A New Senate for a More Democratic Canada

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The March 3, 2010 Throne Speech indicates that Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative Government remains committed to Senate reform. The current Senate reform debate has, however, become too tactical, and as a consequence, Canadians have lost sight of why a reformed Senate makes sense, and what roles and purposes it might fill. Without a compelling case for Senate reform in principle, it will be very difficult to mobilize public support for more specific reforms such as term limits and provincial Senate elections, and the eventual reopening of the Constitution that full Senate reform will require. There needs to be an explanation of why reform is important and how it links to concerns about Canadian democracy.$bTo help address this shortfall, this brief discussion paper outlines four arguments why Canadians should care about Senate reform. These arguments are rooted in what a new and improved Senate can do to enhance Canadian democracy.