Canada's Harper targets scandal-plagued Senate as election looms

By Rod Nickel
REGINA, Saskatchewan, July 24 (Reuters) - Canadian Prime
Minister Stephen Harper took aim at the scandal-plagued upper
Senate chamber on Friday, saying he would not make any more
appointments to an institution that has caused him major
trouble.
The Senate's woes embroiled key Harper allies and could hurt
the chances of the ruling Conservatives in an election set for
October. Harper, in power since early 2006, is seeking a rare
fourth consecutive term in office.
Harper has long said he wants to reform or abolish the
105-seat chamber on the grounds that it is outdated and
ineffective. Eliminating the chamber would need the agreement of
all Canada's 10 provinces, who are split over what to do.
"We will have a moratorium on further Senate appointments,"
said Harper, who has not named any senators for the last two
years. There are currently 22 Senate vacancies.
The official opposition left-leaning New Democrats, who
recent polls show have a chance of winning power in October,
have long called for the Senate to be abolished.
"Harper had ten years to fix the Senate. He failed," the
party said in a statement.
Last month, an official probe revealed that members of the
Senate improperly spent almost C$1 million ($770,000) in just
two years. ID:nL1N0YV2D3
Mike Duffy, a former television journalist who became a
popular Conservative party fundraiser once in the Senate, is
currently on trial for fraud and bribery. Duffy was suspended
along with two other Harper appointees after questions about
their expenses came to light.
The moratium will force the provinces to either come up with
a reform plan or see the Senate abolished by attrition, Harper
told reporters in western Canada, where the Senate is
particularly disdained, and where he needs support to stay in
office.
Harper's government is already embroiled in a constitutional
court battle over his refusal to appoint any senators.
An April opinion poll by Angus Reid found that about 41
percent of Canadians would support abolishing the chamber,
Another 45 percent want it reformed, while 14 percent thought it
should be left as it is.
The Senate must approve legislation passed by the lower
House of Commons in order for it to become law.
Last year Canada's Supreme Court ruled reform would require
a constitutional amendment approved by at least seven provinces
with 50 percent of the population, while abolition would require
unanimous provincial consent.