Thank you both for your presentations. I confess that I am no great expert on constitutional law. So I feel that you are going to shed a lot of light on this for us.
When the government House leader spoke to the committee to introduce Bill C-20, he said, on page 3 of his speech:
The bill is carefully drafted to ensure that the Senate will remain a chamber of independent sober second thought and that its essential positive characteristics are maintained. This legislative proposal is drafted so as not to make any changes that would require a formal constitutional amendment. This flexibility is important. It will help to ensure that nominees are available to fill seats as they become vacant. For the first time ever, Canadians across Canada will have a direct say in who should represent them in the Senate.