Mr. Speaker, the first thing a member of Parliament should do is read the Constitution.
In 1867 Canadians decided to have a Senate. It was a copy of the House of Lords in England. In the House of Lords members are named for life, and it goes from father to son.
Here there is a time limit. Some are partisan and some choose to sit as independents. It is their choice. The Senate studies and reflects on the bills of the House of Commons. It is not under the pressure of the next election. Perhaps we should not have—