Mr. Speaker, loyal Liberals are waiting by their phones as the Prime Minister mulls over his choices for the seven vacant Senate seats. The Alberta vacancy, however, is sending shudders through the Prime Minister's office.
Albertans elected Bert Brown as their choice for senator in October 1998 and now they expect the Prime Minister to appoint him to the Senate.
The problem is the Prime Minister would rather bypass their wishes in favour of a patronage appointee. What a change from those long forgotten days when he was opposition leader. Back then he said “The Liberal government in two years will make the Senate elected. As Prime Minister, I can make that happen”.
A year later, he said “To meet the hopes and dreams of those who live in the west and the Atlantic, a reformed Senate is essential. It must be a Senate that is elected, effective and equitable”.
Will this be just another in the long list of broken Liberal promises? The Prime Minister has a choice. Will he choose democracy over patronage?