What Does the Senate Do?
The Senate is the upper house of Canada's Parliament. Senators are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. The Senate reviews and can amend legislation passed by the House of Commons, conducts studies on policy issues, and represents regional interests.
Current Appointment Process
Since 2016, the federal government has used an Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments. The board recommends candidates based on merit, and the Prime Minister selects from the recommended list. Senators can serve until age 75.
Reform Proposals
Abolition
Some argue the Senate is undemocratic and should be eliminated entirely. This would require a constitutional amendment with unanimous provincial consent (under the 1982 amending formula for changes to "the office of the Queen, the Governor General and the Lieutenant Governor").
Elected Senate
The "Triple-E" proposal (Equal, Elected, Effective) calls for senators to be elected, with equal representation per province. This model is used in the United States and Australia. Constitutional change would be required.
Provincial Appointments
Some propose allowing provinces to appoint senators rather than the federal government. This could provide stronger regional representation.
Constitutional Challenges
Previous reform attempts (Meech Lake Accord, Charlottetown Accord) failed to achieve ratification. The Supreme Court ruled in 2014 that major Senate reforms require provincial consent:
- Abolition requires unanimous consent
- Fundamental changes to selection require the 7/50 formula (7 provinces with 50% of population)
Questions to Consider
- Is regional representation important in Parliament? How should it work?
- Would an elected Senate create gridlock between the two chambers?
- Is Senate reform worth the difficulty of constitutional amendment?