In a bid to reform the scandal-plagued Senate, the Harper government was considering a legislative change that would give senators the power to remove a colleagues if he or she was found to bring 鈥渄isrepute鈥� to the upper chamber.
However, 麻豆传媒 has learned that Ottawa is no longer considering the measure as part of a greater strategy to reform the Senate.
Currently, the Senate can vote to remove a senator鈥檚 salary and benefits. But there鈥檚 no clear path for voting to take away a senator鈥檚 appointment.
CTV鈥檚 Richard Madan said that after consulting with a team of constitutional and legal advisors, granting senators the power to remove others from the Senate was a 鈥渂it of a legislative mess.鈥�
鈥淪ometime during the summer the plan was called off,鈥� Madan told CTV鈥檚 Power Play on Tuesday.
Currently, senators could get kicked out of the Red Chamber if the member:
- Misses two consecutive sessions of Parliament
- Gives up his/her Canadian citizenship
- Becomes bankrupt
- Is convicted of a criminal offence
- Fails to meet the property requirement laid out by Senate rules
The Senate spending scandal, which erupted earlier this year, led to an audit of four senators who were ordered to pay back tens of thousands of dollars in ineligible housing and travel expenses.
