Senate Reform

Tuesday August 18, 2015

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator - Tuesday August 18, 2015 Ingredients of a populist rebellion simmer in Canada Politicians take heed: Populist rebellions are under way in both the United States and Britain. Canada is not immune. If a backlash against political elites who disrespect voters ever reaches our shores, it will not be pretty. This grey decade has left all developed nations grappling with low growth, high unemployment and way too much debt, personal and governmental. Populist movements have swept through Canada in the past, usually in times of discontent. The Great Depression spawned both the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation on the left and Social Credit on the right. Western anger at Central CanadaÕs indifference spawned the Reform Party in the 1980s. So why has Canada been spared its own Donald Trump or Jeremy Corbyn? Luck, mostly. The recession in Canada wasnÕt as severe as in the U.S. or Britain. The Conservative government was able to bring the budget back into balance without having to impose much in the way of austerity. More important, while politics in Canada is polarizing between left and right, it does so within a deep consensus on the importance of both horizontal (between regions) and vertical (between classes) redistribution. But Canada is not immune to populist pressure from either the left or right. The Occupy movement, a populist protest from the left, flared in Canadian cities as well as in the United States and overseas. Doug Ford took 34 per cent of the vote in the 2014 Toronto mayoral election, despite his brotherÕs outrages. When any governing political elite ignores or belittles a group of voters, it risks a populist backlash. If the Conservatives win the next election, social activists may take direct action against them. If the NDP or Liberals win, and the economy suffers because there is no political will to build an oil pipeline anywhere, expect a populist reaction from the right, especi

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday August 18, 2015

Ingredients of a populist rebellion simmer in Canada

Politicians take heed: Populist rebellions are under way in both the United States and Britain. Canada is not immune. If a backlash against political elites who disrespect voters ever reaches our shores, it will not be pretty.

This grey decade has left all developed nations grappling with low growth, high unemployment and way too much debt, personal and governmental.

Populist movements have swept through Canada in the past, usually in times of discontent. The Great Depression spawned both the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation on the left and Social Credit on the right. Western anger at Central Canada’s indifference spawned the Reform Party in the 1980s.

So why has Canada been spared its own Donald Trump or Jeremy Corbyn? Luck, mostly. The recession in Canada wasn’t as severe as in the U.S. or Britain. The Conservative government was able to bring the budget back into balance without having to impose much in the way of austerity.

More important, while politics in Canada is polarizing between left and right, it does so within a deep consensus on the importance of both horizontal (between regions) and vertical (between classes) redistribution.

But Canada is not immune to populist pressure from either the left or right. The Occupy movement, a populist protest from the left, flared in Canadian cities as well as in the United States and overseas. Doug Ford took 34 per cent of the vote in the 2014 Toronto mayoral election, despite his brother’s outrages.

When any governing political elite ignores or belittles a group of voters, it risks a populist backlash. If the Conservatives win the next election, social activists may take direct action against them.

If the NDP or Liberals win, and the economy suffers because there is no political will to build an oil pipeline anywhere, expect a populist reaction from the right, especially in the West.

With luck, things will never get as extreme as Donald Trump or Jeremy Corbyn. But don’t be too certain. Remember Rob Ford. (Source: Globe & Mail)

 

Saturday April 26, 2014

Saturday April 26, 2014By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday April 26, 2014

Supreme Court rejects Harper government proposals for Senate reform

Ottawa cannot act alone to reform the Senate, limit terms or appoint only elected senators, and must have the consent of seven provinces with half the country’s population, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled Friday.

Abolition of the Senate altogether can only be done with the unanimous consent of the federal Parliament and all provinces, the country’s top court concluded.

In a landmark defeat for Prime Minister Stephen Harper that could yet set the stage for a referendum by a government frustrated at its failure to unilaterally legislate Senate reform, the high court dismissed nearly every single argument brought before it by federal lawyers.

A referendum is seen by some within the Conservative government as a potential political hammer to pressure reluctant provinces to go along with Senate reform. Maxime Bernier, a Conservative cabinet minister from Quebec, said Friday the court decision means a referendum is the only way to go.

The high court decision was a unanimous 8-0 judgment. In a clear sign of the strong judicial consensus, the 52-page ruling was signed by “The Court” as a whole, not penned by any one judge.

Hours after the ruling Prime Minister Stephen Harper in brief comments at Kitchener said the result is no change to the Senate will happen anytime soon.

“The Supreme Court of Canada essentially said today that for any important Senate reform of any kind, as well as abolition, these are only decisions the provinces can take.

“We know that there is no consensus among the provinces on reform, no consensus on abolition, and no desire of anyone to reopen the constitution and have a bunch of constitutional negotiations. So essentially this is a decision for the status quo, a status quo that is supported by virtually no Canadian.”

“So look, I think that given that the Supreme Court has said we’re essentially stuck with the status quo for the time being and that significant reform and abolition are off the table I think it’s a decision I’m disappointed with but I think it’s a decision that the vast majority of Canadians will be very disappointed with, but obviously we will respect that decision.” (Source: Toronto Star)

 

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Thursday, January 30, 2014Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday, January 30, 2014

Justin Trudeau removes senators from Liberal caucus

Justin Trudeau has expelled from his caucus every single Liberal member of the upper house and has declared there is no longer any such thing as a Liberal Senator.

The Liberal leader said the former members of the Liberal Senate caucus will sit as Independents, and they will have no formal ties to the Liberal parliamentary machinery apart from through their friendships.

Trudeau’s decision will see some lifelong Liberals and key party operators and fundraisers removed from the party’s caucus and forced outside its inner circles – a foundation-shaking decision in a business where power is derived from membership in a political club and the ability to access its best back rooms.

“The only way to be a part of the Liberal caucus is to be put there by the people of Canada,” Trudeau said.

The move stunned both Liberal senators and senior Liberal Senate staffers, who had not been formally advised of the decision. It also blindsided veteran insiders and political observers who had no inkling about the change.

 

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Trudeau’s surprise move came as all parties held their caucus meetings in Ottawa.

Those meetings typically include both MPs and senators.

But sources told CBC News that Liberal MPs and senators were separated and sent to meet in different rooms.

Trudeau advised senators of his decision just after 9 a.m.

Sources said the senators listened and did not ask many questions.

“The Senate is broken and needs to be fixed,” Trudeau told them.

At a news conference just a few minutes later, Trudeau explained why he had made the decision. (Source: CBC News)

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Wednesday, October 16, 2013By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Throne speech expected to make scant mention of scandal-plagued upper chamber

The disgraced Senate will serve as a backdrop for next week’s throne speech and is bound to dominate debate during the fall sitting of Parliament.

Yet there’ll be scant mention of the scandal-plagued Senate in the speech, which is to be read Wednesday by Governor General David Johnston from a regal throne in the ornate upper chamber.

Insiders say Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government has concluded it can do little to clean up the unelected Senate until the Supreme Court rules on the constitutional requirements for reforming or abolishing the chamber, which could take a year or more.

Hence, any kind of reform to the upper house has been put on hold — including purely administrative measures, which would be entirely within the government’s purview to implement, such as requiring senators to publicly disclose details of their expenses.

The throne speech’s expected silence on the subject comes amid an ongoing Senate expenses scandal that has mushroomed over the past year and shows no sign of going away any time soon.

The RCMP is investigating allegedly fraudulent living and travel expenses claimed by four senators — former Conservative caucus members Mike Duffy, Patrick Brazeau and Pamela Wallin and former Liberal Mac Harb.

Duffy is also under the Mounties’ microscope for accepting $90,000 from Harper’s former chief of staff, Nigel Wright, in order to reimburse the Senate for his dubious expense claims. (Source: National Post)

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Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Nuclear Power Moratorium motion on hold

Hamilton councillors parked a moratorium on nuclear plants yesterday after hearing an earful about the controversial power option.

For nearly four-and-a-half hours, nuclear supporters and opponents waged an ideological debate in council chambers.

In the end — after tales of Chernobyl, scientific advances and environmental consequences — councillors backed off taking a firm stand on nuclear power.

“This is a highly complex issue,” Mayor Fred Eisenberger said after more than 20 delegations presented their cases. “To me, at this point in time, (a moratorium) is premature. We don’t have enough information.”

Councillor Brad Clark introduced the motion opposing nuclear plants in Hamilton’s boundaries or upwind after reading it was a possibility at the Nanticoke generating station on Lake Erie. The Liberal government has promised to close down the coal-generating plant at the site at some point, which the Ontario Power Authority recommended for a new nuclear operation. Its conversion to a gas-fired plant has also been discussed.

The Stoney Creek councillor’s initiative drew strong support from environmentalists, but also stiff opposition. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)