Preston Manning says it’s time to get rid of the Senate.

The founder of the Reform Party says it would be good to see Albertans send a strong message to Ottawa during the referendum in October.

SIMS: It’s time to get rid of the Senate Back to video

“The Canadian Senate is an ineffective and useless chamber,” Manning told the Canadian Taxpayers Federation during an interview on Juno News. “Even people who support reform will vote ‘Get rid of it.’ ”

This is a seismic shift in the business-as-expensively-usual politics and policy around the Senate in Ottawa.

Manning is the grandfather of the movement to reform the Senate to make it elected, equal and accountable.

When he declared “The West wants in,” Manning inspired an entire cohort of mostly young people from the West to follow him to Ottawa, to work as staff and serve as members of Parliament.

Reforming the Senate was one of their goals.

Former prime........

© Edmonton Sun