Senate referendum: Void rhetoric
The Chronicle Herald
Editorial
Sun, Mar 6 - 7:22 AM
JACK LAYTON’S pitch last week to hold a referendum on abolishing the Senate is sheer electioneering. He can diss the Senate all he likes, but dissolving it is a much trickier proposition.
The federal NDP leader is well aware that such a plebiscite, even if hugely successful, would be moot. Referendums are non-binding in this country — and that includes the two (thankfully unsuccessful) referendums Quebec separatists have already orchestrated.
The reality is that the secession of a province or the upending of the upper chamber would require a constitutional amendment and the consent of seven of the 10 provinces comprising 50 per cent of the population.
Mr. Layton believes a "clear statement" from the Canadian people would serve as a cattle prod for provincial and federal politicians to axe the Senate, since attempts to overhaul it have largely stalled. In effect, what Mr. Layton is advocating is reopening the Constitution, plus that other can of worms known as regional grievances. If anything, such a process might succeed only in fanning the flames for a third sovereignty referendum in Quebec or — who knows? — a breakaway bid by Alberta.
Presented under this light, Mr. Layton’s referendum question suddenly becomes less attractive. Which is not to say that many of his criticisms of the Senate and its current composition aren’t valid. Nor is he off-base with many of his beefs with Stephen Harper and his stacking of the Senate with loyalists after running on a reformist agenda.
Mr. Harper’s appointees do profess to believe in Senate reform and term limits. It will be interesting to see what happens to a Conservative bill introduced a year ago that would allow senators to be elected in each province, then appointed by the prime minister.
This might take the sting out of one of Mr. Layton’s criticisms — that unelected senators can override the will of the majority of the elected MPs in the House of Commons, as they did last year on a climate-change bill. But while the gradual emergence of an upper chamber populated with "elected" representatives would boost its legitimacy, it might also put it on a collision course with the Commons more often and produce parliamentary paralysis.
Frankly, the easiest way to reform the Senate would be for prime ministers to reform their ways. They could make a point of appointing high-calibre candidates. How about drawing from the ranks of non-partisan Order of Canada recipients instead of from lists of party stalwarts and sympathizers?
Personally I like what Jack, er, Mr. Layton has to say about the Senate.
I like the Triple E Senate.
Too bad Stephen Harper reneged on that position.
WFDS
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