Last week, the Supreme Court laid out the rules for reforming the Senate.  To put it mildly, even small changes are going to be difficult. That’s not a bad thing; constitutional change should not be done lightly.

The biggest problem, however, may be that politicians may have different interests than voters, which is why I think an idea put forward by Conservative Cabinet Minister Maxime Bernier may have some merit.

He is suggesting that a referendum or plebiscite be held on the issue.  While it would not be binding on any premier, any provincial government that feels it could ignore the wishes of its voters will do so at its own peril.

Just because Senate reform is difficult doesn’t mean the government shouldn’t try to implement changes. But if we are going to be successful, it will only be with broad popular support.

I’m Brad Trost, your Member of Parliament in Saskatoon-Humboldt. You can reach my office in Saskatoon at 975-6133. Feel free to drop by my two offices for a visit: Saskatoon (Monday to Friday) or Humboldt (Tuesday and Wednesday). I always appreciate your feedback.