It's not surprising that Premier Brad Wall seemed so eager Friday to distance himself from Prime Minister Stephen Harper's raging Senate mess.
The Harper-created Senate crisis is not only real - it's radioactive. Short of those few who might still harbour dreams of being called up to the chamber of entitlement, no one seriously believes today's Senate problems are somehow just figments of an overzealous media.
And those who assumed Wall would simply toe the Harper line are missing obvious differences between the two leaders and their philosophies.
For starters, for whatever similarities may be between the Saskatchewan Party and federal Conservative governments - and there are many - there's a marked difference in the amount of hubris and deceit each is willing to engage in.
This is not to say that Wall's government hasn't suffered its own bouts of hubris, such as adding three more MLAs. And it is also occasionally irrationally intolerant of criticism, as with the Saskatchewan Film Tax Credit review or legitimate criticisms of labour law changes.
But Wall and company are nowhere near as bad as the federal Conservatives when it comes to stomaching the nonsense we've witnessed from Sen. Mike Duffy and, to only a slightly lesser extent, Saskatchewan Senators Pamela Wallin and David Tkachuk.
For whatever support Wall rightly lent to Wallin's right to represent this province in the Senate in the face of what were largely politically driven attempts to have her disqualified as a non-Saskatchewan resident, he isn't so blindly partisan as to continue his support in the face of questionable expense claims and the Senate's unwillingness to properly police itself. And remember, given that Wallin is choosing to stick her hand in front of the camera lens instead of answering questions, we are still unsure about whether or not she has paid back expenses.
But Wall's pronouncement Friday that the time has come to abolish the Senate does seem to be telling us how much less tone-deaf he is compared with Harper.
Speaking to reporters in Saskatoon, Wall said: "I think, personally, it's time to abolish the Senate." He was quick to add that his party seems to be abandoning hope of Senate reform. The premier noted legislatures across the country all successfully function without an upper house and that people believe it is such legislatures that speak for the people of a province - not partisan appointments from the prime minister's office.
And, in a further body blow to those under the illusion they might become Saskatchewan's first elected senator, Wall said he sees no appetite to open up the Constitution for a reform debate. In fact, he senses from discussions at premiers' tables that it's more likely that the required seven of 10 premiers representing 50 per cent plus one of the country's population would vote to abolish the Senate.
"Reform is not likely in my view," said Wall, adding that he is saying this with "regret".
"It's more likely to be abolished," he continued.
Could it be a case of Wall jumping in front of an increasingly popular abolish-the-Senate parade? Quite likely.
That's what smart politicians do.
And given the anger we are now hearing in this province - anger now even directed at the long-admired Wallin - it would seem Wall's instincts are right.
And it's unlikely Wall is acting as a mouthpiece for Harper, who harbours a secret Machiavellian agenda to abolish the Senate anyway.
Last we heard, Harper supports Senate reform, despite the fact that the existing Senate - to which he's made more partisan appointments than any previous prime minister - hasn't been an impediment to getting his way with his omnibus bills.
Moreover, it is now Conservative senators driving public animosity toward the institution, meaning that Harper would be covered in the residue from blowing it up. It simply wouldn't be worth the hassle for Harper - especially since the prime minister has discovered what a useful patronage tool it is.
It's significantly easier for Wall to share a view of the Senate advocated by federal NDP leader Thomas Mulcair - a position to abolish that would be somewhat difficult for a prime minister to take.
But it also seems Wall is just more in tune with Canadian sentiments than is Harper.
Original Article
Source: thestarphoenix.com
Author: Murray Mandryk
The Harper-created Senate crisis is not only real - it's radioactive. Short of those few who might still harbour dreams of being called up to the chamber of entitlement, no one seriously believes today's Senate problems are somehow just figments of an overzealous media.
And those who assumed Wall would simply toe the Harper line are missing obvious differences between the two leaders and their philosophies.
For starters, for whatever similarities may be between the Saskatchewan Party and federal Conservative governments - and there are many - there's a marked difference in the amount of hubris and deceit each is willing to engage in.
This is not to say that Wall's government hasn't suffered its own bouts of hubris, such as adding three more MLAs. And it is also occasionally irrationally intolerant of criticism, as with the Saskatchewan Film Tax Credit review or legitimate criticisms of labour law changes.
But Wall and company are nowhere near as bad as the federal Conservatives when it comes to stomaching the nonsense we've witnessed from Sen. Mike Duffy and, to only a slightly lesser extent, Saskatchewan Senators Pamela Wallin and David Tkachuk.
For whatever support Wall rightly lent to Wallin's right to represent this province in the Senate in the face of what were largely politically driven attempts to have her disqualified as a non-Saskatchewan resident, he isn't so blindly partisan as to continue his support in the face of questionable expense claims and the Senate's unwillingness to properly police itself. And remember, given that Wallin is choosing to stick her hand in front of the camera lens instead of answering questions, we are still unsure about whether or not she has paid back expenses.
But Wall's pronouncement Friday that the time has come to abolish the Senate does seem to be telling us how much less tone-deaf he is compared with Harper.
Speaking to reporters in Saskatoon, Wall said: "I think, personally, it's time to abolish the Senate." He was quick to add that his party seems to be abandoning hope of Senate reform. The premier noted legislatures across the country all successfully function without an upper house and that people believe it is such legislatures that speak for the people of a province - not partisan appointments from the prime minister's office.
And, in a further body blow to those under the illusion they might become Saskatchewan's first elected senator, Wall said he sees no appetite to open up the Constitution for a reform debate. In fact, he senses from discussions at premiers' tables that it's more likely that the required seven of 10 premiers representing 50 per cent plus one of the country's population would vote to abolish the Senate.
"Reform is not likely in my view," said Wall, adding that he is saying this with "regret".
"It's more likely to be abolished," he continued.
Could it be a case of Wall jumping in front of an increasingly popular abolish-the-Senate parade? Quite likely.
That's what smart politicians do.
And given the anger we are now hearing in this province - anger now even directed at the long-admired Wallin - it would seem Wall's instincts are right.
And it's unlikely Wall is acting as a mouthpiece for Harper, who harbours a secret Machiavellian agenda to abolish the Senate anyway.
Last we heard, Harper supports Senate reform, despite the fact that the existing Senate - to which he's made more partisan appointments than any previous prime minister - hasn't been an impediment to getting his way with his omnibus bills.
Moreover, it is now Conservative senators driving public animosity toward the institution, meaning that Harper would be covered in the residue from blowing it up. It simply wouldn't be worth the hassle for Harper - especially since the prime minister has discovered what a useful patronage tool it is.
It's significantly easier for Wall to share a view of the Senate advocated by federal NDP leader Thomas Mulcair - a position to abolish that would be somewhat difficult for a prime minister to take.
But it also seems Wall is just more in tune with Canadian sentiments than is Harper.
Original Article
Source: thestarphoenix.com
Author: Murray Mandryk
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