Canada’s top court, the Supreme Court of Canada, began hearing arguments Tuesday (November12) in a historic case that will determine if, and how, Parliament’s appointed upper chamber, the Senate, can be reformed or abolished by the federal government.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government has asked the Supreme Court of Canada to advise whether it can proceed unilaterally to impose term limits on senators and create a process for electing them.
Even before Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government was elected in 2006, Conservatives have insisted that Senate reform was necessary.
Canada’s Senate has been the focus of controversy for months over accusations of misspending by certain senators. On November 5, despite calls for due process, three senators were suspended by the Senate, which has a Conservative government majority. The three were all former government senators appointed by Prime Minister Harper.
More information:
CBC News – Senate reform hearings start at Supreme Court – here
Globe and Mail newspaper – Supreme Court hearing arguments on whether Ottawa can unilaterally revamp Senate – here
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