A year of change for Canada’s Senate: Senator Harder
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When future generations look back through Canadian history, they will see 2016 as a year of great change for the Senate of Canada — an institution that had remained largely unaltered since Confederation.
Canadians have made their feelings clear about what kind of Senate they want. They are eager for an Upper Chamber free from blind partisanship, and with the independence to fulfill its duty as a chamber of sober second thought.
This is the course we are taking.
Last year, 27 new independent senators joined the Red Chamber through the federal government’s new independent advisory board. This process has yielded individuals of exceptional quality and of many backgrounds to fill what had been empty seats.
Beyond these remarkable new senators, there has been a genuine renewal of the spirit of independence throughout the entirety of the Chamber.
This was clearly evident during the debate on the government’s medical assistance in dying legislation.
Senators of all affiliations considered the ethical dimensions surrounding the bill, demonstrating prudence and conviction. The record showed that their perspectives did not fall along party lines but were instead the products of careful consideration and reflection. Positions were not simply in favour or opposed.
Senators made important amendments to the bill, some of which were adopted by the House of Commons. Where the government disagreed, the Senate deferred to the elected chamber.
This demonstrated on the national stage that not only is the new Senate more independent, but that its respect for its Constitution role — to refine yet not obstruct — is as strong as ever.
The potential of a vigorous Senate committed to its founding purpose is far greater than a chamber whipped this or way that by the government of the day.
The Senate has been able to put important issues on the government’s radar through its committee work too — and the federal government has shown exceptional responsiveness in recognizing committees’ contributions.
This was the case following committee reports covering a range of topics, from obesity to dementia, and from inter-provincial trade barriers to Indigenous movement across the Canada-U.S. border.
And in line with the great gains coming out of traditional standing committees was the first report by the Special Senate Committee on Modernization, which released its first report last year with a range of recommendations on how the Upper Chamber can continue to move forward to meet the expectations of Canadians.
The recommendations included a push to open up membership to standing committees for our new independent senators, and indeed the Senate moved quickly to reach an immediate compromise that has allowed these senators to join in the important work of Senate committees.
Furthermore, Senate modernization has ushered in an improved environment of transparency, with a new proactive disclosure model and online access to attendance records now in place. And while we must continue to work to build trust with Canadians, I think we are turning the page on some of the difficulties of the recent past.
None of this means that our job is complete — 2017 will surely be another year of change in the Upper Chamber, as we continue our efforts to modernize an upper chamber devoted to reviewing, amending and proposing solutions to the contemporary challenges facing our nation.
But without a doubt we’re off to a strong start that will cement the Senate’s importance and relevance to Canadians.
Peter Harder is a senator representing Ontario, and serves as the Government Representative in the Senate.
This article originally appeared in the December 30, 2016 edition of the Hamilton Spectator.
When future generations look back through Canadian history, they will see 2016 as a year of great change for the Senate of Canada — an institution that had remained largely unaltered since Confederation.
Canadians have made their feelings clear about what kind of Senate they want. They are eager for an Upper Chamber free from blind partisanship, and with the independence to fulfill its duty as a chamber of sober second thought.
This is the course we are taking.
Last year, 27 new independent senators joined the Red Chamber through the federal government’s new independent advisory board. This process has yielded individuals of exceptional quality and of many backgrounds to fill what had been empty seats.
Beyond these remarkable new senators, there has been a genuine renewal of the spirit of independence throughout the entirety of the Chamber.
This was clearly evident during the debate on the government’s medical assistance in dying legislation.
Senators of all affiliations considered the ethical dimensions surrounding the bill, demonstrating prudence and conviction. The record showed that their perspectives did not fall along party lines but were instead the products of careful consideration and reflection. Positions were not simply in favour or opposed.
Senators made important amendments to the bill, some of which were adopted by the House of Commons. Where the government disagreed, the Senate deferred to the elected chamber.
This demonstrated on the national stage that not only is the new Senate more independent, but that its respect for its Constitution role — to refine yet not obstruct — is as strong as ever.
The potential of a vigorous Senate committed to its founding purpose is far greater than a chamber whipped this or way that by the government of the day.
The Senate has been able to put important issues on the government’s radar through its committee work too — and the federal government has shown exceptional responsiveness in recognizing committees’ contributions.
This was the case following committee reports covering a range of topics, from obesity to dementia, and from inter-provincial trade barriers to Indigenous movement across the Canada-U.S. border.
And in line with the great gains coming out of traditional standing committees was the first report by the Special Senate Committee on Modernization, which released its first report last year with a range of recommendations on how the Upper Chamber can continue to move forward to meet the expectations of Canadians.
The recommendations included a push to open up membership to standing committees for our new independent senators, and indeed the Senate moved quickly to reach an immediate compromise that has allowed these senators to join in the important work of Senate committees.
Furthermore, Senate modernization has ushered in an improved environment of transparency, with a new proactive disclosure model and online access to attendance records now in place. And while we must continue to work to build trust with Canadians, I think we are turning the page on some of the difficulties of the recent past.
None of this means that our job is complete — 2017 will surely be another year of change in the Upper Chamber, as we continue our efforts to modernize an upper chamber devoted to reviewing, amending and proposing solutions to the contemporary challenges facing our nation.
But without a doubt we’re off to a strong start that will cement the Senate’s importance and relevance to Canadians.
Peter Harder is a senator representing Ontario, and serves as the Government Representative in the Senate.
This article originally appeared in the December 30, 2016 edition of the Hamilton Spectator.