Mr. Speaker, on Monday this House gave a standing ovation to Mr. Max Bacaus, an elected senator.
When opposition members stood to applaud, we did so in support of a triple E Senate. Liberals on the front benches jeered despite the fact that the Prime Minister has promised an elected, equal and effective Senate and has failed to deliver at every opportuntiy.
Alberta pays for 10 senators, gets only six and receives the services of none.
On October 19 of this year Alberta took steps to change that by electing two senators. Here today are two elected senators from Alberta who received the support of 593,000 voters, the largest number of votes cast for any parliamentarian in Canadian history.
Canadians deserve democratic representation in their government. The election of senators in Alberta is only the beginning.