Reform the Senate? Abolish It!
For an institution that has been in existence for a century and a half, the Senate of Canada does not appear to have garnered many plaudits in its time. Its function and focus as the "chamber of second sober thought" is terrific in the abstract, but has been found somewhat wanting in the practicality of its existence and its record of achievement. It's past time to give it a nice fare-well party.
The Senate is a sow's teat too long in use, as a gilded reward for party faithful. Appointments from a long succession of governments to political friends and supporters has produced a body of non-elected officials of grave standing but little substance on the record. The sow's teat has produced a silken chamber that lacks fundamental practicality to the people of Canada.
The sole function of the Senate of Canada appears now to be refined as a reward-giving gilt-framed pasture for our political elite. The Senate, while perhaps at one time envisaged as a great assist to our elected leaders and members of Parliament, has fizzled rather badly. While there may be some proportion of its members who take their positions seriously and do their utmost to represent themselves honourably, too many simply don't bother.
To this group the Senate and their place in it has become a comfortable sinecure, an undemanding cradle of undiminishing rewards. Too many senators, busily engaged otherwise on matters of personal affairs, or business pursuits, find it rather tiresome to be expected to take their seats in the chamber on anything approximating a regular basis, but do find the personal financial awards acceptable to their needs.
Too many of these highly-respected office holders are appointed to various corporations' boards of directors simply because they can list, after their names, Senate of Canada, thus finding further remuneration. Too many of the members of the Senate of Canada accept lush commissions as lobbyists for big business and take this pursuit very seriously indeed, pushing relentlessly for government acceptance of goods and services whose use reflects lavishly upon their personal bottom line.
The Senate of Canada has become a forum of potential Cabinet assistance in a very direct manner, bringing a question of ethics into the mix when a unelected Senator can be brought into government in a portfolio that should rightfully go to a publicly-elected Member of Parliament. The Senate should not be a convenient supermarket to augment minority governments or those who wish to secure the services of an unelected partisan.
The Senate of Canada has within its membership some individuals whose moral compass has been sadly askew for many reasons, none more so than one who has been identified by policing agents as a "John", publicly, actively soliciting the services of a prostitute. That action simply bears too close a resemblance to the activities cited in the paragraph above.
Time to close up this particular shop.
The Senate is a sow's teat too long in use, as a gilded reward for party faithful. Appointments from a long succession of governments to political friends and supporters has produced a body of non-elected officials of grave standing but little substance on the record. The sow's teat has produced a silken chamber that lacks fundamental practicality to the people of Canada.
The sole function of the Senate of Canada appears now to be refined as a reward-giving gilt-framed pasture for our political elite. The Senate, while perhaps at one time envisaged as a great assist to our elected leaders and members of Parliament, has fizzled rather badly. While there may be some proportion of its members who take their positions seriously and do their utmost to represent themselves honourably, too many simply don't bother.
To this group the Senate and their place in it has become a comfortable sinecure, an undemanding cradle of undiminishing rewards. Too many senators, busily engaged otherwise on matters of personal affairs, or business pursuits, find it rather tiresome to be expected to take their seats in the chamber on anything approximating a regular basis, but do find the personal financial awards acceptable to their needs.
Too many of these highly-respected office holders are appointed to various corporations' boards of directors simply because they can list, after their names, Senate of Canada, thus finding further remuneration. Too many of the members of the Senate of Canada accept lush commissions as lobbyists for big business and take this pursuit very seriously indeed, pushing relentlessly for government acceptance of goods and services whose use reflects lavishly upon their personal bottom line.
The Senate of Canada has become a forum of potential Cabinet assistance in a very direct manner, bringing a question of ethics into the mix when a unelected Senator can be brought into government in a portfolio that should rightfully go to a publicly-elected Member of Parliament. The Senate should not be a convenient supermarket to augment minority governments or those who wish to secure the services of an unelected partisan.
The Senate of Canada has within its membership some individuals whose moral compass has been sadly askew for many reasons, none more so than one who has been identified by policing agents as a "John", publicly, actively soliciting the services of a prostitute. That action simply bears too close a resemblance to the activities cited in the paragraph above.
Time to close up this particular shop.
posted by Pieface | 12:27 PM
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