What Is It About Liberal Politicians And Senate Elections?

If the Liberal politicians (federal and provincial) are so concerned with over a dozen seats in the Senate which remain vacant - why would they oppose holding consultative elections to fill them? Why are they so eager to force the Prime Minister to fill those seats by appointment. How many Liberals, do they think a Conservative Prime Minister is going to appoint?! Can you understand their logic? I can't.

The Montreal Gazette outlines some of the concerns raised by the Quebec Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Benoît Pelletier. First of all he mentions that Quebec has already got 2 vacant seats in the Senate, with another one to become vacant in just a couple of months. 2 or 3 vacant seats out of 24 - that's not as bad as in BC - which lacks 3 out of its 6 Senators. Still, if it's a reason for concern - go ahead, have a province-wide election to choose the nominees, the PM has already promised to honor the results...

But Pelletier gives us two excuses not to do so. First he expresses his concern that a sovereignist candidate may actually win the election. As if it isn't up to the Parti Libéral du Québec (of which Monsieur Pelletier is a member) to provide Quebecers with a solid alternative to separatism. Then Pelletier predicts that in this case Stephen Harper would break his promise to appoint Senators elected by the province and refuse nomination to a sovereignist that wins the vote. What makes him so sure? Apparently Pelletier simply has the power to predict the future. I wonder if he can predict winning lottery numbers too...

Finally Pelletier brings forward his most powerful argument against electing Senate nominees:

Pelletier's comments came moments after he told a parliamentary committee that the Harper government's proposal to have consultative elections to fill Senate vacancies, Bill C-20, constitutes a change to the fundamental nature of an institution that was an important part of the deal that brought Quebec into Confederation. Consequently, it can only be done by amending the constitution in conjunction with the provinces, said Pelletier warning the Quebec government is contemplating taking Ottawa to court if necessary to block the bill.

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I just don't get it. What exactly makes Pelletier believe that allowing Quebecers to elect their Senate nominees constitutes a violation of the deal that brought Quebec into Confederation; a violation so terrible the Federal government should be sued for? If anything - it strengthens Quebec since it gives the province 24 more elected representatives, reducing the number of Federal government appointees in the Parliament to zero...

I could understand if the sovereignists opposed Senate elections so they could propose separation as the only way to get rid of the 24 unelected appointees that speak for all of Quebec in the Upper Chamber. But why would a federalist party oppose the bill that would get the province more involved in federal politics? What is it about Liberal politicians and Senate elections? Some sort of hidden agenda we don't know of? Or is it just partisanship - they reject the idea because the Conservatives thought of it first?..