OTTAWA – A young Stephen Harper was first swept into the House of Commons back in 1993 on a wave of often idealistic western populism that, among other things, demanded a Senate that was “equal, effective and elected.”
Fifteen years later, those populists, now led by Prime Minister Harper, are realists when it comes to Senate reform.
To paraphrase one of the prime minister's senior advisers, it's a chicken-or-the-egg kind of problem. You can't change the rules for Parliament's upper chamber until you control it. And you can't control it unless you appoint senators.
But his political opponents say Harper is embarking on nothing more than an orgy of patronage as his government looks defeat in the face.
“Does Mr. Harper think that Canadians aren't going to notice this blatant flip-flop?” said NDP MP David Christopherson.
In the economic and fiscal statement that prompted the current political crisis in Ottawa, the Conservatives proposed doing away with public subsidies of political parties because, as they said, politicians had to do their bit to cut costs in tough economic times. A senator gets a salary of about $130,000 a year.
But hiring 18 new senators and their staffs will cost about $6 million a year, said Christopherson . . . [Read the rest of the story]
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Those who are accusing the PM of indulging in political patronage, or trying to stack the senate, should remember that senators themselves had been urging him to fill existing vacancies because senate committees were overworked.
If anyone is flip-flopping it is the opposition. Here are some of the arguments they made prior to this entire coalition mess: http://www.hilltimes.com/html/index.php?full_path=2008/may/12/legislation/&display=story
The Hill Times, May 12th, 2008
“Senator urges Prime Minister Harper to fill increasing Senate vacancies …
… [Lib.] Sen. Moore pointed to his home province of Nova Scotia, where there are currently three vacancies.
“We are entitled to those vacancies being filled,” he said. “You can appoint Progressive Conservatives, Conservatives, Reformers, or whomever you like. …
Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) has said that he would not make Senate appointments until a more democratic selection process could be implemented. …
Liberal democratic reform critic and MP Brian Murphy (Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe, N.B.) said the government is not following the law by refusing to appoint Senators and is doing “a disservice” to provinces with vacancies. …“
So, before the coalition, back in May, it was a “disservice to provinces with vacancies” not to fill those positions.
Now that the PM has decided to fill them lest the coalition get a chance to fill the senate with even more Liberal appointees, now the move is “shocking.” What's shocking is the rampant hypocrisy.
And a little reminder to those who claim Mr. Harper will be appointing only his friends and cronies: Chief Electoral Officer Marc Mayrand and Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page are two people appointed by the PM.
They have not exactly turned out to be mere yes-men.