12-13-2006, 02:35 PM | #1 (permalink) | |
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Location: Where the music's loudest
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Conservatives propose Senate reform bill
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/...-senators.html
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Importantly I am very interested in these issues of democratic reform, and would like to hear the opinions of fellow TFPers, and hopefully, have some new reading material on the subject. Anyone think this a bad thing? Or a bad time?
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12-13-2006, 02:49 PM | #2 (permalink) |
Getting it.
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Location: Lion City
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I am not as well versed on this subject as I'd like to be. That said, opening the senate issue means, ultimately, another constitutional debate. Those are rarely good things in Canada.
The other thing is if we give more power to the Senate, and I believe that with an elected Senate we are heading to a situation where the Senate will assume more power, we do not have anything in the constitution that gives us a tool to break an impasse between the House and the Senate. As a result we would have a lot less efficiency in the system. Well, at least until we have constitutional reform to create those tools and that brings us back to constitutional reform. The more I read, the more I think we should just abolish the Senate. By the way, is it just me or does this really underscore Harper's hypocrisy? His appointing of a crony into the Senate and then giving him a cabinet position... the guy has never been elected (and there was a seat open where he could have run in a by-election).
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12-13-2006, 08:15 PM | #3 (permalink) |
who ever said streaking was a bad thing?
Location: Calgary
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Well before the Senate was a popularity contest. Frank Mahovolich of all people was put in there by the liberals. Along with other high standing liberal contributors. Basically it was a retirement "home" for liberal policitians.
Though Dion did point out a momumental problem, Harper actually took a step forward to democratic reform, a thing the liberals have not done in about 12 years (I think). And personally, I think that Harper is just fulfilling campaign promises right now, going through his agenda and then going from there. I think after he's done or with the threat of a spring election but the Bloc, maybe he'll start on trying to work on things that are more pressing. Such as the Kyoto Accord (NDP and Green Party), Francophone alienation and Quebec separatist (Bloc) and generally dealing with socioeconomic issues within Canada such as housing for the poor, (hopefully) trying to get Alberta from a resource province into a more manufacturing province for sustainability. Trying to help out with the debt control in Quebec, trying to boost the economies in the Maritimes, boosting his "image" or promoting his party in Ontario and parts of BC, taking a look at Native issues with respect to NWT, Yukon and Nunavut. |
12-27-2006, 08:37 AM | #7 (permalink) | |
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Is this reason true or not, I don't know, but it is what I heard (live with my own ears when it was asked of Fortier). Crony is such a loaded word, isn't it? let's say that it was done with all bad intentions... How many senators did Harper appoint (or advise the Governor General to appoint)? 1 He probably could have gotten away with a few more - there are 10 vacancies - if he wanted to try to fill up the senate with some conservatives. How many did Martin Appoint? 17 (or at least 17 that are currently serving.)
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Tags |
bill, conservatives, propose, reform, senate |
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