Liberal members of Canada’s upper chamber the Senate had no advance warning when Liberal opposition leader Justin Trudeau spoke to them Wednesday morning (January 29) and informed them they were no longer part of the Liberal caucus. In a letter to the Speaker of the Senate, Trudeau said the decision “is about ensuring that Canadians have a Parliament that works better for them….without partisanship and patronage.”
In Canada’s parliamentary system, the senators are appointed by prime ministers and have either been Conservatives or Liberals. Recent controversy over contested expenses by some senators, mostly Conservative government senators, has once again raised questions about the utility of the Senate.
The Senate is supposed to be a chamber of sober second thought of people who do not need to be re-elected. They pass and/or amend legislation passed by the elected Members of Parliament of Canada’s lower chamber, the House of Commons.
RCI’s Wojtek Gwiazda has a report.
ListenMore information:
CBC News – Justin Trudeau removes senators from Liberal caucus – here
Postmedia News – Party standings in Senate /Letter to Speaker – here
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