OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) reacted to the Trudeau government’s announcement to create a five-member advisory panel to appoint new Senators calling it “totally inadequate.” (Photo Canadian Senate Andrijko-Z/Wikipedia)
“This truly is nothing more than the proverbial lipstick on the pig,” said CTF Federal Director Aaron Wudrick. “Having a panel give advice about appointing Senators does not give more democratic legitimacy than if the prime minister makes the appointments without a panel. It addresses precisely none of the shortcomings of the existing broken system.”
Wudrick suggested that the new process could actually make the Senate even less accountable, by weakening the link to the appointing prime minister.
“There is a misplaced assumption that an advisory panel will be somehow better placed to weed out potentially ‘problematic’ senators by selecting from a list of elite professionals,” continued Wudrick. “One wonders if such a panel would have prevented such professionally-qualified Senators as Mike Duffy, Mac Harb, Patrick Brazeau and Pamela Wallin from being appointed.”
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has been circulating a petition calling for a national referendum on abolishing the senate. It can be found here: https://www.taxpayer.com/resource-centre/petitions/petition?tpContentId=76
“Make no mistake, this is a superficial measure masquerading as substantive change. Canadians won’t be fooled,” continued Wudrick. “Canadians deserve to choose the people who pass their laws, and not have it left to an appointed panel of so-called ‘experts.’ If the government is serious about real change on the Senate, they must call a referendum and let Canadians have their say.”
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