Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Friday, February 01, 2013

Conservatives Consulting Supreme Court About Senate Reform

CBC News has learned that the federal government will seek clarification from the Supreme Court on its powers to reform or abolish the Senate.

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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