(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in Canada believe a nationwide ballot should decide the future of their upper house, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. 77 per cent of respondents support holding a referendum on the Senate.

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 Nov. 7, Conservative Senate leader Marjory LeBreton endorsed the idea of a nationwide vote on the future of the upper house, saying, "A referendum at the time of the next election would give Canadians a direct say in what they want done with the Senate. What is clear is that it makes no sense to have a parliamentary body that is totally unaccountable to the public. It does seem rather ridiculous that in the year 2007, in a modern society, we have a Senate that is virtually unchanged in 140 years."

The survey included two possible referendum questions. While only 36 per cent of respondents would vote to abolish the Senate of Canada, 61 per cent of respondents agree with reforming the upper house to allow Canadians to directly elect their senators.

Also on Nov. 7, Liberal leader Stéphane Dion disagreed with the idea of holding a referendum on the Senate, saying, "It shows that (Harper’s) not serious. He’s playing with the institutions of our country in order to have a diversion from his own problems. It’s bad federalism. (...) It will be a waste of money, this referendum."

Polling Data

Would you support or oppose holding a nationwide referendum to decide the future of the Senate of Canada?

Suppose a nationwide referendum on the future of the Senate of Canada took place, and the question before voters was: "Do you agree that the Senate of Canada should be abolished?" - How would you vote?

Suppose a nationwide referendum on the future of the Senate of Canada took place, and the question before voters was: "Do you agree that the Senate of Canada should be reformed to allow Canadians to directly elect their senators?" - How would you vote?

Source: Angus Reid Strategies
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,009 Canadian adults, conducted from Nov. 6 and Nov. 7, 2007. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.

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