Opinion - Toronto Star - Mar 11 2013
It is great to see support increasing for abolishing the Senate. However, even with its scandals and foibles, the Senate is not the worst affront to democracy in Canada. That, in my view, is the failure to represent voters fairly in the House of Commons.
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editors/2013/03/11/replace_electoral_system_then_scrap_senate.html
Re: Knives out as Senate wobbles, March 8
Re: The rise of Pamela Wallin, March 8
Knives out as Senate wobbles, March 8
It is great to see support increasing for abolishing the Senate. However, even with its scandals and foibles, the Senate is not the worst affront to democracy in Canada. That, in my view, is the failure to represent voters fairly in the House of Commons.
Thanks to our first-past-the-post system, voters may see not one MP from their party elected in their province, despite a substantial popular vote. That the present Conservative government could get a majority of seats with only 39.6 per cent of votes cast, and then run the country as if it had 90 per cent, is worse than anything the Senate does.
So, first bring in proportional representation to the House of Commons. The Law Commission of Canada has excellent recommendations for this, tried out in countries like us, e.g., Scotland, Germany and New Zealand.
Get the system working, see it foster co-operation across party lines, reform committee rules and private members’ business to give individual MPs more scope for constructive work. Then chop the Senate.
When the House actually represents voters, works co-operatively and lets MPs give legislation that “sober second thought,” any remaining need for the Senate will evaporate.
Lynn McDonald, former NDP MP, university professor emerita, University of Guelph
The rise of Pamela Wallin, March 8
I’m not a big fan of Pamela Wallin, nor of the Senate. But I am angry that the substance of this article seems to be about her — gasp — ambition. When was the last time you read an article in which colleagues of a prominent man complained about his having ambition?
Karen Pinker, Toronto
