Top court to give long-awaited advice on Senate reform, abolition next week

OTTAWA – The Supreme Court of Canada’s long-awaited opinion on what it will take to reform or abolish the Senate will be delivered next week.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper sought the top court’s advice after a number of provinces strenuously objected to the federal government’s attempts to unilaterally reform the upper house.

Ottawa argues it doesn’t need provincial consent to create a consultative election process for choosing senators or to impose term limits on them.

Most provinces argue such reforms need the approval of at least seven provinces representing 50 per cent of the population.

Harper, who has threatened to abolish the Senate if he can’t reform it, has also asked the court whether abolition would require the approval of seven provinces or all ten.

The court, which heard arguments on the matter last November, will hand down its opinion April 25.