(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many adults in Canada would like to play a role in the configuration of the upper house, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. 68 per cent of respondents support allowing Canadians to directly elect their senators, up eight points since May 2008.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many adults in Canada would like to play a role in the configuration of the upper house, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. 68 per cent of respondents support allowing Canadians to directly elect their senators, up eight points since May 2008.
In addition, 66 per cent of respondents would limit appointed Canadian senators to eight-year terms, 36 per cent voice support for the creation of a panel of distinguished Canadians to choose senators, instead of the prime minister, and 33 per cent would abolish the Senate of Canada altogether.
Canadians renewed the House of Commons in October 2008. The Conservative party—led by Stephen Harper—received 37.6 per cent of the vote, and secured 143 seats in the 308-member lower house. Harper assembled a minority administration. The Tories also earned a minority mandate after the 2006 election, ending more than 12 years of government by the Liberal party. In December, Michael Ignatieff took over as Liberal leader, replacing Stéphane Dion.
In May 2006, Harper introduced legislation to change the country’s electoral system. The bill presented by Harper—which was never ratified—would have affected the Senate of Canada, where members are currently appointed and can serve until they are 75 years old. Harper has promised to "create a process to choose elected senators."
On Aug. 27, Harper named nine people to the Senate, declaring, "It is my intention to have senators in there that will support the elected government and that will stop blocking our significant legislation, anti-crime legislation and legislation on democratic reform."
New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jack Layton expressed dismay at the appointments, saying, "[Harper] has declared to the Canadian public that he would not name unelected people to the Senate. (…) His word means less and less every day he’s in office, and he’s behaving more and more like the Liberals."
Polling Data
As you may know, several proposals have been made over the past few years to reform the Senate of Canada, do you support or oppose each of these ideas?
("Support" answers only)
|
|
Aug. 2009
|
May 2008
|
|
Allowing Canadians to directly elect their senators
|
68%
|
60%
|
|
Limiting appointed Canadian senators to eight-year terms
|
66%
|
64%
|
|
Creating a panel of distinguished Canadians to choose senators, instead of the prime minister
|
36%
|
32%
|
|
Abolishing the Senate of Canada altogether
|
33%
|
30%
|
Source: Angus Reid Strategies
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,001 Canadian adults, conducted from Aug. 28 to Aug. 30, 2009. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.
