Better Off Without Senate(PART 1)
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Kato, you sound really political... What happened to you?
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Well ..., it's about time.
It's about time for what?
Think about the upcoming election.
Are you talking about the federal election on October 19, 2015?
Yes, of course, I am.
I didn't know that you're such a political person.
Don't be silly, Diane... Voting for our representative is your responsibility and mine as a citizen.
All of a sudden, you appear to be a different person, huh?
Diane, you're pulling my leg, aren't you?
No, I'm NOT... so who's better off without the Senate?
Of course, we ARE as Canadians.
Are you kidding, Kato?
No, I'm NOT... I'm as serious as you are... Look at the following video.
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I've seen this guy on TV several times, but what is the big fuss, anyway?
Well, Senator Mike Duffy is a self-righteous, self-centered, and selfish man who believes that what he's done is perfectly alright, and he has pleaded not guilty to 31 charges of fraud, breach of trust and bribery in connection with his Senate claims.
But how come the media is fussing about the scandal for so long?
Well..., first of all, Senator Mike Duffy filed for expenses on the basis that he was travelling and living away from his "principal" residence in Prince Edward Island, even though he lived most of the time in Ottawa.
According to common sense, his principal residence should be the house in Ottawa, I suppose.
You're telling me, Diane... I think so, too.
Mike Duffy claimed $90,000 for those expenses, didn't he?
Yes, he did... Since Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed Mike Duffy to the Senate, this scandal will damage the image of him and the Conservative Party. Hence, this scandal will certainly affect the upcoming election. But Mike Duffy refused to repay.
I see... So, Nigel Wright, Harper's chief of staff, stepped in to give Mike Duffy a personal chack for $90,000.
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That's right... Unfortunately, Nigel Wright left the job in May 2013 after news of the check became public.
Did Prime Minister know about this?
Harper said he knew nothing about the payment to Duffy. Now, Duffy's lawyer said that Nigel Wright had engaged in a deliberately deceptive scenario to fool Canadians into thinking Duffy had repaid the money.
I see.
Duffy said the rules in the Senate were so vague that he had done nothing wrong, but Nigel Wright insisted Duffy repay the money on what he called moral grounds.
I think Wright made a point.
In any case, New Democrat Leader Thomas Mulcair said:
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"On October 19, Canadians will get a chance
to fire that person responsible
for the whole mess.
And that is Stephen Harper."
Kato, do you agree on that?
Yes, I do... and the problem is NOT Stephen Harper BUT the Senate itself.
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What about the Senate?
Well..., Senators are NOT elected, BUT appointed by the Governor General at the direction of the prime minister. They serve until age 75.
What do they do?
Most of their work is to rubber-stamp the bills the House of Commons has passed. The thing is, those senators sit for only 72 days a year at a cost of $116 million to the Canadian taxpayers.
No kidding!
I'm as serious as you're, Diane. Historically, this plum post was used to reward friends and allies of the party in power. As a matter of fact, a handful of the senators Harper appointed were major donors to his Conservative Party.
So, Kato, you think the Senate should be abolished, don't you?
Yes, I do... that way, we should be able to save $116 million.
But, no Senate is dangerous to democracy. Don't you think, Kato?
Well..., the United States of America has the House of Representative and the Senate. Japan has the Lower House and the Upper House. But the members are all elected. In Canada, however, the senators are appointed.
I see.
The NDP (New Democratic Party) leader is the most voracious critic of the Senate.
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Thomas Mulcair thinks the Senate should be abolished. So, Diane, when you vote, think about it.
I will.
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【Himiko's Monologue】
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Canada extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering 9.98 million square kilometres (3.85 million square miles) in total, making it the world's second-largest country by total area and the fourth-largest country by land area.
Canada's common border with the United States forms the world's longest land border.
Naturally, many wild animals live in the vast land---especially in the northern part of the country.
Some of these animals are shown in this documentary called "Snow Babies," which depicts the first year of baby animals and their families originally broadcast on television as individual episodes in 1996.
Prepare for your heart to melt as the "BBC Eath" program brings you an in-deapth look at adorable baby animals in the beautiful but harsh world of ice and snow.
It is a fascinating and entertaining documentary.
Please take a look at the following trailer.
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In any case, I hope Kato will write another interesting article soon.
So please come back to see me.
Have a nice day!
Bye bye ...
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(To be continued)