Quote:
Originally Posted by billybob123
After all the hubub yesterday about the Senate (all sides playing stupid political games) it got me thinking. I realize there are many options out there for Senate reform; is there anyone out there who actually supports the status quo? I suppose the debate is what to change it into.
*Elected?(currently I think the concept of the non-binding Senate elections that are held are absurd. Why vote [and waste money] on an election that isn't necessarily going to hold? Especially when the vast majority of Senators are still policitally-connected appointments!)
*Equal. I like the concept of the US Senate where no one State gets undue power - the House of Representatives is like our H of Commons -- representation by population. I can see the other side, though - why should, for example, PEI have as much voting power as Ontario when the population of the entire province is less than each of the top 15 cities alone in Ontario. I can go either way.
*Term limits. The simple way to remove this concept is to require election every 5 years, without debate. If the Senate is elected, then term limits should only hold if H of Commons term limits are imposed as well.
*Abolition. I am on board with this idea too - who needs yet another place for sensible bills to die?
I don't know where I stand; but I do believe that the current situation is a blight on democracy in Canada. Nothing about an unelected legislative chamber is democratic.
What are everyone's opinions?
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Because the House of commons is based around Representation by population which means that Ontario and Quebec have an inordinate power in the house, you'd almost need to have the Senate with equal regional representation to balance that out. If the house and senate were seated the same then you basically reduce the voice in government of the smaller or less populated provinces.
I would like to see an elected senate, but voter's have enough trouble comprehending that they have to vote for a MP and not a prime minister in effect that most of these people show up on election night, look at their ballots and exclaim "Who the hell are these guys". If you add a senator to the list you'll see even more apathy.
Term limits are a great idea. I'm for sitting limits of the entire senate personally.
I don't know if I want to see the senate abolished, in its current form its become a hyperpolitical mess that has nothing to do with sober second thought. But a reformed senate would be effective.