First, as I just said, our objective would certainly be to see the Senate become a chamber of the provinces. Now it is very clear that even if, pursuant to the constitutional rules, we were to elect senators for the first time—in a hypothetical case where a constitutional debate would be ultimately followed by electing senators through federal elections—we would most certainly be deviating from our objective of having a chamber of the provinces. This would no doubt strengthen federal democracy. This might even strengthen central power, because we would have two chambers, both of them claiming democratic legitimacy. Nevertheless, the provinces, or at least Quebec, would be far from their objective, which is to change the Senate into a chamber of the provinces. We are afraid that this might be the outcome of this entire attempt to reform and modernize the Senate.
Nonetheless, we strongly support a debate on Senate reform. We understand the ambitions and expectations of some provinces, and other partners in the federation, as well as the expectations of quite a few Canadians who are apparently hoping for some kind of modernization, and there are even many Canadians who want to democratize the Senate. I think that any decisions regarding this must be made pursuant to established constitutional rules. We have nothing against a debate except that, let me repeat, as far as we are concerned, the objective is to establish a chamber of the provinces.