Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall says Canada does not need two branches of Parliament, and says there is 鈥減lenty of opportunity鈥� for sober second thought in a unicameral system of government.
On Wednesday, Saskatchewan repealed legislation allowing for the election of nominees to the upper chamber and passed a motion calling for the Senate to be abolished.
The move came a day after the Senate voted overwhelmingly to suspend Senators Mike Duffy, Pamela Wallin and Patrick Brazeau over alleged 鈥済ross negligence鈥� regarding their expense claims.
Wall acknowledged that the abolition motion is 鈥渘ot a constitutionally worded resolution,鈥� and so is largely symbolic, and the issue of abolition is 鈥渂y no means in the top 10 priorities for the Saskatchewan people.鈥�
But, he told CTV鈥檚 Power Play, 鈥渕y view is that I don鈥檛 think we need the bicameral institution,鈥� and the provinces that have already rid themselves of upper chambers 鈥渁re not worse for wear.鈥� Manitoba, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Quebec all abolished their upper chambers.
鈥淚鈥檝e heard the argument about sober second thought, but lower houses have all the tools of inquiry,鈥� Wall said. 鈥淭here is plenty of opportunity for that in a unicameral approach.鈥�
Wall added that abolition is 鈥渟lightly more achievable鈥� than reform. 鈥淏ut we know that the status quo is not on.鈥�
The question of whether to reform or abolish the Senate has become a hot-button topic again with the ongoing expense scandal that has rattled the upper chamber.
Nova Scotia and Manitoba have also said the Senate should be abolished. The federal government referred a number of questions to the Supreme Court to determine its mandate for reforming the upper chamber. The court is scheduled to begin hearing the reference case on Nov. 12.
At the Conservative Party convention last weekend, Tory MP Maxime Bernier called for a referendum on abolishing the Senate, and reiterated that point on Power Play on Thursday.
鈥淧eople are there, they are ready for abolition now,鈥� he told Power Play.
On Friday, Wall said he was open to Bernier鈥檚 suggestion.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 never wrong to check with Canadians,鈥� Wall said. 鈥淎 referendum is an option.鈥�
Wall acknowledged that abolishing the Senate is a difficult task, but said he has heard more Canadians say they support abolition than transforming the upper chamber into an elected body. And, to those who worry that the provinces would lose advocates for their interests in Ottawa, Wall says that whether senators are elected or appointed, they are still part of parliamentary caucus.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think they鈥檙e voices for the regions, they鈥檙e not voices for the provinces. They are part of that parliamentary caucus and on the big issues, federal government issues, those votes are generally whipped,鈥� Wall said.
鈥淭he balance we want against the federal government can happen in the provinces.鈥�
