(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many Canadian adults remain in favour of enacting changes to their upper house, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. 64 per cent of respondents would limit appointed senators to eight-year terms, and 60 per cent would allow Canadians to directly elect their senators.

In addition, 32 per cent of respondents would create a panel of distinguished Canadians to choose senators, instead of the prime minister, and 30 per cent would abolish the Senate of Canada altogether.

Canadians renewed the House of Commons in January 2006. The Conservative party—led by Stephen Harper—received 36.3 per cent of the vote, and secured 124 seats in the 308-member lower house. Harper leads a minority administration after 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 and can serve until they are 75 years old. Harper has promised to "create a process to choose elected senators."

On May 19, Saskatchewan justice minister Don Morgan announced the province’s plan to introduce elections to the Senate, saying, "It would be nice for our government to be able to say to the people of Saskatchewan, ‘We are working towards developing a system where you will ultimately have elected senators.’ That is certainly the direction we want to go."

On May 22, Manitoba premier Gary Doer discussed his views on the Senate, saying, "Some people believe you can renovate the Senate. I generally believe in renovating houses, but in this case, I believe in building a new one."

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)

Source: Angus Reid Strategies
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,005 Canadian adults, conducted from May 21 and May 22, 2008. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.

Other poll highlights:

53% agree with Saskatchewan’s plan to hold elections to the Senate, with the PM appointing the winners
66% would hold referendum to decide the future of the Senate
32% would vote to abolish the Senate

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