Reply #7: Quebec To Talk Senate Reform With Harper Government [View All]

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Quebec to talk Senate reform with Harper government

Jack Aubry
CanWest News Service

Saturday, August 26, 2006

GATINEAU, Que. -- Quebec is entering discussions with the Harper government on Senate reform and whether proposed changes, such as limiting senatorial terms in the upper chamber, can be done without a constitutional amendment.

In an interview with CanWest News, Benoit Pelletier, the province's intergovernmental affairs minister, refused to elaborate on Quebec's position in regards to Senate reform but did not dismiss the possibility of appearing before upcoming Senate hearings to make a presentation.

During the January election, Prime Minister Stephen Harper promised Senate elections and, as the first step, he has introduced a bill that would limit terms to eight years. At present, the mandatory retirement age is 75 and some Liberal senators have already said that the proposed law on term lengths requires a constitutional amendment.

"There are possibly things about the Senate that the federal government could do alone, and there are possibly things that it can't do alone. The question is what is in the first category, what is in the second category," said Pelletier.

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http://www.canada.com/topics/news/politics/story.html?id=5ec7e86a-66b4-43c8-ab34-54873ff02396&k=88964