Phony reform??

[ivbinconned]

Citizens Centre for Freedom and Democracy

February 8, 2006

Should Senate reformers be upset?

At the same moment the Citizens Centre was sending out yesterday's weekly commentary, the prime minister was in Ottawa breaking his oft-repeated promise to appoint only elected Senate candidates.

Harper will summon to the Senate Michael Fortier of Montreal, where the Conservatives won no seats, so he can sit in cabinet as Minister of Public Works. The intention is that Fortier will contest a Commons seat (presumably in Montreal) at the earliest opportunity.

(Ministers are supposed to be members of Parliament, preferably of the House of Commons, and failing that of the Senate.)

Should Harper have done this? Was cabinet representation for Montreal more important than keeping his pledge to the voters? Was this a necessary (if jarring) exception, or the start of a long pattern of ruthless expediency in which all principles are sacrificed to enhance Conservative fortunes in eastern Canada, especially Quebec?

We'll see. In politics as in baseball you get more than one swing, but this was definitely strike one.

The bigger test will come when the new government negotiates with provinces the method of electing senators.

If Harper insists that the elections be federally-run rather than provincially-run (as in Alberta), it means he wants the Senate to remain politically hostage to leaders like himself in the House of Commons, as it has always been.

This would kill any chance of turning the Senate into an effective check on the dictatorial power of national governments.

It would also mean that Harper is ignoring a specific policy resolution passed by his own party, and the unanimous wisdom of Senate reformers of the last generation.

The whole purpose of the Senate is to represent provinces in Parliament, not national parties. Elections should therefore be provincial, not federal. Let's not repeat the mistake Australia made long ago, which turned their Triple-E Senate into a rubber stamp for the Prime Minister.

Senior Conservative MPs have privately expressed a strong desire to ignore this point. We must not let them. Phony reform is far worse than no reform at all.

- Link Byfield

Link Byfield is chairman of the Edmonton-based Citizens Centre for Freedom and Democracy, and an Alberta senator-elect.

[cowman]

Hopefully this is just one of those dirty little political things that has to happen and won't become common practice? I mean lets face it Fortier won't be in this cabinet long anyway? It is doubtful this government will last very long? I think the important thing is to keep your eye on the big picture...which is a majority government next time?
Some times the ends do justify the means.

[Horse]

A majority oh good then we can sit and be told all over again only with a new master.

[cowman]

Once we get that majority its off to the concentration camp for old dissenters like you Horse! LOL

[wilagro]

To you CONservatives: Once again you have been hoodwinked by your own leader. Feels good doesn't it...eh?
Harper has done an end-run again and I am sure that you can expect even more shenanigans as he 'appoints' even more of Mulroney's men. Alberta is IN alright...in big trouble. Too bad, really.

[ivbinconned]

Take note wilagro...it is I who posted this! I promissed to do my part here to hold their feet to the fire which can not be said for the liberals on this site who where either defensive of all, or silent of all, the liberals represented.

[ivbinconned]

From CBC Your Turn http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes/yourview/your_turn_conservative.html

Peter Mansbridge: Next question is coming from a city you're very familiar with, from Calgary.

Colleen Belisle: Hello, my name is Colleen Belisle and I have a question for Stephen Harper regarding the accountability issue. In the past 18 months, I have noticed a number of MPs crossing the floor after the election. This makes me wonder why I should, as a voter, go and vote when my MP can change parties after the election. Mr. Harper, are there any policies that you plan to enforce after the election regarding this issue? Thank you.

Stephen Harper: My short answer is no. And I understand the voters' frustration. You can imagine I feel that frustration as much as anyone. I was the victim of a number of the particular incidents that the voter is referring to, that Colleen's referring to, but the difficulty, Peter – I know that many members of Parliament have put forward various proposals that would restrict the right of MPs to cross the floor, force elections, or whatever. I haven't seen one yet that convinces me that it would create anything other than a situation where party leaders have even more power over the individual members of Parliament. And, as you know, I've said that, of course, I've said that for a long time that I think our members of Parliament need more authority, need to be able to represent their constituents' views, and they may make very bad decisions in crossing from a good party to a bad party or, more particularly, a winning party to a losing party. But that all said, I haven't seen one yet that I'm convinced creates a bigger problem than it's actually trying to fix.

Peter Mansbridge: Do you think voters are as uncomfortable as Ms. Belisle points out when these kinds of things happen? Because if they are, one assumes that they are looking for direction from their political leaders to prevent this from happening. As you pointed out, some parties, the NDP has said it would force an immediate election. Do you think something has to be done?

Stephen Harper: Let me give a concrete example of an alternative situation. The Conservative Party of Canada, the new Conservative Party was created because people left actually no less than three separate old caucuses, two old parties, and joined with a new party, and I think there is widespread consensus among not just members of the old parties, but members of the public as well that this was a good thing to create a stronger opposition, to end the fragmentation of the conservative movement in the country.

Now, you know, this kind of law could have forced us into a situation where we were having 75 byelections. So, you know, that's a problem with any of these proposals. We understand, I understand why people want them, and, believe me, there's a couple of cases that have happened where I'd love to have a law like this, but there's also a lot of downsides when you think it through. As I say, in a practical matter, I could see how party leaders could really abuse that particular provision to make it even more difficult for members who may disagree legitimately with their party to operate within the party.

[wilagro]

IvebinCONned: I am glad that you ARE going to hold their feet to the fire. Better heap on the coal as you will need a hotter fire I fear.

Cheers...

[cakadu]

The Conservative platform was based on doing things differently. What is different? Conservatives everywhere talked about how Senators had to be elected, yet the very day he is sworn in and his cabinet appointed Harper backtracks and APPOINTS Fortier to the Senate.

Those who contributed to Emerson's political fund and supported him as a Liberal have every right to be angry that he crossed the floor a mere two weeks after being elected as a Liberal. Let me get this straight - Belinda going to the Liberals very, very bad. Emerson, a Liberal, coming to the Conservatives a good thing.

When you set standards and talk that you have integrity and the wherewithall to adhere to those standards, you have to be prepared to walk the talk. So far, we've seen some stumbling.

[cakadu]

It has certainly disappointed many people who supported the party, however, I do hope they will be given the opportunity to carry out some of the good things they have advocated. Personally, I think Emerson should step down and run in a by-election to clear the air. If he got elected as a Conservative then he would have a mandate !

In this riding two of the prominent members of the executive have indicated they will stay on as Directors because of the respect they have for the MP but they have sent messages indicating their dismay at the Emerson issue.

It has certainly put a cloud over the new government and will ensure Harper an even rougher ride in the House of Commons !!

[ivbinconned]

One thing it has accomplished is that it sure blew the Dingbat.... eerrr.... Dingwall story off the map. An outrageous act of contempt for wilagro the taxpayer!

One thing is certain and that is that had the conservatives obtained a majority none of this would have happened. They where delt a hand...and they are playing it.

In our system, with no provisions YET for initutive, referendum or recall, MPs have a great deal of autonomy...and probably even more than usual with this conservative government.

No system is in place...YET for an elected senate and appointing senators is the norm, NOW, and appointing them to the senate has happened before...remember Hason Argue, a liberal appointed NDP senator that that was named to cabinate and was in charge of the wheat board.

[cowman]

Well personally I think Harper made a mistake on this one and it is definitely not the way to start out!
The fact is Emmerson is THE expert on the softwood lumber trade deal and to lose him now would put Canada behind the eightball? Maybe a better way would have been to hire him as a paid consultant or something?
As for Fortier...that is pretty hard to justify! I think we all realize the Conservative party is on the verge of a major breakthrough in Quebec and adding Fortier might be necessary to achieve that breakthrough?
Hey there are a lot of dirty little deals that happen in politics? If you believe otherwise then I would suggest you might believe in the tooth fairy?
My own MP, Bob Mills, is a classic example. With Harper since 1993, environment critic the last couple of terms...probably knows more about the environment than any other conservative? Doesn't get the cabinet job because some airhead from Edmonton needs a cabinet post! Main qualification...shes a woman!
Thats just how the cookie crumbles? Politics is just like business? One hand washes the other? You have to play the game if you want to be in the game?
In the ideal world it would be nice if our politicians could be saints or something...but in the REAL world...well you get my drift.

[cowman]

NOW COWMAN....Rona Ambrose has done a significant amount of work in the area of Kyoto and from what I understand she is a very well spoken, bright individual. I don't really think that Harper gave much air time to putting people into his cabinet based on minorities or which gender they happen to be. He has only one visable minority member in his cabinet and the Liberals had several.
He has less female members as well, so I don't buy the theory that Rona was appointed because she is a woman.
Personally, I would have preferred to see Diane Abolonzy in cabinet because of her years of experience and loyalty to the three parties that make up the Conservatives. That is the glaring error Harper made in appointing cabinet members from Alberta in my view.

He is going to have a storm to weather when the session starts in April, and I don't think the Emerson issue will have died down by then.

[ivbinconned]

One thing is for sure...we don't KNOW what has gone on behind closed doors but there is no doubt in my mind that all these desisions have been made with the next election in mind. The role that Dianne plays in that effort may well be whats behind her assignment.

The next election I suspect will happen sooner than later...could be before the year is out, making all appointments temporary.

[cakadu]

The point is that they were not going to do ANYTHING like this and already there are people making excuses as to why it is okay. Either it is okay or it isn't. Yes, the Conservatives were dealt a slim minority government and their job is to make the best of it - not start off on the wrong foot.

NO we don't have an elected Senate yet, but all along the Conservatives have been talking ad nauseum about the need for an elected Senate. Should they have added the proviso "unless we need an appointment to further our cause".

Emrald is right - Emerson should call a bi-election which may not bode well for him given that it would mean people in his riding would go to the polls yet again. People supported him as a Liberal and he may not have gotten the same support as a Conservative.

Harper and his handlers would do well to remember that they are in power as a result of people being tired of the Liberals and NOT because people wanted this Conservative government. They may very well be thinking of the next election, but to start off this way was a bad, bad mistake.