Bert Brown in the Senate....Or, Can You Eat Your Own Words?

Frontier Centre for Public Policy once asked our new Senator Bert Brown a question.


FC: Many Canadians generally don’t understand what the Senate is and they are sympathetic to the idea of simply just getting rid of it. Bert, why do we need a Senate?

Bert Brown: We need it because we have no counter-balance at all to a Prime Minister with a majority in Parliament, who effectively controls not just the House of Commons by party discipline and the threat of expulsion. He also now controls the second chamber through the appointment procedure, which is the longest running system of legalized bribery in the modern world. It’s better than having a 6/49 winning ticket because you don’t even have to buy one, you’re just given it by Prime Minister whose party has been whispering in your ear for ten years or more. You helped us in the last election, we’re putting you on the short list for Senate appointment if you’ll just help us with the next election. Probably there’re ten thousand people on the short list but they’re all working for a party because they all believe that they might end up in the Senate. Very few do, but an awful lot of loyalty is built into that whole equation.

I guess, 1. the Prime Minister has been whispering in his ear for 10 or more years 2. He helped win the last Federal election 3. HE WON THE LOTTERY!!!

I bet old Bert don't wanna do away with the Senate now. BTW does anyone know how old Bert is?

Here's the link where I found the quote.