Idea alert

Senator Hugh Segal is proposing a Senate reform referendum.

Conservative Senator Hugh Segal thinks its high time they were. He has introduced a motion in the Senate for a referendum on Senate abolition, status quo or reform twice already and is set to do so again, even as the Harper government introduces its legislation (which he supports). Any such referendum would be advisory, rather than binding, but it would be hard for any provincial leader to ignore the democratic will, if it were expressed strongly enough. “I don’t know why anyone would be afraid to give Canadians a chance to have their say,” he said.