Check It Out: What could help unite our country?

By Joan Janzen
joanjanzen@yahoo.com

The handyman told his friend, “I couldn’t repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.” When government attempts to unite our country by enforcing regulations, opposing voices will become louder. So how can we begin to unite our country?

Earlier this year, former premier Brad Wall posed a suggestion in an article in the National Post. In it he suggested Senate reform could serve to unite the country. Even though he doubted it was a topic that would be on people’s minds, he pondered on an opportunity to rethink how our country works. He reasoned that making meaningful changes to the upper house would give a stronger voice to provinces, which would in turn help lessen the regional divide.

He gave Bill C-69 (the anti pipeline bill) as an example where the Senate failed to give a voice to western Canada. His suggestion was five senators be assigned for each province, one for each territory and ten senators to represent Canada’s Aboriginal peoples. Those Senators would be appointed by and represent their respective provinces, and Indigenous organizations would also appoint their own senators, each being limited to a four year term.

Wall’s theory is that a reformed Senate would provide an equal voice to the provinces, territories and First Nations. More importantly it would remedy a “four year dictatorship” of a majority government since the Senate could provide a voice for the entire country. He wondered if it would be possible for western premiers to band together to help bring about the constitutional reform that would be necessary.

Wall guessed while a reformed Senate would encourage more debate, decisions might take longer to make. Most importantly, it would give a voice to provinces and First Nations who have felt like they aren’t being heard.

And speaking of voices being heard, the present Senate adjourned for the summer without passing Bill C-10. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) said many senators objected to the bill.

Senator David Adam Richards said “I don’t think this bill needs amendments; I think, however, it needs a stake through the heart. I will always and forever stand against any bill that subjects freedom of expression to the doldrums of government oversight, and I implore others to do the same.” Those were encouraging words coming from this Trudeau appointed Senator.

According to the CTF it was an encouraging win, since Liberals, NDP, Block and the Green Party were all supporting this bill, so you can see the fight is far from over. Michael Geist, a law professor at the University of Ottawa said the federal government is trying to regulate free speech in a way that no other democratic country in the world does. Can Canadians be united in agreeing that they all want to be able to speak freely?

Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director for the CTF, also suggested PM Trudeau rein in the Governor General pension plan before making a new appointment. This is something with which most Canadians would agree. He estimated the five living former governor generals will receive more than $18 million if they collect their pensions until the age of 90.

Franco also noted former governor generals can access a yearly $206,040 expense account for the rest of their lives and even up to six months after their death. Surely, all Canadians can be united in agreeing that this needs to change.

Tony Evans, author and television broadcaster, said “Unity is oneness of purpose, not sameness of persons.”