Nancy Ruth: A Living Argument For An Elected Senate

A former "Progressive Conservative", appointed by a Liberal Prime Minister, she expresses her views in a manner that would have kept her from ever winning her seat in a an election:

Unfortunately for the Conservatives, Ms. Ruth has a history of making odd remarks and embracing equally odd causes. When senior officials of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency appeared at the Senate finance committee in 2009 to discuss the agency's budget, Ms. Ruth took the occasion to complain that "the Canada goose is a health hazard" because its excrement pollutes lakes, and to propose that a number of geese be shot and fed "to the poor" in Toronto. Ms. Ruth also lobbied for five years to have throw pillows on the couches in the foyer of the Senate, a "campaign" which she won earlier this year, posing for pictures in Maclean's magazine with the aforementioned cushions.

How, might one ask, did Ms. Ruth acquire a $130,000-a-year seat in the Canadian Senate? Courtesy of former Liberal prime minister Paul Martin, who appointed her in 2005. A cynic might ask whether he did this on purpose, as she is certainly proving to be a thorn in the side of her party, while proving an asset to his.

But Mr. Harper may find a silver lining in this debacle after all. Ms. Ruth's faux pas comes at a time when Bill S-8, legislation calling for senators to be elected, has just been introduced in the Upper Chamber. If anything makes the case for why the people are better suited to choose their senators than the government, this is it.

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Meanwhile, Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach chose not to hold a Senate Nominee election this year, preferring to merely extend the terms of the existing-Senators in-waiting by three more years. The reason for the decision is obvious - the Progressive "Conservative" leader is afraid of losing the election to the Wildrose Alliance. Hmmm... I wonder what made him believe that flip-flopping on elected Senate could actually strengthen his position. (Especially if bill S-8 passes.)