CANADIAN SENATORS SHOULD BE ELECTED

Does the Canadian Senate fulfil its role? My area of concern is the manner in which membership is selected. Appointment is considered to be undemocratic. This is further aggravated by the notion that many of the appointments to the Senate are made from a roster of defeated politicians, party fundraisers and federal cabinet ministers who have outlived their usefulness in cabinet.

P.E.I. Premier Dennis King and the provincial PC Party ran on #ItsAboutPeople. To me, he is right – government should be all about the people and responsible, accountable government will be strengthened if the Senate is constituted by election rather than by appointment.

In Prince Edward Island, history has shown those who have a direct line of accountability to Island voters are much more likely to vote to defend our province’s vital strategic and economic interests.

An elected Senate will enhance the prestige and credibility of the Upper House as well as show islanders that #ItsAboutPeople.

I encourage Premier King and his government to draft legislation and give Islanders the opportunity to choose Senators in a nominee process. Obviously, the Island’s Senators should be chosen by direct election by the voters of Prince Edward Island. This could either be done on a standalone basis or timed to coincide with municipal elections.

By “piggybacking” Senate elections on top of municipal elections, the costs to the taxpayer can be drastically reduced and the risk of a low voter turnout is lessened as well. Electing Island Senators is an effective, constructive and positive response to the recent debate across Canada over the years concerning the accountability of Senators. In the wake of scandalous Senatorial attendance records, electing a contingent of Prince Edward Island senators reinforces P.E.I.'s reputation as a responsive, forward thinking and innovative partner of the Canadian Confederation.

Jeffery Warren Reynolds, Emyvale