moved for leave to introduce Bill C-264, an act to allow the electors of a province to express an opinion on who should be summoned to the Senate to represent the province.
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to introduce my private member's bill, an act to allow the electors of a province to express an opinion on who should be summoned to the Senate to represent the province.
The Reform Party's ultimate objective has always been true Senate reform: a triple-E Senate elected, effective and equal. We can change the method of appointing senators, that is, they be elected, without constitutional revision.
This bill will change the method of appointing senators through an election process without constitutional revision. It will require that the Prime Minister wait to receive the expression of opinion from any province with a senatorial selection act similar to the Alberta senatorial selection act which resulted in Senator Stan Waters being appointed to the Senate.
The current Senate has not been able to perform its role effectively because the selection process has undermined its legitimacy.
There is considerable urgency for the introduction of this bill now because the Government of Canada is cramming through legislation that is not widely accepted.
I am introducing this bill today as a result of the forced vote held last fall on Bill C-110. The long range interest of Canadian federalism will truly be served by Senate reform.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)