A local councillor wants the municipality to initiate a referendum on the future of the Canadian Senate. However The township’s mayor believes such a move may be outside the local council’s mandate.
Councillor Andy Knetsch gave notice at the June 11 council meeting that he intends to introduce a resolution that would see Mapleton seek the support of other Canadian municipalities to make the possible dissolution of the Senate a referendum question in the next election.
“I’ve been giving this a lot of thought,” said Knetsch. “How can we as a municipality give our view of what’s going on in terms of what’s happening in Ottawa, particularly with the Senate.”
Knetsch pointed out, “There are 105 senators making $135,000 to $200,000, working three days a week.” By comparison, he pointed out, the loss of $86,000 due to a reduction in Mapleton’s allotment from the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund had a significant impact on this year’s township budget.
Knetsch questioned the continued need for the Senate, which he said was originally created in the era of Canada’s founding Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald, to “curb our democratic excesses.
“We spend between $14 million and $15 million on the Senate – and for what?” he asked.
However, Mayor Bruce Whale pointed out, “I’m not sure that’s something our level of government can comment on.”
“We represent the people,” said Knetsch. “Why don’t we as a council take some interest and send it across the country to other municipalities for consideration and then take it to the federal government?”
“I don’t think we can do that,” said Whale, explaining that while councils can pass resolutions on local issues that are common across the county and circulate them for support, he doesn’t believe its part of their mandate to comment on the operations of upper levels of government.
“It may be something to take up as an individual in talking to our MP,” he suggested.
“Maybe it’s time we asked for a delegation of our MP,” suggested councillor Jim Curry.
“He doesn’t come here and criticize us,” Whale pointed out.
Whale offered to look into legal and protocol issues related to the proposed resolution and report back to council.
