My Bid For Senate
What are the actual qualifications for Senate? you might ask. Here’s the list:
The Governor General appoints senators on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. To qualify for a summons to the Senate, the nominee must:
• be a Canadian citizen;
• be at least 30 years of age;
• own $4,000 of equity in land in the home province or territory;
• have a personal net worth of at least $4,000; and
• live in the home province or territory.
Canadian Citizen – check
At least 30 years of age – check and then some
Own $4,000 in equity of land in the home province – check
Net worth of $4,000 – check
Live in Province (Ontario) – check
Prime Minister, my bags are packed I am ready to serve at your leisure.
If you’re on facebook, join the group Brian Gardiner for Senate. I figure if I get 50 – 100 people the Prime Minister who swears he wants a democratically elected Senate can hardly ignore such an outcry from the people.
I actually favour an elected Senate. I have thought about abolition. However, Canada is a federation of provinces and territories. It is also a federal society in which there is no single, dominant, socio-economic city in Canada. We essentially have a few regional cities. Unlike France which has Paris or Denmark which has Copenhagen. Canada is a federal society. Another federal country is Germany in which there is no dominant city. Yes, Berlin is the capital. However, its cultural and economic clout does not dominate Germany. There are other cities that have a significant impact on Germany.
Back to Canada: Since Canada is a federal country with a federal economic and social culture, we do need a second chamber to allow for regional influence and not have one or two regions dominate. Whether we have a Triple-E Senate or one where the provincial and territorial seats are weighted, there is suspicion that PEI will dominate. Actually, if both houses of Parliament had some form of proportional representation, there would be only minor variations in the party distribution of seats. It would matter little if the members of the House of Commons and Senate were elected at the same time or different times. The Senate would unlikely paralyze Parliament based on the party composition of the members.
I do not like the current unelected Senate. While the senators may be bright and intelligent, none of them represents me. They only represent the Queen. Essentially, Ontario has zero senators. PEI has zero. Manitoba has zero. The Queen can have just over 100. There is nothing democratic about having appointed Senators.
I’ll be happy to consider the Hespeler guy for the Senate, only if it is elected by Canadian citizens.
I would vote for you to get in the Senate …. that is if I could vote for you tou to get in the Senate, which I can’t. But I will put in a good word for you with th PM.
Dipper
I agree, elected Senate would be far better. But this Christmas, PM Harper is giving away Senate seats, so it appears the only way I can get one is to be appointed.
Undemocratic? Yes. But what can a guy do?
Gerry
Does this mean the PM is talking to you again?
Hi Brian,
I’ll support you for the Senate so long as you are a strong supporter of the monarchy. There is one condition: the king must be I.
While I like the current Monarch very much Dipper, the next in line is less to my liking. Can I support you to be King, after the current Queen’s natural reign? If so, we have a deal. If not, we still have a deal, but with less enthusiasm.