In that, he is wrong; the evolution from appointment to election of Senators does not involve an "end run" to an American Senate -- it is precisely how the American Senate evolved.
Originally, American Senators were appointed by the state legislatures without elections. However, by 1910, most States made that appointment following a popular election (basically what Stephen Harper now proposes). Popular election to the Senate was standardised nationally in 1913 by formal amendment to the US Constitution.
Having Provinces elect Senators who would then be appointed Federally is almost identical to the American experience, albeit a hundred years later. Good or bad, what is proposed is not an "end run".
6 comments:
With the cost of elections and the extremes of pork, etc. some Americans have talked about going back to appointed senate.
Perhaps we should listen.
Costly, partisan, costly, pork, pork.
Americanize the Senate and the jails
With all of this going on..I will take the Canadian way, thanks
I think if Canada had an elected Senate, it would look and behave more like an Australian Senate. There are several parties in the Australian Senate whose members support their parties while supporting their regional interests. Its senators do not behave like independents.
I'm glad someone knows their history. The Canadian Senate CAN be democratized in this one small step. Still, elected may just lead to effective, but I doubt that it can be until we have something close to Equal. Yes, that will require a constitutional change and yes, that will never happen because Trudeau's rag makes it impossible without the support of provinces that will lose representation under the new formula. One thing I know about Canada is that fairness towards the aspirations of a growing West has never been a priority in Quebec (see the whining about losing seats in the commons), the minnows of the Maritimes (see whining about loss of senate seats in previous elections), or Ontario.
Let's face it, Canada as constructed today and restrained as it is by a shitty Central Canadian constitution just does not work.
Skinny Dipper....You are talking about the same thing as I have mentioned a number of times on other blogs and you are right. The Australian system of the Senate could easily be followed here without much mourning. However, before we can establish a voted Senate we will have to institute mandatory voting as does Australia. Mandatory voting is not a bad thing and it is possible if we had mandatory voting, Harper would not be in power now.
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