Canada’s Senate only a ‘mouthpiece’ for Liberal and Conservative parties, Singh says – TheSpec.com

The Constitution assures no province can have fewer seats in the House of Commons than it has in the Senate.

Singh didn't say how he would address this concern in provincial talks, but said doesn't believe the answer to those concerns is maintaining the Senate.

Justin Trudeau's Liberal government introduced reforms with an aim to make the Senate more independent by allowing Canadians to apply for Senate openings and having an advisory group recommend nominees for the prime minister to select for seats in the upper chamber.

But some critics say it remains a partisan body.

Conservative Senate whip Don Plett told The Canadian Press in June that he thought it was a "ridiculous sham" to suggest the Senate under Trudeau's reforms is any different.

He accused officially Independent senators of being partisan Liberals, in spirit if not in name, because all were appointed by Trudeau, who also had a say in who sat on the advisory body that made recommendations.

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer has said he would resume making partisan appointments, although he has also supported the idea of elected senators in the past.

Singh linked the push to abolish the Senate with his party's proposal to reform Canada's voting system.

The NDP proposes immediately adopting a system of mixed-member proportional representation: a combination of legislators elected to represent particular geographic areas and others named from party lists so the standings in the Commons more closely matched the national popular vote. After two election cycles, the NDP promise a referendum on whether to keep the system.

"I believe people should have real representation, somebody who's going to fight for them. I also believe, to give people true representation, making sure that everyone's vote counts, and that's why I believe in proportional representation," Singh said.

"That's what I want to make happen."

Singh spent the day campaigning in Canada's biggest city, targeting two ridings the NDP narrowly lost to the Liberals in 2015: Layton's old riding of Toronto-Danforth and Parkdale-High-Park, the riding formerly held by Peggy Nash.

During a rally Tuesday afternoon on a street corner in Parkdale-High-Park, Singh once again pushed back against the idea of strategic voting, which Trudeau has been promoting in his appeals to "progressive" voters worried about a Conservative win.

Rather than voting to prevent something out of fear, Singh is encouraging Canadians to instead "vote for something," not against something else.

"You can vote out of hope, you can vote because you believe in a brighter future, you can vote New Democrat."

Read more:

Canada's Senate only a 'mouthpiece' for Liberal and Conservative parties, Singh says - TheSpec.com