Senate Strategy

Once again, The Hive has an interesting discussion on NDP policy - this time on the question of how the NDP should handle the appointment of Lillian Dyck to the Senate.

Stephen offers the principled reason for the NDP to allow Dyck to join the caucus and integrate her into the party's activites. I agree with his point, and have mentioned earlier that it's a plus to get an NDP voice into the upper chamber. That said, on further reflection I see practical considerations as the more important reasons for the NDP to accept her as part of the party.

First, as much as I'd like to see the Senate abolished, that's just not a realistic possibility. The Senate is entrenched by the Constitution Act, 1867:

The Senate shall, subject to the Provisions of this Act, consist of One Hundred and five Members, who shall be styled Senators.

The Conservative/American model for Senate reform, while in my view fundamentally flawed, is at least possible without constitutional change. The NDP's model isn't - and I don't see the necessary federal/provincial agreement to change the Constitution happening on any issue, let alone the Senate. (In that vein, might the NDP be better off to propose an alternative elected Senate, with PR applied to the constitutionally-mandated regions rather the first-past-the-post model of the Cons? Something to think about at least.)

Second, if the NDP ever wants to form government, it'll have to be on good enough terms with the Senate to be able to pass bills there. It's far from clear how legislation would be able to pass if the NDP were to take power now. But by building ties as a Dipper within the Senate, maybe Dyck can put together a coalition that at least wouldn't obstruct legislation that had the backing of the majority of the Commons. If, on the other hand, the NDP completely shuts out even a person appointed on its behalf, then the existing Senate will have much less reason to extend any courtesy to a future NDP government.

That might precipitate the constitutional showdown necessary to bring about a change...or it could torpedo any effort at governing. In either event, I'd rather see a future NDP government focussing more on policy than on what's ultimately more an issue of process.

While the Senate is an archaic institution, it's one that we're stuck with, and one that we'll have to work with in order to ever take power. The NDP should accept its chance to have somebody on the inside.