Premiers say that Senate is not a priority: They’re wrong

If you were hoping that Canada's premiers would show some leadership and chutzpah about Senate reform, you are going to be greatly disappointed.

The message our premiers were touting on Friday — the final day of annual Council of the Federation meeting — was that the Senate Reform isn't a priority for Canadians.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne said "it's not something that is top of mind for people in Ontario", adding that the federal government is dealing with the issue.

Prince Edward Island Premier Robert Ghiz said "this is not a major priority for us."

B.C. Premier Christy Clark called it "a huge distraction."

And even Saskatchewan Brad Wall, who wants to see the senate abolished, belittled the issue.

"We all agree on this: while it’s in the news, it’s not a top priority either for Saskatchewan or for the premiers or for the country," he said, according to the Toronto Star.

"There are other issues, including the economy and health care and, frankly, disasters that are happening that are far more important."

[ Related: Constitutional can of worms? Report suggests Saskatchewan to introduce motion to abolish the Senate ]

Gregory Thomas of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation says the premiers are just wrong.

"If Premier Wynne truly believes that the Senate expense scandal is “not something that is top of mind for people in Ontario” and the waste and corruption in the Senate is not “a burning issue,” then she is badly misled," he told Yahoo! Canada News.

"She might get a wake-up call from the voters next week in the five by-elections she has coming up."

Thomas is right on the money.

Senate reform is a top-of-mind issue for Canadians — buoyed by the senate scandals.

The story on Friday, for example, about Senator Mac Harb claiming an uninhabitable house as his primary residence, was one of the top news stories at Yahoo! Canada, CTV News, the Globe and Mail and the National Post.

[ Related: Damning RCMP report says Senator Mac Harb’s home ‘uninhabitable’ ]

Polls indicate that the majority of Canadians are aware of the senate scandals and aren't happy with the status-quo: A Nanos Research survey from June suggested that 49 per cent of Canadians want reform while 41 per cent want the Senate abolished.

And, several groups, including Democracy Watch, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and the NDP have launched petitions to change the upper chamber.

[ Related: Taxpayer watchdog calls for national vote on fate of the Senate ]

Certainly the federal government has to take the lead on the issue — they've done that by referring the question of Senate reform and/or abolishment to the Supreme Court.

But the provinces will have to play a role — they're the ones who will have to drive the agenda during constitutional talks when the time comes.

But for now, it seems like they're content with hiding their heads in the sand pretending it's not an issue that matters to Canadians.

It's a sad sight.

Is the Senate a 'top priority' for Canadians?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

(Photo courtesy of the Canadian Press)

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