Carstairs retiring from Senate, politics

Carstairs said a desire to retire while she and her husband, John, are still in good health is chief among her reasons for leaving now. But she admitted so too is a growing sense of dismay at the heightened partisanship in the Senate.

"The day-to-day activities have become very partisan. It's very sad. I suppose that is part of the reason I'm no longer happy here."

"Sharon Carstairs" said
Honourable senators, if we want to turn this chamber into a mirror image of the chamber down the hall which, in my view, does not function terribly well then let us not have this chamber at all. I would then support abolition of this chamber before I would support making us a mirror image of the other place.