The Canadian Senate

More than half of recent Senate appointments have strong ties to the Liberal Party.

A non-partisan advisory committee for Senate appointments was created in 2019, but many critics question its value and its stated objectives, this based on the objectives and results of the last five years.

Despite the Prime Minister’s promise to rid the Senate of partisanship and patronage, 66% of the senators appointed to the upper house over the past year have donated money, worked with or for the federal Liberal party or a provincial Liberal party. This is a significant jump in the number of Senate appointees with partisan Liberal ties, more than double the amount from those appointed between 2019 and 2023.

Emmett Macfarlane, a political science professor at the University of Waterloo who wrote the draft document that was the basis for the advisory committee on Senate appointments, says: " I think it is a disturbing trend. This actually goes against the spirit of the reform."

I believe many people would not have a great problem with an occasional person with a partisan history some might even think it valid. But it is very troubling to see so many partisan appointments with government ties.

Trudeau has changed the Senate with the 81 senators he has appointed. My feelings and thoughts are ‘the change is not meant to benefit Canadians’. He promised an independent Senate, but what has happened is actually the exact opposite.

The Senate is meant to be a house of sober second thought, not a regurgitation of unpopular policies and legislation, or a way to block or delay legitimate legislation. The situation is exacerbated even more if we consider who will form the next government. With a Liberal biased senate I'm sure we will see them block or at least delay or change legitimate legislation that benefits Canadians from being passed.

This situation needs to be corrected expediently and very shortly after we see a new government in place and done in such a way as to benefit current and future generations. Also we need to make it more difficult to change the rules at a whim, by future majority governments.

We must also consider the fact that at the current time Senators are appointed until their term ends regardless of whether they can or actually do complete their duties as Canadians expect of them.

We must also take into consideration the Parliamentary Report on Foreign Interference, which says a significant number of parliamentarians (my guess is elected and appointed officials, since it would be easy for this government to throw any employees under the bus as soon as it came to light) have and possibly still are colluding with and have significant ties to foreign states. This is completely intolerable, and actually treasonous.

The Prime Minister has refused to identify the individuals named in the report saying there may be privacy concerns if they are named. This, in my opinion is just a cover-up since we have ample evidence (actually in their own words and actions) from the PM himself as well as ministers, MP's and appointed individuals that have commented on their enamorment of foreign states and values. Trudeau himself said: “There’s a level of admiration I actually have for China because their basic dictatorship is allowing them to actually turn their economy around on a dime.” He also said “There is a flexibility that I know Stephen Harper must dream about of having a dictatorship that he can do everything he wanted that I find quite interesting.”

Jagmeet Singh has said that there are the individuals named who need to be called out, and to explain themselves or be charged, but he still after months, refuses to say who they are. Elizabeth May has simply said there are no problems to worry about. Pierre Poilievre and Yves-François Blanchet have merely said that if any of their MP's are named they will no longer be with their party.

Aside from the members of the House of Commons (MP's), the only remaining candidates (based on what has been released to the public) for being potential traitors to Canada are Senators and appointed senior bureaucratic positions like the Governor General and others.

Could this be the way the Prime Minister and party leaders are letting traitorous individuals walk away from punishments? If so, something needs to be done about it sooner rather than later. We cannot have non-elected, non-partisan appointed individuals blocking, changing, stalling legitimate legislation, or working on behalf of foreign states.

The senate itself is no stranger to scandals, the most recent being the 'expenses scandal which came to lite in 2014 under Trudeau which caused a number of them to be expelled from caucus (a slap on the hand). I believe these appointed individuals feel they can get away with a great deal because they are appointed until age 75 (basically a lifetime appointment).

Trudeau created the 'Independent and Nonpartisan Advisory Board' in 2016. Although he's appointed only those named by the board (81 senators so far), the majority of them on close inspection have strong liberals ties.

Trudeau promised to fix a broken senate instead he's broken it even more with his partisan appointments.

The Senate cannot function the way it needs to unless it can be held accountable to the citizens of Canada only then can it act as a protection for the interests and rights of Canadians.

Why do New Brunswick & Nova Scotia have more seats in the Senate than the provinces of the west?

Some of which are:

Victor Boudreau, a longtime Liberal who served as a provincial cabinet minister and interim leader. He was also Public Safety Minister, Dominic LeBlanc's campaign manager in 2019.

Mohammad Al Zaibak, an entrepreneur and businessman who has made over 150 donations to the Liberal Party of Canada totalling tens of thousands of dollars.

Rodger Cuzner, a former Cape Breton Liberal MP who was first elected in 2000 and went on to serve as a parliamentary secretary in the Trudeau government until 2019.

Joan Kingston, a registered nurse who was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly in New Brunswick from 1995 to 1999. She was also chief of staff in the Office of the Official Opposition when the provincial Liberals were in opposition in the early 2000s.

Toni Varone, a Toronto businessman and philanthropist who has donated to the Liberal Party regularly since at least 2004, who donated more $14,500 to the federal party.

John McNair, a New Brunswick lawyer who worked as a provincial Liberal chief of staff. He was also the executive director of the New Brunswick Liberal Association (provincial and federal). His grandfather, John B. McNair, was a Liberal premier of New Brunswick.

The three most recent appointments which have made multiple donations to the Liberals are lawyer Réjean Aucoin and former reporter Charles Adler and Tracy Muggli a social worker and health-care professional, again all with strong ties to the liberals.

Conservative Senator Denise Batters said the ties between the newly appointed senators and the governing party prove that the appointment process is not independent. "Justin Trudeau promised an independent Senate. But what has happened is actually the exact opposite of it. He's trying to hide behind a veneer of independence."

Actually the Liberal tilt of appointments is becoming more blatant. They are stacking the Senate ahead of the next federal election. They see the polls, and they're worried they're going to be in a losing position.

By the same token we do not want any party ever being able to stack the Senate on purpose.

Since taking over as Prime Minister, Trudeau has repeatedly said one thing to Canadians while doing everything in his power to ram through his radical socialist agendas, which have caused nothing but hurt and misery all across Canada.

What I would like to see is the ‘Canadian public making as much noise about the senate and foreign interference as possible.’ Far more than we have done so far.

With a view towards removing treasonous individuals from their current positions and making the senate an elected body, much like the House of Commons and it's MP's, having to justify their positions and get re-elected by their provincial constituents, on a regular basis.

When the new government is established after the next election, they need to have a public referendum, to accomplish this change in the senate. This should be done within the first 3 months the new government is in.

Referendums are within our rights as Canadians, and we must begin to use them 'much' more than we have to date. If we are to ever get ourselves out of the disastrous situation that the Trudeau Liberals and their NDP crony Hang-On's have created. It is for all of us collectively, to dismantle the corrupt systems they created, and lead Canada into a time of ‘Awakening and renewal, Truth, Light and Goodness’.

David S. Watson

The senate has been plagued Partisan Appointments by Trudeau, Improper expense reporting, Senate resignations. Unaccountable senators who don't even complete their duties, and I believe senators that have been colluding with foreign goverenments and Non-Govermental Organizations (NGO's).