Across this country, if you bring up Senate reform, you're certain to get an opinion. Whether it's in a bar or in a church basement or wherever you might be, you're going to get a strong opinion. In my time in this place, I've never got the opinion, “Gee, I like what we have”. I think that's pretty safe to say.
You've already stated that change is what needs to happen, that it's the start down the road to the change, that the public demand is there and the people are certainly saying that what we have isn't right.
You were just asked some questions about appointments and that being the method to maybe get the best representation in the place. Well, I'll tell you, sir, that the largest complaint I hear is that people are appointed to the place. That may be what Bill C-20 really does--one of the best pieces is trying to fix that.
The public demand is there. You said we must start the change, even a little bit. We've got to start down the way, and then we might have the provinces stand up and take notice and see that the change is happening and they'd like to be part of it. I like the thought process of doing that.
I'm not certain that the public demand is from the premiers. That's not what I'm hearing. I'm hearing the public demand on the street. So I agree with you that starting the change is maybe the best way to go.
Maybe I'll stop there and ask you where we are, but I also loved your thought that our two choices are to wait for the implosion to absolutely happen of what we have or to actually start down the road of change and get going, and that change itself will bring on further change.
I'll leave that and let you speak to what I've said.