NDP would not have representation in Senate while pushing for abolition: Mulcair

Tom Mulcair (Screengrab from Canucks Politics)

WATERLOO, Ontario — NDP Leader Tom Mulcair says even though his party has no representation in the Senate, he would not make any appointments while negotiating with provinces to abolish the chamber.

He made the remarks from a news conference in Waterloo, Ontario on Friday shortly before Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced a moratorium on Senate appointments during a separate event in Regina.

Mulcair called the Senate undemocratic, unaccountable and made up of Harper’s “cronies.” He said he will be seeking a mandate for abolishing the Senate in the coming election because Canadians “deserve better.”

The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled getting rid of the Senate altogether would require unanimous provincial consent.

Harper has said unanimity “isn’t going to happen,” but echoed some of Mulcair’s criticism when he announced the moratorium and said Canadians are not happy with an unelected, unaccountable upper house.

Harper has not made any appointments to the 105-seat Senate in the last 2 1/2 years and there are 22 vacancies.

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has booted senators from his party’s caucus and is promising, if elected, to create an independent advisory body to recommend non-partisan nominees to the Senate.

Mulcair also faulted Trudeau on Friday for not standing up against the controversial anti-terror Bill C-51, after the Liberals supported it in the third reading vote held May 6.

“(Trudeau) said that, because this was an election year, he didn’t want to vote against bill C-51 because he was afraid that Stephen Harper would make political hay out of it,” Mulcair said.

“I’m not afraid of Stephen Harper.”