Senators pass new rules to empower independent groups, angering Tories

Canada’s upper house has adopted a new set of rules that the Liberal government says will further cement its independence as the domino of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Senate reforms continues to weaken.

An overwhelming majority of senators voted for the sweeping changes earlier this month.

But the Conservatives – whose numbers have fallen to just 13 seats – say the government is trying to weaken their position in the Senate and make future Tory rule more difficult.

The new changes in the regulations give more powers to each of the groups recognized in the Senate modernization bill adopted by the parliament in 2022.

Instead of imitating the dual role of government and opposition in the House of Commons, the Senate now gives additional groups similar powers and extra speaking time during debates.

Leaders of established groups, three of which currently outnumber the Tories, can now postpone votes on legislation and sit on committees hearing witnesses.

This means less time for the official opposition to make speeches and ask questions.

“In the Westminster Parliament, the government’s role is to propose solutions. The role of the opposition is to challenge the government,” said Conservative senator Denise Batters.

“What is the role of these other (groups)?”

Senator Pierrette Ringuette, a former Liberal MP appointed by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and now on the Independent Senators Group, said nothing had changed for the Tories.

“They haven’t lost any power,” she said.

She said they have the same political tools at their disposal, except other groups now have access to them.

Senator Scott Tannas, who was a Conservative senator and now heads the Canadian Senators Group, said he believes the rule changes are a necessary evolution.

“There will be many groups in the Senate for a long time, not just the government and the opposition,” he said.

Greater independence from political parties and colleagues in the House of Commons led to better alignment and productivity, Tannas argued.

“Since 2015, the Senate has changed about 27 percent. government legislation compared to 7 percent. in the previous era,” he said.

Tannas added that he doesn’t think he’ll use his newfound powers often.

The leader of a third, newer entity, the Senate Progressive Group, said the rule changes would prevent future Conservative governments from changing course on reforms that have reshaped the institution.

And it is only fair that larger groups have an equal opportunity to fulfill their senatorial duties, said Senator Pierre Dalphond.

“If the moment comes when (the opposition) wants to postpone the vote, (she) will not hesitate to do so,” he said.

“But if someone else postpones the vote, is that wrong? I don’t understand.”

Early in his term as prime minister, Trudeau expelled Liberal senators from his caucus.

He also established a new process for appointing senators. Instead of electing regular partisans, he approves membership of an independent board and seeks their advice on nominations – a process that Tories nevertheless say has produced a group of progressive-minded senators.

Only three senators currently serve in government-related roles – the lead representative, Sen. Marc Gold, who forced the vote on the rule changes, his deputy, and a third senator described as the “government liaison.”

In part because former Prime Minister Stephen Harper left a large number of Senate seats vacant at the end of his term, and in part because of the mandatory retirement age for senators, Conservative numbers have declined.

Even if the Tories win the federal election and take control of the House of Commons, it could be a very long time before the partisan Conservatives gain a majority in the Senate.

And although they could propose their own changes to the regulations, it is not clear whether the Senate in its modern composition would support it.

There were not many principles on which the Opposition could agree with the rest of the house.

But after significant debate, most agreed on several of them – including that unelected senators, still reeling from past cost scandals, are giving themselves a shorter lunch break.