How do you save democracy from itself? You appoint a Senate. In 1990 the democratically elected House of Commons passed Bill C-43 which would have criminalized all abortions. That bill was defeated by the appointed Senate. To this day abortions remain legal solely because of the Senate’s actions. In 2013
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The Scott Ross: Senate Saves Canada… Again
How do you save democracy from itself? You appoint a Senate. In 1990 the democratically elected House of Commons passed Bill C-43 which would have criminalized all abortions. That bill was defeated by the appointed Senate. To this day abortions remain legal solely because of the Senate’s actions. In 2013
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Senate Saves Canada… Again
How do you save democracy from itself? You appoint a Senate.In 1990 the democratically elected House of Commons passed Bill C-43 which would have criminalized all abortions. That bill was defeated by the appointed Senate. To this day abortions remain l…
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: How Harper Made The Senate More Accountable, Even If Just A Little
If Justin Beiber was in the Canadian Senate it would be the most watched institution in all of government, and, undoubtedly, the most accountable. For if the Biebs walked down the Ottawan red carpet into that similarly coloured chamber, his every action would be televised, sensationalized, and scrutinized. There wouldn’t
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: How Harper Made The Senate More Accountable, Even If Just A Little
If Justin Beiber was in the Canadian Senate it would be the most watched institution in all of government, and, undoubtedly, the most accountable. For if the Biebs walked down the Ottawan red carpet into that similarly coloured chamber, his every action would be televised, sensationalized, and scrutinized. There wouldn’t
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: How Harper Made The Senate More Accountable, Even If Just A Little
If Justin Beiber was in the Canadian Senate it would be the most watched institution in all of government, and, undoubtedly, the most accountable.For if the Biebs walked down the Ottawan red carpet into that similarly coloured chamber, his every action…
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Mike Duffy & Why An Elected Senate Would Have Made This Worse
Nobody really thinks Senator Mike Duffy received $90,000 in return for some political favour, but that public perception would most certainly change if he and every other Senator faced regular expensive election campaigns that depended on large contrib…
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Mike Duffy & Why An Elected Senate Would Have Made This Worse
Nobody really thinks Senator Mike Duffy received $90,000 in return for some political favour, but that public perception would most certainly change if he and every other Senator faced regular expensive election campaigns that depended on large contributions and even larger political favours. An elected Senate requiring hundreds of thousands
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Mike Duffy & Why An Elected Senate Would Have Made This Worse
Nobody really thinks Senator Mike Duffy received $90,000 in return for some political favour, but that public perception would most certainly change if he and every other Senator faced regular expensive election campaigns that depended on large contributions and even larger political favours. An elected Senate requiring hundreds of thousands
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: The Undemocratic Elected Senate & The Democratic Appointed One
90% of Americans support universal background checks for guns yet on Wednesday the American Senate struck down that legislation. That’s not very democratic, is it? Those in Canada who fervently cling to the idea that voting will make our Senate democratic almost completely ignore the problems that come with it,
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Why Canada Needs An Elected Senate Just Like America’s
“Washington is broken.” – Barack Obama Looking at the Canadian Senate in isolation might motivate many to question it, but compared to the American Senate, Canadians should be proud of their upper chamber. Besides the fact that googling “Ottawa is broken” brings zero related results, the American Senate is so
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: A More Democratic Senate Is Less So
Canadians certainly are no Nero, but they do have at least one thing in common with the late Roman emperor. In 64 AD it is said that while Rome burned its emperor Nero fiddled. That while his city suffered calamity he amused himself with music. Today Canadians are doing something
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Sex and the Senate
Winston Churchill is credited with an exchange that when adapted illustrates, not only the similarities between prostitution and politics, but current inconsistencies in the popular view of our Canadian government. Churchill: “Madam, would you sleep with me for five million pounds?” Socialite: “My goodness, Mr. Churchill… Well, I suppose… we
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: America’s Broken Senate
There might not be a more persuasive argument against an elected senate than the American example. From filibustering to partisan deadlock to disproportionate representation, this broken institution south of our border is largely responsible for the lo…
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