News outlets are reporting today that the prime minister is preparing to fill the senate vacancies that he has allowed to pile up over the past few years. While it would appear to fly in the face of Harper’s desire to reform the Senate by limiting terms to 8 years and forcing the provinces to start holding “advisory” elections, there has been speculation that Harper would try to attach conditions to the appointments, for example that his appointees would agree to step down after 8 years. Or as Bob Fife reports today, “it appears Harper hasn’t completely backed away from his previous policy. An insider said Harper would ask anyone he appoints to agree to step down and run in a Senate election if new legislation is ever implemented.”
News outlets are reporting today that the prime minister is preparing to fill the senate vacancies that he has allowed to pile up over the past few years. While it would appear to fly in the face of Harper’s desire to reform the Senate by limiting terms to 8 years and forcing the provinces to start holding “advisory” elections, there has been speculation that Harper would try to attach conditions to the appointments, for example that his appointees would agree to step down after 8 years. Or as Bob Fife reports today, “it appears Harper hasn’t completely backed away from his previous policy. An insider said Harper would ask anyone he appoints to agree to step down and run in a Senate election if new legislation is ever implemented.”
It is worth pointing out that any such agreement qualifies as inducement, and is therefore completely illegal.
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