Saskatchewan Party to ask members about scrapping the Senate; Wall says abolish

REGINA – Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall says his party will hold a referendum to see whether its members think the Senate should be abolished.

A resolution on abolishing the upper house was debated and defeated in a split decision at the party’s last convention.

Wall — who supports scrapping the Senate — says recent events have prompted some to ask that the issue to be revisited.

Wall himself used to advocate for Senate reform, but said last week that he’s come to believe that will never happen.

The referendum of Saskatchewan Party members is to be done over the next few weeks and the results announced in early July.

Wall says if the party supports abolishing the Senate, he’ll push the issue at the annual premiers meeting in July and consider moving a constitutional amendment motion in the Saskatchewan legislature this fall.