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NDP’s Mulcair takes aim at Senate abolition
The scandal unfolding in the Senate is giving new momentum to NDP calls for abolition.
Leader Thomas Mulcair says he and his New Democrats will be talking to Canadians about the need to eliminate the Senate, and he promises that its demise will be a key plank of the party’s next election campaign.
Leader Thomas Mulcair says he and his New Democrats will be talking to Canadians about the need to eliminate the Senate, and he promises that its demise will be a key plank of the party’s next election campaign.
“We’re going to stop trying to find excuses for keeping a bunch of party hacks, bagmen, political operatives and defeated candidates sitting in appeal of the duly elected members of the House of Commons,” Mr. Mulcair told reporters on Wednesday.
“We’re making sure we’re opening up a conversation with Canadians about this,” he said. “We’re giving them the ability to come to us to help us roll up the red carpet of the Senate and to finally get rid of this vestigial organ that we are convinced can be removed without any harm to the democratic body.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ndps-mulcair-takes-aim-at-senate-abolition/article12058932/
“We’re making sure we’re opening up a conversation with Canadians about this,” he said. “We’re giving them the ability to come to us to help us roll up the red carpet of the Senate and to finally get rid of this vestigial organ that we are convinced can be removed without any harm to the democratic body.”
Senate Hall of Shame
Why are we paying $90 million a year for an unelected, unaccountable Senate?
While Canadians are working harder just to make ends meet, the Senate in Ottawa is working less, but increasing in size and cost. It sits only 90 days a year and costs taxpayers over $90 million to run.
Unelected and unaccountable senators represent the parties that appointed them, not their regions or the Canadian people. They are only required to work three days a week – when they actually bother to show up.
Provinces like Manitoba and Quebec scrapped their “Senates” years ago. The people of New Zealand have also done away with their upper chamber. It’s time for Canada to do the same.
Stephen Harper once called the Senate a “relic of the 19th century”. But he’s stacked the Senate with 58 partisan appointments since becoming Prime Minister.
It’s time to abolish the Senate.
Unelected and unaccountable senators represent the parties that appointed them, not their regions or the Canadian people. They are only required to work three days a week – when they actually bother to show up.
Provinces like Manitoba and Quebec scrapped their “Senates” years ago. The people of New Zealand have also done away with their upper chamber. It’s time for Canada to do the same.
Stephen Harper once called the Senate a “relic of the 19th century”. But he’s stacked the Senate with 58 partisan appointments since becoming Prime Minister.
It’s time to abolish the Senate.
http://petition.ndp.ca/senate-hall-of-shame