Early in February, "cracking tree month" in the Cree calendar, when deep frost freezes and expands the sap in trees, causing them to split with a rifle-shot sound, Canadians showed the first signs of awakening from a long slumber wrapped in electoral despair. Responding to Gallup Poll questions they overwhelmingly endorsed the idea of electing the members of the Supreme Court of Canada.

A shiver ran through the body politic.

"Good God! They'll want to elect their own Senators next!"

Past, present, and want-to-be future Prime Ministers couldn't believe what they were hearing.

"Take away our biggest patronage scam!"

"Put an end to our sacred traditional right to appoint all the members of one House of Parliament!"

"How am I ever going to be chosen Prime Minister if I can't appoint my own secretary to the Senate? It's democracy run rampant, that's what it is!"

Yes. Democracy. The right of a people to elect their representatives to office, be that office in parliament or town council.

And Canadians, under the present form of their Constitution as applied by successive Prime Ministers, do not enjoy democracy, do not have the democratic right to elect the members of one complete House of Parliament, the Senate of Canada.

Only one person, the Prime Minister of the day, has a Senate franchise. One person, if long enough in office, can elect the entire membership of the Senate. For a numerical tally see Senate Appointments in our November issue.

The current Prime Minister has, all by himself, to date appointed/elected 61 Senators. He is unlikely to welcome a change.

The choice of a successor is some distance off. Meantime there is a growing and changing list candidates to fill the position when it falls vacant.

Where do these candidates stand on the issue of an appointed, unelected Senate? Is there one among them who will unequivocally tell Canadians:

"If I become Prime Minister I will not appoint anyone to the Senate until that person has been elected by the qualified voters in the province which that person is to represent."

That would represent not only a display of integrity but also of responsiveness to the awakening public's desire for a democratic right denied them for all too long. It would also take political courage.

Maybe you would like to let your Member of Parliament know your views on the issue. You could also attach this article from the Canadian Vindicator at the same time.