Manitoba MLAs passed a motion Tuesday urging Ottawa to begin consultations with provinces with the aim of abolishing the Senate.
Manitoba’s position takes into account the results of public hearings that took place in communities across the province, including Flin Flon, in 2009.
At the Flin Flon hearing, several presenters felt there was no point in discussing Senate reform since the entire institution is useless.
Among those calling for abolition back then was Clarence Pettersen, now the New Democrat MLA for Flin Flon.
At the hearing, Pettersen termed the Senate “irrelevant” and said holding elections for Senators makes no sense when voter apathy toward even civic elections is so high.
Pettersen was hardly alone. Throughout the 2009 consultations, Manitobans repeatedly said they favour getting rid of Canada’s upper chamber.
In August of this year, Manitoba made a submission, known as a factum, that addressed constitutional questions posed by the federal government to the Supreme Court of Canada.
The province’s position was that Parliament does not have the constitutional authority to enact significant unilateral changes to the structure of the Senate or to the selection of its members.
Manitoba’s motion calling for the abolition of the Senate passed 29-18 on Tuesday, with the Progressive Conservatives opposed.
The PCs claimed the vote was a distraction to draw attention from the NDP’s controversial PST hike, according to the Winnipeg Free Press.
Attorney General Andrew Swan, who introduced the motion, pointed out that Manitoba abolished its upper house in 1876.
“We’re calling on the Government of Canada to start negotiations with the provinces,” Swan said in a press statement. “It is time to get started on abolishing the Canadian Senate.”
Future MLA Clarence Pettersen advocates abolition of the Senate during a 2009 hearing in Flin Flon.
FILE PHOTO
