The Canadian Senate was first established as the house of sober second thought, but has strayed far from its original intention. Senators have been charged with breach of trust and fraud because of dishonest claimed expenses and the Upper House seems to rarely oppose or amend bills passed by the House of Commons. Why, you may ask, should the Senate be reformed rather than abolished?

Despite the public reputation of the Senate, it has value as an institution under the Legislative Branch of Canada as well as to Canadian tradition. For every dishonest senator, a respectable one is using his/her influence to promote social justice, raise awareness of global issues, and contribute positively to the Canadian legislative system. Senators can better represent minorities than political parties and are not constrained to party solidarity. Senate committees are thoughtful and well-researched, also. In light of these things, I propose reformation instead of abolition.

This petition supports the following reforms:

a) An equal number of senators from every province/territory to represent minorities and ensure the cooperation and involvement of smaller groups in terms of population.

b) Election of senators instead of political patronage and appointment in order to establish the Upper House as an accountablerepresentation of the people instead of a status symbol.

c) Term limits set by the Canadian government in order to maintain activity in the Senate and reduce pension costs.

d) Regular audits to keep senators accountable to their spending.

If you agree with any or all of the above propositions, please add your signature to this petition and share it with your social media contacts to make a difference in Canadian government!