direct towards these senators for their individual misdeeds should be directed in equal measure towards the man currently residing at 24 Sussex Dr.
Continue readingA BCer in Toronto: Even if it could, Senate reform shouldn’t proceed without the provinces – or the people
To the surprise of everyone in the Ottawa bubble, Her Majesty’s Minister of State for Democratic Reform, Pierre Poilievre, held a press availability Wednesday not to slam the Liberals for some alleged sins, but to actually speak to an issue of policy substance: the government’s Supreme Court reference on Senate
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Plurality of Canadians want Senate “reformed”, not abolished.
At least, according to this Nanos poll: The survey asked Canadians what they would like to see done with the Senate. Respondents were overwhelmingly against the status quo, with 49 per cent supporting reform of the Senate and 41 per cent preferring it be abolished. Just six per cent said
Continue readingA BCer in Toronto: There is an argument for the Senate – just not this Senate, or this House of Commons
The Senate has been much in the news lately, with the expense troubles of a few Senators – compounded by the mishandling of their investigation – bringing much negative attention to the other place. While this is really a scandal about Stephen Harper’s decision-making and the style of governance he
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: One less provincial vote for Senate abolition
Premier Kathleen Wynne is taking the opposite position of what Dalton Mcguinty advocated: instead of abolition, she is for reform of the Senate: Kathleen Wynne, says she sees real value in having a chamber of sober, second thought and would like to see it reformed. Wynne says the discussions of
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: On Senate Reform
Your latest poll from Forum Research on what should be done with the Senate: “More than one third want to abolish the Senate. An additional 37% called for the Senate to become an elected body. Less than 10% felt it best to leave the Senate as is. The latest results
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Premier Wynne can push for national referendum on future of the Senate
By Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive, Feb. 18, 2013: In, 2004, Stephen Harper described Canada’s Senate as a “dumping ground for the favoured cronies of the Prime Minister.” He also said: “I will not name appointed people to the Senate. Anyone who sits in the Parliament of Canada must be elected by the people
Continue readingAutonomy For All: Canadian Senate Reformers Should Not Cite The Australian Senate
Advocates of Senate reform (particularly direct election of Canadian Senators) have taken to citing Australia’s Senate as evidence that elected and democratically legitimate Senates are compatible with well run societies (here, here and here). They should desist, unless they are prepared to advocate for an actual Australian model Senate, which
Continue readingCuriosityCat: The Liberal leadership race is between Trudeau and Murray, with a 2014 early election
I decide when … The third debate is over. No-one blew their brains out. No-one surprised the audience. The race will be decided by March 4, when each of the candidates will be able to compare the number of supporters they signed up in each of the 308 ridings, calculate
Continue readingAutonomy For All: The Sensible Path: Abolish the Senate
Calls for reform represent a stealth effort to foist a radical new form of government on an unsuspecting Canadian public. Aside from the cost (about $90 million per year) and the recent scandals about residency and private life criminal behaviour, the real threat the Senate poses is that it has (mostly)
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: Will Brazeau provide the needed momentum for Senate reform?
For years, one of the few things that I have agreed with Harper has been on the issue of Senate reform. I don’t necessarily agree on all the details, and I think the NDP’s idea of abolishing the senate over reforming it holds some merit, but to the general spirit
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: On Debating What Might Occur In The Aftermath Of The Reform Or Abolition Of The Canadian Senate
Debating what might occur in the aftermath of the reform or abolition of the Canadian Senate, as Andrew Coyne does in the OpEd piece through the link, is like debating whether, if pigs should ever fly, we should all wear a protective helmet while flying our flying pig. Pigs won’t
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Yet another Senate reform blogpost
Ideas to reform the Senate seem to be the Canadian version of the Holy Grail. This week, you’ve seen not calls for reform, but calls to abolish it with the behaviors coming to light of a couple of Harper-appointed Conservative Senators in the form of Mike Duffy and Patrick Brazeau.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Senator Patrick Brazeau Must Go!
If Brazeau stays on as an independent Senator, he’ll cost Canadian taxpayers at lease $7-million by the time he retires approximately 37 years from today. By Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive, Feb. 8, 2013: Conservative Sen. Patrick Brazeau’s charges of assault and sexual assault offer Prime Minister Stephen Harper the opportunity to do the
Continue reading