Conservative Government Committed to Senate Reform, says Lauzon

May 28, 2009

OTTAWA – Today, the Hon. Steven Fletcher, Minister of State (Democratic Reform), announced legislation to establish term limits for new senators. The bill, if passed, would limit the tenure of newly appointed Senators to one term of eight years.  Under current rules, Senators can hold their seats for as long as 45 years; this runs contrary to the democratic ideals of Canadians.

“Our government is committed to moving ahead with its Senate reform agenda and to increasing the democratic legitimacy of the Senate,” said local MP Guy Lauzon. “An eight-year term is long enough to allow senators to gain the experience necessary to fulfil the Senate’s important role in legislative review and investigation, while ensuring that the Senate is refreshed with new perspectives and ideas on a regular basis.”

This legislation is an important step forward in the Conservative Government’s long standing commitment to Senate reform. Additional Senate reform legislation will be introduced in the near future.