Former Reform leader asks Canadians to weigh in on fate of Senate

OTTAWA – Two advocates of Senate reform have unveiled a website where Canadians can vote on the future of the upper chamber.

Former Reform party leader Preston Manning and former Alberta cabinet minister Ted Morton say the preliminary results of the voting will be presented at a convention in late February.

The options on the website at www.reformorabolish.ca include abolishing the Senate now or by 2025, major or minor reforms and maintaining the status quo.

Manning and Morton say the Senate expense scandal has angered Canadians and given proponents of reform or abolition a window of opportunity to try to bring about change.

The Conservative government has asked the Supreme Court of Canada what it would take to reform or abolish the Senate.

The Tories argue they don’t need the provinces to sign off on their Senate reform proposals, while outright abolition would require the approval of at least seven provinces representing 50 per cent of the population.

However, most of the provinces and territories disagree with the Harper government’s arguments.

On the web: http://www.reformorabolish.ca