Current Senate Reform Proposals

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at the debate swirling around whether or not the Canadian Senate should be reformed. In particular, the paper notes how the current arrangement appears to exacerbate regional tensions while simultaneously undermining the legitimacy of the democratic, representative process. After discussing the arguments opposing some kinds of Senate reform, the paper discusses the Harper government's proposals and their relative strengths and weaknesses. In the end, the paper argues that the current ideas for changing the Senate have some merits, but they are compromised by the fact that proposed elections to the Senate are non-binding upon the government - and by the fact that a reluctance to "go to the people" might be seen as arrogant and elitist.

From the Paper:

"The denunciations of the Canadian Senate do not end with the criticisms cited above. Particularly, opponents of the unelected Upper Chamber argue that the Senate really exacerbates the cleavages already tearing at the fabric of the Canadian union. For these scholars, western frustration and alienation is chiefly brought about by the collective sense that the territories west of Manitoba lack adequate representation in the decision-making processes of government (Lawson, 131). Without question, if the anger and frustration of the west continues to fester, there is the distinct possibility that western separatist movements and other difficulties could arise. As one final point, it surely cannot be overlooked that the Senate's unelected nature cuts deeply into any claims to legitimacy it may assert (Geddes, "All or Nothing," 32-33) and this too is undoubtedly another reason why western critics of the Senate find it so objectionable on those relatively rare occasions when it does do something substantive."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Geddes, John. "All or Nothing." Maclean's 12 Apr.-19 Apr. 2004: 32-33.
• Geddes, John. "Cleaning up the Upper House." Maclean's 12 Jun. 2006: 22-23.
• Lawson, Robert J. "Understanding Alienation in Western Canada: Is Western Alienation the Problem? Is Senate Reform the Cure?" Journal of Canadian Studies, 39(2): 127-155.
• Makarenko, Jay. "Senate Reform in Canada." Mapleleafweb.com. 2006. Maple Leaf Web. 11 Mar. 2007 <http://www.mapleleafweb.com/features/parliament/senate-reform/index.html#constitutional>
• McCormick, Peter C., Ernest C. Manning, and Gordon Gibson. Regional Representation: The Canadian Partnership. Calgary: Canada West Foundation, 1981.

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