Mr. Speaker, it would be more than a shift in a position. It would be a complete lobotomy and I am not prepared to go that far.
I am only pointing out what the Senate says in general, that it does not have any meaningful work to do. We can list some things we think could be meaningful for it. We think there could be a very meaningful role for it in reviewing the appointment process. Right now the Prime Minister appoints thousands of people who seldom get the scrutiny or any scrutiny they deserve. A properly elected Senate could have an effective role in riding herd on the power of the Prime Minister's office.
Another thing the Senate could do is hold hearings on the appointments of supreme court justices, for example; the information commissioner we are now dealing with in this place; or the privacy commissioner, the watchdog on ethics. There could be good roles for the Senate including sober second thought on legislation. It could serve a legitimate role in that regard if it had the legitimacy that an election would bring.
I was not suggesting in my speech that the role should be increased to say that is where the bill should originate. I was quite clear in saying that bills should originate in this place. The role of an elected Senate with the integrity and legitimacy that an elected Senate would bring would give it the opportunity for sober second thought.
I know many of the senators over there right now have said in times past that they feel their own role would be enhanced if they were elected into that position instead of appointed. Right now their situation is a difficult one. In a sense I feel sorry for senators. They have to go through the motions. They have to rubber stamp stuff. They have to go through them before they go to the governor general. I think many of them are starting to question the role and legitimacy of their institution.
I am happy to go through a long list of good roles for an elected Senate, but I would not include in that initiating legislation in an appointed Senate that bypasses the House of Commons as the first legitimate look at legislation. I would not approve that. Nor would it ever pass mustard at a Reform Party policy convention or over a Reform cup of coffee.