Canada Senate: what sould be done with it?

[2952-0-0]

Currently the Canadian Senate is very unpopular. Members are appointed for life by the Governor General (though "on advice" of the Prime Minister"). It is seen as:

1) a retirement home for party loyalists
2) a stonewalling device for legislation
3) waste of taxpayers' money

In fact, the polls say that 90% of Canadians (including me, a political junkie) can't name one single senator!!! What sould be done with it?

I go with Option 2. Elected, Equal, Effective...

[minionofmidas]

What purpose would an elected Senate serve that the House can't?

[Platypus]

reviewing legislation and representing the provinces in parliament.

Seriously, if every province had the same about of senators, I think it would reduce the animosity the western ones feel towards Ontario, The only problem is, of course, Ontario (and Quebec).

Anyway. It's a good idea to have a senate, if just to review legislation and to ensure that there is some kind of check on the government, but it should be wholly elected.

[Carey]

Why not do what Australia and the US do - have each province elect a certain amount of Senators, and give them longer terms than the Lower House colleagues, so that the make up of the lower house won't completely affect the make up of the upper house.

[KEmperor]

reviewing legislation and representing the provinces in parliament.

Seriously, if every province had the same about of senators, I think it would reduce the animosity the western ones feel towards Ontario, The only problem is, of course, Ontario (and Quebec).

Anyway. It's a good idea to have a senate, if just to review legislation and to ensure that there is some kind of check on the government, but it should be wholly elected.

Makes sense.  Either way, they should make it elected a la the US or Australian ones, or just get rid of it.

[Jake]

They should either make it elected with 8 senators a province (2 for territories) or abolish it all together.  Makes no sense to have something like the House of Lords for party hacks past retirement age.

[Gabu]

Abolish the whole thing; we waste far too much money on "the place where politicians go to die".  Frankly, they don't do much and I think we'd work perfectly fine without it.

If we have to have the Senate, either make it elected at the provincial level or allow the provincial legislatures to appoint them à la the United States before whichever amendment it was that made them elected.  The Senate right now is totally retarded; the Prime Minister basically appoints people who will then vote on his party's legislation.

[Emsworth]

Makes no sense to have something like the House of Lords for party hacks past retirement age.

Actually, Senators do not serve life terms, but only until they reach seventy-five.

The representation of the provinces in the Senate should be equalized. The current apportionment of Senators is quite out-of-date and is not even roughly related to population. If the appointment of Senators is to continue, then the provincial premier, not the Prime Minister, should choose the appointee, so that the Senate truly does represent provincial interests. No constitutional changes need to be made when it comes to the Senate's powers; in theory, the Senate has more than enough power, but simply does not use it in practice.

[Hatman 🍁]

I voted #2. One of the few issues I agree with the tories and am against the NDP on. The Senate should use PR and be similar to Australia.

You can't name a single Senator Gabu? What's wrong with you? You have to know at least these:

Anne C. Cools - First Black Canadian member of the Senate. A Conservatives who switched over from the Liberals last year.
John Lynch-Staunton - First leader of the current conservative party
Romeo Delaire - just made Senator a few weeks ago, I'm sure you are familiar with his work in Rwanda.
Frank Mahovlich - A former NHL star for the Toronto Maple Leafs

[Erc]

Make it more undemocratic.

Give everyone in there titles, make all the titles (and the seats) hereditary...because it would be hilarious to have the 3rd Duke of Alberta.

[Hatman 🍁]

woops. Disregard this post

[KEmperor]

Frank Mahovlich - A former NHL star for the Toronto Maple Leafs

I seriously hope those weren't his only qualifications.  Because otherwise that's pretty bad, and you are taking the Canadian stereotype way too far.

[Hatman 🍁]

Frank Mahovlich - A former NHL star for the Toronto Maple Leafs

I seriously hope those weren't his only qualifications.  Because otherwise that's pretty bad, and you are taking the Canadian stereotype way too far.

Well, it's reason for Gabu to know who he is. And guess, what Ken Dryden, a famous goalie for the Montreal Canadians is our Social Development Minister.  There have been a number of former hockey players who have gotten into politics. Wayne Gretzky's uncle is running for the Conservatives this year.

And any stereotype of Canadians and ice hockey is true.

[Gabu]

Frank Mahovlich - A former NHL star for the Toronto Maple Leafs

I seriously hope those weren't his only qualifications.  Because otherwise that's pretty bad, and you are taking the Canadian stereotype way too far.

Well, it's reason for Gabu to know who he is.

I don't pay attention to hockey, although this statement will probably only make things worse.

[Hatman 🍁]

Frank Mahovlich - A former NHL star for the Toronto Maple Leafs

I seriously hope those weren't his only qualifications.  Because otherwise that's pretty bad, and you are taking the Canadian stereotype way too far.

Well, it's reason for Gabu to know who he is.

I don't pay attention to hockey, although this statement will probably only make things worse.

Oh yeah, that's right you live in Victoria. I forgot

[Dave from Michigan]

Is the Canadian Senate work like the UK house of Lords?  Either way it should be elected. 

[Gabu]

Is the Canadian Senate work like the UK house of Lords?  Either way it should be elected. 

I don't know how the UK House of Lords works, so you'll have to explain that first.

[Emsworth]

I don't know how the UK House of Lords works, so you'll have to explain that first.

The House of Lords almost wholly consists of members theoretically appointed by the Queen, but the actual choices are made by the Prime Minister. So, to answer 9iron's question, the Senate is indeed, in this respect, similar to the Lords; the Governor General makes the appointments on the Prime Minister's advice.

Of course, there are a few differences; for example, the Canadian Senate does not include bishops of the established church (as there is no such church in Canada).