In the coming days, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will make decisions to ensure that legislation can be brought forward and reviewed in the Conservative-dominated Senate, according to Government House Leader Dominic LeBlanc.
Speaking to CTV鈥檚 Question Period, LeBlanc said the Senate needs to be able to fulfill its responsibility to properly scrutinize legislation. While he didn鈥檛 specifically indicate what Trudeau will do to ensure this can happen, LeBlanc said vote whipping will not be encouraged in the Red Chamber.
鈥淭he prime minister will be making, I think in the coming days, decisions needed to ensure that legislation can be brought forward in the Senate and can be placed before the Senate to be looked a constructively,鈥� said LeBlanc.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not about whipping votes 鈥� but we need procedurally for the Senate to fulfill its responsibilities.鈥�
LeBlanc said the Liberals hope to establish a more 鈥渃ollegial and constructive鈥� relationship between the government and the Senate, adding that he doesn鈥檛 see the 47 Conservative seats -- a strong majority -- as opponents. LeBlanc said he has had some 鈥渆ncouraging鈥� conversations with senators on both sides of the aisle indicating support for a new approach.
鈥淭hey were encouraging and I think quite hopeful in terms of developing a new, less partisan, more independent relationship between the government and the Senate,鈥� said LeBlanc.
As a part of that attempt to lessen partisanship in the Senate, LeBlanc said Trudeau is reviewing his constitutional responsibility with respect to appointing a speaker and government leader in the Senate.
鈥淥ur hope is that the government leader function would evolve into a less partisan context.鈥�
As the Senate currently stands, the Liberals would have a tough time passing legislation in the Red Chamber if the Conservative majority teamed up to vote against their bills.
At some point, Trudeau will have to deal with the 22 empty seats in the Senate. If he fills those seats, those individuals would join 29 other Liberal-appointed senators who now sit as independents after Trudeau kicked them out of his party鈥檚 caucus in 2014. The group now refers to themselves as the 鈥渋ndependent Senate Liberal caucus.鈥�
Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer said his party is looking forward to seeing more details about the Liberals鈥� plan for the Senate in this Friday鈥檚 Speech from the Throne.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been advocating reform for the Senate for quite some time and I think we鈥檙e going to look seriously at some of the ideas that are being put forward,鈥� said Scheer.
The NDP still strongly opposes the existence of the Upper Chamber, according to NDP House Leader Peter Julian. The party campaigned on abolishment of the Senate in the recent federal election.
鈥淲e just don鈥檛 see it to be a legitimate body for 2015 when there should be a democratic process in place 鈥� and not people being nominated by political parties of any stripe,鈥� said Julian.
Priorities for returning Parliament
In the more immediate term, LeBlanc said a middle-class tax cut will be the Liberal government鈥檚 priority when Parliament resumes on Thursday. The cut, a key part of the party鈥檚 election platform, would cut taxes for middle-class families by raising taxes on those who earn $200,000 or more annually.
鈥淥ur hope is in the first full week of sitting, we can take the legislative measures to make sure that that tax cut is in place for January 1st,鈥� said LeBlanc.
Scheer said the Conservatives will continue to oppose any measures that raises taxes.
LeBlanc also said the government intends to hold a Throne Speech debate in the House of Commons before MPs rise for the holiday break.
鈥淭hat should occupy most of the first and the only week of the sitting this December.鈥�
