My column in the June/July Beaver magazine looks at Senate reform -- 150 years ago. We actually had an elected senate in Canada in the 1850s, and it was such a failure that the confederation makers did away with it in 1867. My point in the article is that they did so because they were democrats committed to sustaining the authority of the truly representative lower house. Check it out -- newsstand or by subscription www.thebeaver.ca
Compared to his previous promises, PM Harper's recent baby step on Senate reform - eight-year appointments instead of life - seems harmless. Though my wise friend the playwright and performer Neil Ross remarked yesterday, "Everything he does is intended to look harmless. Wait until he has a free hand!"
On the same subject, a Calgary reader sends note of a September conference committed to Triple E and much else. Personally I'd argue against all six of their Three Principles, but see for yourself at Calgary conference
Which reminds me of a suggestion I've never heard vented: if Alberta is so keen on powerful upper houses, maybe that province could create its own provincial Senate. Indeed, there used to be upper houses in most provinces, but the provinces abolished them ASAP. An Albertan Senate, Triple E, with half the seats coming from the half of the province north of Edmonton; it might be some fun to see how that affected the long one-party dominances in the lower house to which Alberta is more prone than any other province.
