I don't think, respectfully, that we're going to agree on the constitutionality. There are many experts on the other side. And I don't think I accept your answer as legitimate with respect to consultation with the provinces.
But let's get into the technical aspects of the bill. In my own province of New Brunswick, there are currently four members of the Senate, out of the nine that are filled, who are francophones,
Acadian or Brayon, have a French name or speak French. It is very important for our province to protect minority language rights, in particular the rights of New Brunswick's Acadians.
If we change and go to the mechanics of your bill--and I'm asking this question--and if there were an election/selection in the province of New Brunswick someday during either a provincial or federal election, as the bill purviews, would it be a province-wide election? And would you concede that it would probably mean, in a majority anglophone province, that there'd be very little Acadian minority protection? If that applies in New Brunswick, it might apply to a lot of minority situations with respect to Senate representation.
As you know, there's a much greater degree of female representation--in this, International Women's Week--in the Senate than in the House of Commons. How would you address the issue of minority representation, given your carte blanche, opening day, first-past-the-post election process?