DUMB DECISION !
As in Young Trudeau’s move to kick all Liberal Senators from his Caucus.
Smart, in the sense it happens just ahead of the Auditor General’s Report on the hanky panky that has been going on in the Senate, some of which will no doubt involve involve Liberal Senators.
Now YT can say, with his hand over his heart, that he has nothing to do with these former caucus members.
Cute, but effective.
It also provides him at last with a stand on the future of the Senate – something he and his Party have lacked heretofore:
The Tories are on record as wishing to make it an Elected Body while the Dippers have consistently stood for its abolishment.
Again points to the Liberal Leader.
So again – smart move on his part.
But it is dumb, nonetheless:
We are said to live under a Constitutional Democracy – Democracy being defined as the form of government where the people choose their representatives by voting.
The Tory position is consistent with these democratic values since it would turn the Senate into an elected body. The NDP position similarly is consistent with democratic ideals in that it would deep six this unelected archaic institution.
The Grits position however is entirely inconsistent with democratic principles – it not only promotes the continuation of an unelected body – it makes the situation worse since it frees former caucus members from party discipline.
So prior to Mr. Trudeau’s action, we had Liberal Senators free from accountability to the voter and now we have them free from accountability to their own Party.
From Bad to Worse.
So the bottomline remains – an Unelected Senate is anathema to Democratic Traditions – either it needs to be elected or abolished – my preference being the latter - but Trudeau’s approach is not only unhelpful, it makes no sense whatsoever.
Save for himself.
As I see it…
‘K.D. Galagher’
