Quote:
Originally Posted by flip
Look at it this way. The Senate costs taxpayers millions of dollars in operational costs, from salaries, pensions etc.
It is broken because it has absolutely ZERO reason for being in existence in its current form, it does nothing but give political appointees free money.
It was elected and there was equal representation from each province it would take away tyranny of the majority. Things like the NEP would never exist where one area of the country gets to screw over another.
Hopefully it would also avoid things like tiny ass towns in Quebec getting hundreds of thousands of dollars for Canada Day celebrations and the like when Calgary gets barely a cent.
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Pretty much.
To sum up, there's two big reasons for a Senate:
1.
Canadian Regionalism has a proven reputation of turning vicious. Nowhere else is there a free country so willing to screw one part to appease another. Of course, there are few other places with such defined regional lines. Alberta and, yes... Quebec, have probably felt this sting the worst. But still, most places have their own NEP-type smash-and-grab from another region.
2.
Oversight. Checks and Balances are essential to good government, and a real Senate with electorally empowered members will be able to stand tall and shoot down bad acts of parliament, especially in a majority system. Say, there's a coalition NDP/Bloc/Liberal Government. Alberta, BC and Sask are screwed, right? Not if there's a powerful, accountable, and equal Senate.