Prime Minister Mark Carney has a plan to “modernize” the Senate. If this sounds familiar, it’s likely because his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, said the same thing 11 years ago. Trudeau’s reform measures sought to eliminate partisanship from Senate appointments—or at least to create this appearance—Carney is bringing back partisan appointments. While proponents of democracy and political equality are likely not thrilled with the prospect of a throwback to cronyism, the more concerning part of the prime minister’s plan is his intent to recruit Senators from “key Canadian strategic industries.” 

Let’s be clear: there is no doubt that this type of experience would be useful in the legislative process and is consistent with Carney’s overall focus on economic growth, private investment, and infrastructure. But such a recruitment strategy could set the Senate up for a significantly higher risk of real, potential, and apparent conflicts of interest, which could create a new crisis of legitimacy for an institution that already struggles to convince Canadians of its value. If Carney is going to proceed with this, Senators need clearer, stricter, and more enforceable rules on the range of “outside activities” that they are permitted to engage in while holding public office. Otherwise, there could be negative consequences for the public and for the institution itself. 

The reviews of Trudeau’s independent Senate project are, at best, mixed. The narrative around it, though, was........

© The Hill Times