The Senate returns to relevancy with assisted dying amendment: political expert
Posted June 15, 2016 7:54 pm.
Last Updated June 15, 2016 7:55 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The Senate has made a major amendment to the assisted dying bill by removing the provision that patients must be near-death to qualify.
It’s the first time in recent memory that the Upper Chamber has impacted legislation.
This could be good news or bad news for the so-called sober second thought according to one political expert.
“If they assist the House (of Commons) then they are fulfilling the role under the constitution, if they thwart the House then I think we have a problem,” says Hamish Telford with the University of the Fraser Valley.
In the last few years, discussion around the Senate centered around abolishing it, but Telford believes it that could change.
“I think the Senate can be relevant be relevant. I think the Senate has been relevant in the past and I think it can continue to be relevant.”
He says this is rare but is reminiscent of a decision around 30 years ago.
“The House of Commons passed a new law to regulate abortion after it had been struck down by the Supreme Court, and the Senate defeated it. Subsequently, we have had no federal law regulating abortion in Canada.”
Telford says you could view this as the Senate doing what it should be under the constitution, or you could be upset that these unelected members of the Upper Chamber are impacting important legislation.
