We’re being rushed! The Conservatives in the Senate try and force the issue.
Yesterday, the government’s representatives in the Senate brought forward a motion pre-empting hearings and debate, saying the Senate “intends to pass” their crime bill by March 1st,.
( …. )
Parliament is now recessed for a week, although the Senate’s committee has extended its normal schedule in order to sit all next week in hearings on Bill C-2. That’s the real work of the Senate. The ultimatum is mere political posturing. Unfortunately, rather than speeding things up, it has done nothing more than impede progress on other important issues currently before us.
I guess, Bill C-42, An Act to amend the Museums Act is more important than protecting our children or putting drunk drivers and dangerous criminals in jail for longer.
So, Alberta, how’s that Senator working out for ya? Just asking, cause I figure your representative should have your input, you know the drill: Senator Elaine McCoy, senator@albertasenator.ca. You can find her blog on Progressive Bloggers which I know is fully representative of Alberta.
Cheers,
lance
Bonus points for the freespeechers in the crowd by reading the Other Business,Other,No. 3 and finding a reference to free speech somewhere in all that back-slapping.
The sooner that pack of lazy, ‘entitled’, useless, parasites on the Canadian taxpayer are put out to grass on their own dime; the happier I will be. A triple E senate would be a very good investment because it would ensure that a Liberano or Dipper government would never make Canada a Totalitarian state. The present senate will not ever be of any use because they are the enemy of liberty – being of the Puffin ilk – ‘be gone from the people’s house’ is all I have to say to all senators except Bert Brown.
we can all sing it
“onward christian soldiers as to marching off
to war
in the cloud of jesus
something something something
Elaine McCoy is “progressive” because she lists herself as a “Progressive ‘conservative'” — one of three/four.
I guess Joe Cluck is her leader. If we continue on the current path, we’ll be stuck with her ’till 2016.
Jema, please tell the Yukon Party government to hold a Senate election, ‘cuz the Yukon’s seat is vacant.
Saskatchewan will hold a Senate Election in 2009/2010.
Anybody notice the motion in there:
No. 5. (nine) (motion)
October 23, 2007—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Moore, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cowan:
That the following humble Address be presented to Her Excellency, The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada:
MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY:
WHEREAS full representation in the Senate of Canada is a constitutional guarantee to every province as part of the compromise that made Confederation possible;
AND WHEREAS the stated position of the Prime Minister that he “does not intend to appoint senators, unless necessary” represents a unilateral denial of the rights of the provinces;
AND WHEREAS the Prime Minister’s disregard of the Constitution of Canada places the Governor General in the intolerable situation of not being able to carry out her sworn duties under section s. 32 of the Constitution Act, 1867, which states, “When a Vacancy happens in the Senate by Resignation, Death, or otherwise, the Governor General shall by Summons to a fit and qualified Person fill the Vacancy.”;
AND WHEREAS upon the failure of the Prime Minister to tender advice it is the duty of the Governor General to uphold the Constitution of Canada and its laws and not be constrained by the willful omission of the Prime Minister;
Therefore, we humbly pray that Your Excellency will exercise Her lawful and constitutional duties and will summon qualified persons to the Senate of Canada, thereby assuring that the people and regions of our country have their full representation in a properly functioning Parliament, as that is their undeniable right guaranteed in the Constitution of Canada;
And on the motion in amendment of the Honourable Senator Tkachuk, seconded by the Honourable Senator Comeau, that the motion be amended by deleting all words after “MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELENCY:” and replacing them by the following:
We humbly pray that Your Excellency will continue to exercise Her lawful and constitutional duties and summon qualified persons to the Senate of Canada, upon the advice of the Prime Minister which has been the practice since Confederation;
And on the sub-amendment of the Honourable Senator Banks, seconded by the Honourable Senator Day, that the motion in amendment be amended by deleting all words after “Canada,” and replacing them with the following:
thereby assuring that the people and regions of our country have their full representation in a properly functioning Parliament, as that is their undeniable right guaranteed in the Constitution of Canada.—(Honourable Senator Moore)
The irony is that a few items later, they are sending a reminder to parliament not to interfere with Senate business.
This seems like a pretty blatant interference of the Prime Minister in attempting to tell the Governor General to fill the vacant Senate seats herself if the Prime Minister doesn’t suggest anyone.
Just curious. When are senators more disgusting, when they’re doing nothing, or when they’re doing something they’re weren’t elected to do? I can’t make up my mind.
Constitution be dammed, This is not 1867 the time has come for Canadians to have a say Whether this Un-Elected Senate needs to continue.
This country needs Democratic Reform, this country Needs an Elected Senate in order to have a true North stong & free.
What a friggin moron Elaine is. I live in Alberta and many of the folk here are sick of ‘talking about crime’ and more than a few are more than ready to do something about it, the foot-dragging gov’t and the carbunkles in the judiciary be damned.
For me, I have heard everything the progressives have to say – and I say we should have stopped listening to those idiots 3 decades ago.
Andrew at 8:50
The senators have time for this (Crap) before the end of Feb. but can’t be RUSHED on the Crime Bill C-2. How many hours and who’s advice($)did this take to put together?
Our Senators have a lamprey like lip-lock on the public teat and thus find it difficult to move fast.
Except when they want to approve their own pay raise – they got that legislation through review in a few days.
There is nothing more blood-boiling,than to watch the Lib.senators smirk,and fake indignation when interviewed.The sense of entitlement,and self importance and the school yard ‘you can’t make me’ is just sickening.Prime example is Manitoba’s Carstairs,and her Goodale-ese,’outrage.’The sooner these bleeding heart,overpaid blowhards are gone,the better.
Marxists begot socialists who begot liberals who begot progressives.
I couldnt help but notice the squeamish chicken littles on the original story comments. Harper is a bully Whaaaa !! One commentor even claimed he/she did not want the age of consent raised. To that I say the next incurable pediphile should be moved into his/her neighborhood.
I would invert that sequence, nomdeblog.
BTW, are you nomdenet from a year ago?
christopher rivers @ 8:56am: Any time a senator is doing ANYTHING, they are doing something they were not elected to do. 🙂
Oh yeah, one more thing. We’ll have no more talk of Triple E Senates until after I get myself appointed to the upper house. Then we can work on those changes, ’cause I’ll get severance and a big fat pension, thus changing my current “Freedom 95” package to something more pork barrelish.
h/t to whoever came up with that Freedom 95 moniker. I really like that!
Yes Brent on both.
You’re right, ‘Progressives” are indeed a slippery slope back to the USSR
I had to change my identity for witness protection at the HRCs …just kidding.
It was because ‘net’ was already taken when I tried to create a Blogger or Google sign-on for some sites.
If the Harper government can stay in power until 2009, at least fifteen senators will have reached retiremnt age.
Fifteen vacancies.
Perfect timing to elect fifteen senators along with the next general election!
Or better yet, adopt the only ONE SINGLE decent idea the crypto-communist Jack Layton’s ND’s have ever brought before parliament – abolish the Senate!
For many of those plush bottomed Senators it’s a rush to get their arses off a seat.
nomdeblog:
LOL.
There’s an article today in the Nova Scotia Chronicle Herald (Canada Press), that David Smith, who is a Liberal Senator – and ALSO co-chair of the Liberal election campaign (hmm..how’s that for having two jobs, and being ‘objective’ in the Senate)….well, this David Smith informs us that the Senate WILL pass Harper’s crime bill by Harper’s due date.
Wait. How does he know this? Isn’t the Senate, according to the Senate, separate and not under the control of the House? Or, of the Liberal Party? How can the co-chair of the Liberal Party’s election campaign, inform us that the Liberal-dominated Senate will do such and such, unless those same Liberal Senators – are being RUN by the Liberal Party????
Well?
ET:
From the last link that Lance listed:
Motions
No. 1.
February 14, 2008—Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Comeau, seconded by the Honourable Senator Tkachuk:
That a message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that House that:
Whereas Canadians deserve streets that are safe from violent criminals, impaired drivers and sexual predators, the Senate intends to pass C-2, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other Acts by March 1, 2008.
Well I did find a reference to “freedom of speech, association, assembly and the murder of innocent people…”. But it pertains to Burma. Oh well.
Joe Molnar: If the Harper government can stay in power until 2009, at least fifteen senators will have reached retiremnt age.
Joe, I counted 13 before the fixed election day, but add that to the 14 vacant Senate seats that our PM has yet to appoint (prompting the motion that I pointed out), and that makes 1/4 of the Senate positions eligible for election. Personally, I think that if he can’t move the election and term limits in a meaningful way, then he should appoint the youngest “neo-con” blue tories he can find to let all the liberal and progressive conservative (I thought the federal party ceased to exist) senators fear for the country after they retire.
Just my thought.
And a great thought it is Andrew. Fight fire with fire. I like your thought a lot!