Protecting Canadian Democracy: The Senate You Never Knew - Hardcover

9780773525931: Protecting Canadian Democracy: The Senate You Never Knew

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0773525939 ISBN 13: 9780773525931

Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2003

In recent years Canada's Senate, Parliament's chamber of sober second thought, has often been the subject of controversy and calls for reform. Protecting Canadian Democracy examines the history, role, and evolution of the Senate; places it in the context of other federal systems; and contrasts its role with that of provincial governments. Contributors analyse the Senate's use of its legislative powers, comparing it with the House of Commons, and assess the Senate's contribution to public policy development and review, showing how the upper chamber functions as a forum within Parliament for the representation of Canada's diverse regional, linguistic, cultural, and socio-economic interests. contending that the Senate should be improved by means that do not require formal amendments to the Constitution. The authors identify possibilities for reform the institution within the current constitutional framework, addressing the Senate's veto power, its appointment process, and its legislative independence. A valuable appendix of charts and statistics on the composition and operation of the Senate is also provided.

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Review:

"This book sheds insightful light on a valuable but misunderstood institution on Parliament Hill. Canadians ignore the Senate's potential to their detriment and this collection makes an important contribution to the nascent debate on Canada's democratic deficit."

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