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 Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 12:41 pm Post subject: NDP to Table Non-Binding Bill to Abolish Senate |
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| Quote: | MPs will spend the day debating a non-binding NDP motion to eliminate the Senate, as controversy continues over the expenses claimed by some senators.
Opposition parties are allotted a certain number of days every year to set the topic of debate. The NDP is using this day to discuss abolishing the Senate. The motions debated on supply days are not binding on the government even if MPs vote in favour of the motion.
A vote on the motion will come tonight or tomorrow.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who came to power promising to reform the Senate and not to name any senators until it was reformed, last month asked the Supreme Court to answer questions about the government's power to reform or abolish the Senate. He has named 58 senators since he became prime minister.
The court is being asked whether the Senate Reform Act is constitutional, as well as about the constitutional amending procedure for changes to the net worth and property qualifications for Senate nominees, which were designed at the time of Confederation. |
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politic.....enate.html |
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| Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 12:52 pm Post subject: |
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I have to say that I did enjoy the dig at Harper in the article;
I wish I had bookmarked the various news articles from January 24th 2006 till his first Senate appointments of non-elected Senators (Bert Brown was appointed on July 10, 2007) on January 2, 2009 claiming he was "Starving" Democracy by not filling Senate seats and the Liberals screaming he was trying to force Senate reform by refusing to fill the vacancies as the arose all while passing four Senate Reform bills in the Commons all left to die on the Senate Floor.
That aside;
The NDP nor the House of Common's in general has the mandate to abolish the upper house, nor do I think the Senate would pass such legislation anyway.
I am however thrilled the topic will at least be debated. |
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RCO
Joined: 02 Mar 2009
Posts: 1896
  
votes: 2
Location: Ontario
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| Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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| the bill was defeated this week by a large margin , the liberals didn't even vote for it . i don't think senate abolishion is a realistic goal to see happen any time soon . i can't imagine all the provinces would agree to such a thing especially the smaller ones who would lose imfulence and seats . |
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