Had you been standing in the foyer of Canada’s Senate on June 22nd 2017, you’d have been forgiven for thinking that a constitutional crisis was about to engulf our nation’s Parliament. While the national media waited outside the chamber with cameras, microphones and hot television lights in tow, … [Read more...]
An Insider’s Look at Senate Committees
When I first stepped into the Senate atrium and peered into the chamber, I recall experiencing a sensory overload of colour. Carpeted in a sea of red with gold leaf adorning the ceiling, the Senate is decorated in a style befitting a monarch, the colours hinting at the Upper House's regal … [Read more...]
The Senate Reference: Supreme Court of Canada Outlines Constitutional Road to Reform
Controversies in the Senate have caused many to question whether we need a Senate at all. Realistically, however, what changes could Parliament make to the Senate? Constitutionally, what changes is Parliament allowed to make to the Senate? In 2014, Parliament found out exactly how it could change – … [Read more...]