A key piece of the Conservative Party's platform going back to the days of its predecessor, the Reform Party, Senate reform has stalled against resistance by senators and some of the provinces.
The government's Senate reform bill, C-7, would limit senators' terms to nine years and allow the provinces to hold elections to choose senators. The Governor General would then, on the advice of the prime minister, appoint senators who had been selected through provincial elections.
One question about the federal government's powers is whether the majority of the provinces have to agree to the reform, something required for constitutional change.
The federal government maintains such changes are relatively minor and can be done with the approval of Parliament alone.
But Quebec contends the changes would alter the fundamental character of the Senate and, consequently, should require a constitutional amendment approved by at least seven provinces representing 50 per cent of the population.
'Delay button'
In question period on Friday, Liberal MP Stéphane Dion said the bill is on shaky constitutional grounds.
"Will the minister of democratic reform announce today that this ill-conceived Senate reform will finally be referred to the Supreme Court, something that the Liberal Party has requested since June, 2007?" Dion said.
Democratic Reform Minister Tim Uppal didn't directly answer the question.
"We will take no advice, no lessons from the Liberals and that member, who in the time that they were in government did nothing to advance Senate reform," Uppal said.
NDP House Leader Nathan Cullen accused the government of stalling the legislation on purpose, saying the Conservatives may just be hitting "the delay button."
Original Article
Source: huffington post
Author: cbc
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