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The Undemocratic Canadian Senate-We are not alone

"For 135 years Canadians have been denied the fundamental democratic right to elect the membership of their own Senate. The power to appoint the membership is held by one person. In no other advanced civilization in the world does one person have the power to appoint one entire chamber of Parliament."

Canadian Vindicator January 1 2002.

"Is there a Canadian leader who has the courage to say:

'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.'

Canadian Vindicator April 1 2002.

Canadians have overwhelmingly demanded an elected Senate. Political parties should not divvy up Senate appointments among themselves. The demand of Canadians grows and grows as the number of appointments grows and grows. Someone has to take a lead on behalf of present and future generations of Canadians.

Canadian Vindicator July 1 2002.

"No other country in the world that deigns to call itself a democracy will allow its prime minister personally to appoint an entire legislative chamber. Mr. Martin could, therefore, begin the process of democratic transformation by declaring that, under his stewardship, individuals could only qualify for the Senate by first being elected in their home province."

Blair Williams, professor emeritus at Montreal's Concordia University, national director of the Liberal Party of Canada from 1972 to 1975, writing in the Ottawa Citizen December 16, 2002.

Note: The Mr. Martin referred to above is the Hon. Paul Martin who is seeking to become leader of the Liberal Party of Canada in succession to the Right Hon. Jean Chrétien.

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