Residency rules get more flack
Senator says reforms don't go far enough in allowing people without property into senate
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Saturday, July 30, 2016
NUNAVUT
Nunavut Sen. Dennis Patterson, appointed by the Conservatives, cribbed a line from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when describing the current requirements to become a senator in Canada.
Nunavut Sen. Dennis Patterson calls the appointment criteria to be a senator discriminatory to Nunavut residents. He's trying to move a bill forward that would eliminate the homeownership requirement. - NNSL file photo
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"I think the requirement to own property stemmed from a now-ancient era where it was assumed that only the landed gentry, only those who had the financial wherewithal to own property and be worth a certain amount, were fit to govern," he said.
"I think those notions are elitist, anachronistic and inappropriate, and as the prime minister said, it's 2015, it's 2016, they're inappropriate in the modern era."
He was objecting to a claim by minister of Democratic Institutions Maryam Monsef, who announced a new way of appointing independent senators would "open the process to all Canadians" July 7.
"Today, our government is taking another important step toward reforming the senate," stated Monsef in a news release at the time.
"I am also excited to announce the start of the application process that is open to all Canadians, an important innovation that not only better involves Canadians in our parliamentary democracy but also enhances transparency."
The new process Monsef refers to is that would-be senators would no longer need to be nominated by a community organization but instead Canadians could apply directly fill vacancies themselves.
"I respectfully disagree that the senate, even with the new application process, which is more transparent than ever before, that it's open to all Canadians," said Patterson. "In fact, it's not open to all Canadians because it's only open to property-owning Canadians and Canadians of a certain net worth."
It still excludes 44 per cent of Canadian households who do not own $4,000 worth of property as currently required by the Constitution, he said.
"In Nunavut's case, a very large majority of Nunavut residents, if there were to be a vacancy in Nunavut - the day will come - are not eligible to apply to be senator for Nunavut because they don't own homes," said Patterson.
People who rent, live in condominiums or own homes on First Nations Crown land are all currently ineligible to be a senator.
"One can capably represent the region one represents in the senate if you happen to live in an apartment or if you happen to own a condo or if you happen to be a First Nations person living on a reserve," said Patterson, noting he wants to keep the requirement that senators live in the region they represent.
"Where you live is important in terms of the region but the actual accommodation you live in and your type of tenure should not affect your ability to represent your region. Renters are just as capable of representing Nunavut as homeowners."
In March, Patterson tabled a notice of motion and a bill in the senate to remove the property and net worth requirements.
He said he's had "overwhelming" support from fellow senators of all political stripes but debate on the bill has been adjourned to the September sitting.
Patterson is optimistic the bill can be passed through the senate this fall, in hopes that it is referred to parliament late 2016 or 2017, and then dealt with in the House of Commons.
"It could become law in 2017," he said.
