Harper: "Bert, you have to give us an override."

Triple E Senate booster and Conservative Senator Bert Brown was asked by Prime Minister Harper to look for a way to ensure the House of Commons remains supreme over the Senate regarding passing legislation.  Senator Brown proposes that we simply use the same formula in the 1982 Canada Act, but to do so, each province must have an equal number of senators.  That formula being 7 out of 10 provinces with more than 50% of the population to change the constitution. 

It would now apply to senators.  But to do that, you need Quebec or Ontario to agree as the other provinces' populations don't add up to 50%.  Bert is also proposing that Ontario and Quebec senators would also get veto powers.  I guess that prevents the whole country from ganging up on Quebec (or Ontario).

This idea stems from folks who don't believe the Senate should reign over the House of Commons especially if it's elected--it would give it more legitimacy and power.    But I have to laugh at that since they're admitting that electing senators gives them that democracy, where currently, with them appointed, all they need is 50% + 1 to kill a bill from the lower house dominated by Quebec and Ontario!  Insenaty now!!!

What do we at Hatrock's Cave think?  Anything to get to provincial equality is fine by us.  Not regional equality, but provincial.

The Thrown Speech and the Blue Pill

• Bert Brown was just sworn in as a senator. Appointed by Prime Minister Harper in April 2007, Brown was elected in the 2004 Alberta Senatorial Election and becomes the second person to be "elected" to the senate, after Stan Waters ran under the Reform banner in the late 80's and was appointed by then Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.
  
  
• Will the NDP and Bloc vote against the "Thrown" Speech?
  - Yes. But it won't be enough to topple it. The Conservatives need only one of the parties for it to pass, and I don't think the Liberals are going to balk.
  
  
• So will the Thrown Speech contain stuff everyone can agree on (i.e. cut taxes) except one blue poison pill that Liberal leader, Stephane Dion, might swallow and if he doesn't, Harper could blame Dion for triggering an election?
  - You bet your prescription.
  
  
• What's that pill?
  - Admitting that the Kyoto Accord targets cannot be met. Why? Because even Dion says, "We didn't get it done. It's not easy to make priorities."
  
  
• How do I know this?
  - Because the Conservatives ran TV ads exposing this very thing that Canadians now attach to Dion. They'd simply need to be reminded.
  
  
• So will the Speech get thrown and trigger an election?
  - Nope. Dion's a pacifist and with no money, low support (especially in Quebec), and low leadership confidence, the Liberals would lose badly.
  
  
• Which means?
  - Dion will have to swallow the blue pill and no election will ensue and Harper wins either way.
  

Wanna buy the letter "E"?

YAY!!!!

I got this excellent news from the Prime Minister's emailer:

"Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced that in keeping with the principles of Bill C-43, the proposed law that would enable Canadians to vote
for Senators, Canada’s New Government intends to appoint Alberta
Senator-in-waiting Bert Brown to replace retiring Alberta Senator Dan Hays."

Now if the Liberal Senators will "hurry up their detailed analysis" we can get on with it already. Do continue to watch the Liberals stall but say "committed to Senate reform". Yeah, they'll be committed alright... right up until they have to retire from the Senate at the age of 75.

You know it amazes that many still push for some sort of proportional representation in the House of Commons when we're still trying to get democracy in the Upper House. Oh, that and usually it's from small parties that specialize in a few issues but don't have enough national interest.