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OTTAWA A Conservative senator is asking his colleagues toformally begin debating changes to the Senate, a move that wouldkick-start a discussion on reforms even before a government billlands before senators for review. The government's Senate reform proposals in bill C-7 are stillstuck in the House of Commons, and Senate reform is not currentlyat the forefront of the Upper Chamber's agenda. If senators agree to the proposal from Senator Hugh Segal, theycould launch their own study or even have their own proposals readyfor the day that the Commons approves reforms to the Senate. Segalsaid the debate is needed to combat the perception that Senatereform has hit the legislative backburner. Bill C-7 hasn't beendebated in the House of Commons since February. "While they may be clogged up on the other side (the House ofCommons) . . I think it's important to keep the debatealive," Segal said. Segal will begin the debate on Thursday and after that, othersenators will have the chance to espouse their own ideas for Senatereform. Segal said that may mean more representation for westernprovinces, or changes to how the Senate operates, such asbroadcasting debates, which currently doesn't happen. "In the end, democracy is a marketplace of ideas," Segalsaid. Some senators are leery about reforms, meaning there is notunanimous support for the Harper government's Senate reform agenda. "Everyone has their own views, of course, and I don't thinkpeople's views will change because of this discussion," saidSenator Betty Unger, one of two elected members of the Senate. Unger said parliamentarians "by and large" agree withproposed reforms to the Senate, but "some I know will notagree." The discussion will be a public debate that has thus far beenlargely absent from the Senate this term. Senators, includingSenator Gerry St. Germain, have talked in the Senate chamber aboutreform, but several senators told Postmedia News that even privatediscussions have been minimal. "Some form of reform will take place, but . . . I just don'tknow what the eventual outcome will be," said St. Germain, whowill retire from the Senate in November. "At least we got the issue on the radar screen." The government's Senate reform bill is still at first reading inthe House of Commons, almost a year after being introduced. The Senate Reform Act would create a voluntary framework forprovinces to hold elections for Senate appointments. Nominees wouldthen be presented to the prime minister who would still makeappointments to the Senate appointments that would be subject toa non-renewable nine-year term limit. Already, Alberta has legislation allowing for Senate elections. NewBrunswick and B.C. are moving forward with similar initiatives. If provinces are moving forward with reforms, the Senate must moveforward as well, Segal said. The government's proposals don't require any changes to theConstitution, which would require the consent of seven provinces. The reforms have already drawn criticism from the outgoing head ofthe right-leaning Canada West Foundation, who questioned whetherthe reforms would hinder the cause of regional representation, andopposition from the province of Quebec, which is taking the federalgovernment to court over what it considers unilateral changes tothe Constitution. Twitter.com/jordan_press. The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as PET Preform Mould Manufacturer , Cap Mould, and more. For more , please visit Cap Mould today!
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