Lachine

Conservatives broke their promise, says Morin

Redaction - TC Media

12 février 2013 à 11h50 2 minutes de lecture

After promising for years to reform the Senate to make it more transparent and democratic, Stephen Harper’s Conservatives went back on their word and we’re already seeing the consequences, said New Democrat MP Isabelle Morin (Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine).

When he ran for Prime Minister of Canada for the first time in March 2004, Stephen Harper committed to reforming the Canadian Senate. “I will not appoint senators. People sitting in Parliament must be elected by the people they represent,” he said at the time.

“Unfortunately under the Conservatives nothing has changed and all those promises turned out to be false. In a shocking about-face, Harper has even appointed more senators than Mulroney,” said Morin.

Appointed for life by Stephen Harper in 2009, Senator Brazeau, who is currently facing criminal charges, could cost Canadian taxpayers up to 7 million dollars if he sits until the age of 75.

Other Conservative and Liberal senators are suspected of lying about their place of residence so they can claim living expenses. These events case even more doubt on the necessity of the Senate and shameful waste of public funds by this useless institution.

“Despite laying claim to being a responsible fiscal manager, Harper has taken part in wasting public funds and appointing Senators who are suspected of misusing our tax dollars. Moreover, instead of making the Senate more accountable and democratic, Harper has appointed people who follow him uncritically.” added Morin.

Abolishing the Senate, like the NDP proposes, would save taxpayers 90 million per year.