A House Undivided

We recommend the Senate be the initiator of the necessary legislative measures, introducing them first in the upper chamber while asking the leaders of all parties in the House and the Minister of Demo- cratic Institutions to support the changes when they arrive in the House of Commons. [...] In point that the Senate cannot be allowed to devolve into a Canada, the selection of independent Senators is based subsidiary of the executive or of the House of Commons, on region and province, unlike the U. K. As well, the ap- although by dint of being appointed, the Senate should pointment committees are composed of political outsid- generally subordinate itself to the House. [...] Indeed, the parti- has undermined the effectiveness of the Senate, reducing san structure of the current Orders of the Senate leaves its standing with the public, the self-respect of its mem- zero role for Independents. [...] Still, the proce- dure remains in the rules of the Senate and the standing z a compromise is reached — one of the rep- orders of the House of Commons. [...] In those exceptionally rare instances when the The beauty of the suspensive veto, as alluded to by the Senate feels compelled to frustrate the will of the Com- 1980 study, is that by its very usage it encourages the pub- mons, the suspensive veto would compel all players to lic to take a closer look at the issues at play.