In this episode, we talk about the current state of the Canadian Senate and what we can do to improve it. We discuss the role of the Senate, its role in Alberta, and how it can be improved.
00:00:00.000We have had a history of elected senators in Alberta in between 2012 and 2015.
00:00:08.580We actually had two of the three in the last Senate election be appointed.
00:00:14.140The reason why it kind of came to be was wanting to have a voice for Albertans, which is the role of Senate.
00:00:19.240It's not a specific group. It's not a woke agenda item.
00:00:23.620It is actually about having a voice for the entire province.
00:00:28.720And so in 2021, aligned with the last municipal election, there was several of us, three of us,
00:00:37.520which ran under the Conservative Party of Canada under new legislative changes by then Premier Jason Kenney
00:00:43.700and a whole slew of independents that wanted, again, to be able to stand up for Alberta in the upper chamber,
00:00:52.300in the red chamber to make sure that when bills are passing, that our region is definitely considered.
00:00:58.420And that perspective is being brought. Now, fast forward from 2015 to 29 or from 2015 till now,
00:01:05.800we've had Justin Trudeau, who I'm not even sure if he believes in the Senate,
00:01:10.760but who hasn't respected Alberta's elected senators.
00:01:15.600Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper did, but we've had an individual named Mike Shake,
00:01:20.040who sat for a very long time. Who knows if that'll be my future as well.
00:01:24.820But we do have three individuals that were elected by Albertans with, I'll say, quite large numbers.
00:01:31.380It's larger than, you know, any leader, any premier, any political party individual gets.
00:01:39.840So there was a big uptake by Albertans to actually elect and vote for these individuals.
00:01:46.700So, I mean, a lot of, when I talk to Americans, they're just flabbergasted that we actually appoint our senators.
00:01:52.440I mean, how on earth could you possibly, how undemocratic do you get?
00:01:55.920Well, yeah, I'm afraid that that's the reality.
00:01:59.440To kind of work around or make that sugarcoat it a bit, I mean, Prime Minister Trudeau has claimed all the senators he's elected now are independents.
00:02:07.020They aren't party senators. It's a little hard to believe, isn't it?
00:02:12.300Well, it is, especially with the most recent appointment in Daryl Finlater.
00:02:17.240He has been a conservative fundraiser.
00:02:20.760Even when he was a member of the PC party in Alberta, it was a federal liberal fundraiser for Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party.
00:02:28.320So, I mean, that's one that really frustrates me because I think he does.
00:02:32.260I mean, he has a great resume from his professional career, I think a perspective he could bring, but don't call that an independent senator.
00:02:39.740Just say they're going to go join the Liberal Caucus.
00:02:42.900And I think that Justin Trudeau would actually hold a little bit more street cred within the individuals that love and respect the purpose of the Senate.
00:02:51.840Well, another aspect of Senate abuse, and to be fair, over enough years, we can see some terrible examples of it from conservative and liberal governments.
00:02:59.760It's a partisan role that can be used as an incentive for people or a handout, a plumb.
00:03:06.220And, you know, somewhere it frustrates us a lot, of course, is when media members are suddenly popped in there.
00:03:10.960Yeah, I'm going to speak of Charles Adler.
00:03:13.080Paula Simons was the first before Charles, too.
00:03:19.400But, I mean, you know, unfortunately, we shouldn't be seeing media members dancing around trying to curry favor with the federal government.
00:03:28.400He didn't turn out to be actually, he was a conservative appointee.
00:03:30.760It didn't turn out to really be the best senator we could hope for.
00:03:35.360If we could take away that reason for the government to appoint senators, it would bring some more honesty into that House.
00:03:40.900Yeah, I definitely think, and something I did campaign on, was the need for Senate reform.
00:03:44.880So I don't think that the Senate is currently working in the way it was either intended or the way that it can best suit Albertans.
00:03:52.040We have seen a few pieces of legislation, including the original, you know, censorship bill that the Senate actually shut down and put back.
00:04:00.400So we have seen some examples where the Senate has actually acted as that sober second thought.
00:04:05.940But if you're looking at even the lay of the land of individuals that are currently senators in Alberta, I think most Albertans would find it very hard to sit there and say that these individuals have a track record of standing up for the values and beliefs that our province upholds.
00:04:21.560And so I think there is an argument that, you know, I'm sure you and I would both agree mainstream media or former journalists probably aren't the best candidates.
00:04:32.400But I do think that there is, you know, concern by others that we also shouldn't have the partisanship or if you're going to be partisan, at least own it.
00:04:41.740And I think that that's some of the challenge for people that maybe don't understand or support what the current Senate, how it operates and what is it, what's its purpose.