Released on April 25, 2014
The Supreme Court of Canada decision makes it very clear that Canadians are stuck indefinitely with an unelected, unaccountable, upper house, a principle feature of which is a representational bias against western Canada.
This is obviously very disappointing to the Province of Saskatchewan and so many Canadians who find it unacceptable and even embarrassing that in 2014 Canada is the only western bicameral democracy that has an unelected and unaccountable institution with real power over its citizens.
I do not see how even a national referendum would affect change. The Court's pronouncement that every province has de-facto veto over meaningful change or abolition renders the prospects for a national question moot and the exercise a probable waste of time and taxpayers money.
Short of successive Prime Ministers refusing to appoint Senators until the chamber is empty it would appear that Canada is indeed stuck with an anachronistic, unelected, unaccountable Senate.
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For more information, contact:
Kathy Young
Executive Council
Regina
Phone: 306-787-0425
Email: kathy.young@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-526-8927