(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many adults in Canada want to play an active role in choosing the members of the country’s upper house, according to a poll by Angus Reid Public Opinion. 70 per cent of respondents support allowing Canadians to directly elect their senators.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many adults in Canada want to play an active role in choosing the members of the country’s upper house, according to a poll by Angus Reid Public Opinion. 70 per cent of respondents support allowing Canadians to directly elect their senators.
In addition, 70 per cent of respondents believe appointed senators should be limited to eight-year terms. Support is considerably lower for creating a panel of distinguished Canadians to choose senators, instead of the prime minister, and abolishing 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 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 by the prime minister and can serve until they are 75 years old. Harper has promised to "create a process to choose elected senators."
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed Salma Ataullahjan to the Senate. The Conservatives now control 52 seats in the upper house, followed by the Liberals with 49 members and four independent or Progressive Conservative senators.
Harper explained his rationale for the appointment, saying, "In addition to coming from a family of political activists on the Indian subcontinent, Ms. Ataullahjan’s political and social activism here in Canada has earned her a reputation of one who both stands against violence and stands for peaceful dialogue and consensus building."
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" listed
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Jul. 2010
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Feb. 2010
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Aug. 2009
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May 2008
|
|
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Allowing Canadians to directly elect their senators
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70%
|
67%
|
68%
|
60%
|
|
Limiting appointed Canadian senators to eight-year terms
|
70%
|
65%
|
66%
|
64%
|
|
Creating a panel of distinguished Canadians to choose senators, instead of the prime minister
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36%
|
34%
|
36%
|
32%
|
|
Abolishing the Senate of Canada altogether
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31%
|
29%
|
33%
|
30%
|
Source: Angus Reid Public Opinion
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,003 Canadian adults, conducted on Jul. 14 and Jul. 15, 2010. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.
