Another Brilliant Chess Move

Of course he knew it.  Harper knew the Supreme Court would rule against any arbitrary Federal move to reform the Senate.  But to appease those who wanted Senate reform, he went along with it -- all the way to the Supreme Court.  Now he pretends he is disappointed.  He's not.   

A wise Senator I know (yes, there are a few "wise" ones) told me it would take unanimous agreement among all provinces and territories to change the constitution.  And changing the constitution would be required to reform -- or abolish -- the Senate.  Never, ever going to happen.  And thank G-d for that. 

Here's the deal.  The Constitution Act of 1867 decreed that any change to the Senate would require the unanimous consent of all provinces.  Each province would then have two years to change its mind.  The Constitution Act of 1982 decreed that it would only require the consent of seven provinces and 50% of the population to reform the Senate.  That, my friends, is why Quebec did not sign onto the 1982 Act; they would have had less power because fewer provinces would have had to sign on.  The original Act gives Quebec enormous powers and that's the way that province likes it. 

But Harper knows all this.  The ignorant Canadian public does not, pushing as it was for an elected/reformed/abolished Senate.  As I have always maintained, do we really want to go the way of the deadlocked United States with an immoveable government thanks to an elected Senate? 

No, we don't.