Sunset Sketches of a Little Country

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

The (Forgotten) True Purpose of the Upper House, styled the Senate

Dear Edmonton Sun Editors,

Ms Romanowska does an excellent job on Jan 16th/06, of outlining the implications and pitfalls for half-measure-reform of the Upper House.

The true purpose of the Senate (in addition to giving the 2, less-populated "regions" representation equal to the 2, more-populated ones) is to represent the propertied class of Canadians - why else is this office the only position in Canadian governance and public service to have a property ownership standard and a net-worth qualification (s. 23.3, 23.4. 23.5, 31.3, 31.5)?

Unfortunately in my view, this is the only number/statistic/paylevel/etc in all of Canadian history, politics or economics that has NEVER been "seasonally-adjusted".

True Senate reform will come from first applying an adjustment-for-inflation to the $4,000 ownership & net-worth qualifications thereby restoring public appreciation of the Senate's superior constitutional place in the triune hierarchy of our "One Parliament" (s.17).

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