Thursday, May 23, 2013

Insenaty! It's back! Senate accountability at the forefront.

Like I said a long time ago, I've always held the belief that Prime Minister Harper made interesting appointments to the Senate in order to draw much more attention to it.

Who knew that former CTV journalists now senators Mike Duffy and Pamela Wallin would be at the forefront of that attention, and investigated by former colleague Robert Fife. (Nevermind Senator Patrick Brazeau and his current charge).

So now everyone is saying that senators need more accountability on their expenses.  Well, duh. Welcome to the debate guys.  This isn't new news.  I could go back into history and show you all the abuses by members of the "sleepy chamber" until the cows come home.

But I know an excellent way to hold senators accountable!  Elect them!   So anyone who says we need accountability in the Senate without saying we should elect them is experiencing what I call "insenaty".  It's the thought process involved in wanting something changed with the senate without actually wanting senate reform.

And further to that, on the left hand, we have NDP leader Tom Mulcair, who has questions about his past as well, continually saying we should abolish the senate.  Well of course the NDP would say that.  It's the easy answer here, isn't it?  They had one member in there appointed a while ago by Trudeau.  They'll never win the House, unless they try and sneak what ever version of proportional representation through in order to sneak into power.  Abolishing the Senate is a daunting constitutional change, and frankly, dangerous to our democracy even though the Senate is essentially an appointed body.  Can you imagine an NDP government without any check and balance to the crazy legislation they'd pass in the House?  Well that's exactly what they want.  Don't be fooled folks!

So when you read or hear someone calling for senator accountability, ask yourself:  "Why aren't they asking for them to be elected?"

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