As political problems go, the Senate is one that has long confounded our elected leaders.
Making it go away for good or substantially reforming it – the “real change” favoured by most Canadians – requires the consent of the provinces and promises to inspire so much nasty constitutional wrangling that politicians have been loath to open that Pandora’s Box.
What’s left has been to make smaller tinkering changes such as those recently introduced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
On the surface, the idea of a non-partisan, merit-based process to guide Senate appointments sounds good. But the devil will be in the details.
For instance, it’ll still be the prime minister who will choose the majority of the advisory board who will put forward a list of potential senators. And those suggestions are still non-binding.
We’re told that “ordinary Canadians” will also be welcome to apply. But don’t hold your breath waiting for too many Bob and Doug McKenzies to take their seats in the Red Chamber.
The idea of people who can put party politics aside for the good of the country is certainly a noble one. Sadly, that’s also what disgraced Senator Mike Duffy claimed his own role was to have been – and we’ve seen how that worked out.
The problem with the Senate isn’t just who is appointed. It’s who they become while there, particularly in the absence of meaningful rules about what their role on the public dime is supposed to be. Tightening those and making them explicit is also an important part of reforming the Senate and making it accountable to the public.
– Guest editorial from the North Shore News
