To start, it would be an improvement to Bill C-20 if the consultation were with members of the legislative assembly of the particular province. I suppose that could have been an alternative mechanism. But surely if that person believes that Senate appointments should be made in consultation with the National Assembly of Quebec, the consultation of the people of Quebec would at least be second best, if not first best. And since it doesn't make any changes in the representation that Quebec has in the Senate, which is very large compared with its proportion of the population, it seems to me that there isn't a strong federal-provincial issue here—at least that I can see.
