Conservatives renew bid to limit Senate term

Senate reform has to be done constitutionally, not like this or in half-assed provincial "elections".

You are absolutely right. I don’t understand why this has surfaced again. It requires a constitutional amendment and the likelihood of opening up the constitution and gaining the required support from all the provinces is pretty close to nil.

Of course this could be another way for Harper to “create” another crisis and to point fingers. You’d think he’d pull his head out and deal with some of the more immediate problems.

Here's a few facts about the Senate that make interesting reading.

THE SALARY - A basic $70,000.00 per year and an extra $150.00 for every day they show up in the senate. This is an incentive for them to actually be there, rather than retiring to Mexico on the generous salary and expense account.

Try and find another job, that gives you a bonus just for showing up and pay's this well for working less than 1/3 of the year with

THE JOB: - The Senate meets on average for 100 days a year. Senators are allowed to miss 21 days without losing any salary.

I dare anyone to miss three weeks of work without a valid reason and keep their job.

THE EXTRAS - * Research Grants (for what?) $30,000.00 per year. * Office Budget $20,000.00 per year. * Tax Free Expense Allowance $10,100.00 * Free Business Class flights for Senators and their families, as many as 52 return-trip flights a year. * Free telephone calls and faxes, and also free postage, at home as well as office. * Free Gym privileges, private equipment and instructors. * Subsidized (that means REALLY CHEAP!) haircuts, dry cleaning, furniture, limousine rides.

Geez you mean that's all the perks they get for putting their life on hold so they can serve their country.

They should try joining the Military if they want to serve their country because this isn't a job it's a freakin paid vacation with benefits that'd make GM exec's envious.

Why should an unelected group of individuals who have been "appointed" by both major parties be entitled to these types of wages, working hours and benefits???

It isn't their knowledge or ability that's earned them their place in the sun. It's political affiliation and what they've done for the big two parties in the past.

Why bother electing Senators, when we could just do away with them, they're redundant, troublesome and extremely costly to the Canadian taxpayers.

Exactly....completely redundant

Just another disversional tactic by the torys... much ado about nothing to avoid the real issue of the economy and massive debt. And their doing nothing about it!

The Canadian senate has become nothing more than a retirement home for hacks.
It's a waste of money and needs to go.