Dan416
Senior Member
In light of the unelected Senate putting to bed a recent environmental bill that was passed by the House of Commons, what is your view of the future of the Canadian Senate?
Oh dear, I just chose "elected" senate and now I read this! Definitely the best solution to this problem I've seen yet.I think the Senate should fulfill the function it was supposed to fulfill in the first place: protection of regional interests and a chamber of sober second thought.
-snip-
On this issue specifically...CC do you really believe that an elected senate might have acted differently? What if that elected Senate were to come in at a time when the Conservatives were riding high in the polls?
Asking how we should change the Senate is like asking how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. It's moot, because change is not possible.
Ultimate lair of patronage appointments depending on the Government of the day. My view is that they should be elected (and accountable), no longer appointed.
Actually I would take holding MPs accountable in a meaningful way instead of settling for yet another symbolic interpretation that elected = accountable. Recent experiences have proven that to be a fantasy.
As an institution that is (supposedly) dedicated to sober second thought shouldn't a high premium be placed on merit of its' members in such regards? Shouldn't the minds chosen for such purposes be the most thoughtful, measured and wise from Canadian society? In fact shouldn't overt political affiliation be a disqualifying factor? In order to serve this important role shouldn't the senate be a non-partisan body? Shouldn't this body be the foil against the increasingly jingoist and anti-rational discourse in Canadian politics?
AoD
Don't mean to be contrarian, but change is always possible...