Mr. Speaker, I rise to express both concern and appreciation for the Senate. I have witnessed the dedicated efforts of some of our honourable senators. However, I am concerned that a representative of Canadians can be so inaccessible to his constituents that he does not even have an office, staff or a phone, that such a person living outside of Canada returns but one day a year to collect a $70,000 paycheque, that such a person will receive a lifetime pension amounting to nearly $50,000 per year, all paid by taxpayers.
Perhaps members of this House wonder how such a person could remain in this place year after year. This is a safe riding and how does one get the nomination? It is time for an elected Senate. No riding should be that safe. Accountability is so very obviously necessary.