Better late than never

Bert Brown, Alberta's "Senator in waiting" will finally be appointed to Senate. He will become the second elected Senator in Canadian history to be summoned to the Red Chamber. Unlike his predecessor Stan Waters, who was sworn in within months after his election, Bert Brown has been waiting for 9 years to be appointed. He took the most votes in both 1998 and 2004 Senate nominee elections. But these elections weren't recognized by then-governing Liberals that appointed their own nominees instead. In 2005 Paul Martin went even further, purposely selecting youthful nominees for Alberta to ensure none of those seats becomes vacant anytime soon. However a veteran Liberal Senator Dan Hays decided to retire earlier. Stephen Harper has announced that Bert Brown would fill Hays' seat.

Well, better late than never. Appointing an elected nominee to the Senate is a sign for other provinces to follow suit. The opposition is obstructing the bill that would make Senate nominee elections binding. But a Prime Minister that appoints elected Senators is already there - so the provinces better use the opportunity.

New Brunswick currently has one vacant seat in the Senate. Another seat will become vacant following the retirement of Honorable Marilyn Trenholme Counsell on October 22, 2008. Not sure if Bill C-43 will become law by then. But even if it doesn't - nothing prohibits New Brunswick from holding a Senate nominee election, just as Alberta does. Nominees for both Senate seats could be elected coinciding with the municipal elections in May of 2008. Elected Senators became fait accompli in Alberta. Why would New Brunswick lag behind?