When talking about the recent plague of senator expense scandals, local MP Brent Rathgeber said the events have uncovered an even bigger problem: the Prime Minister’s Office’s attempt at interfering with Senator Mike Duffy’s expense repayment.
“You don’t want the legislators indebted to the executive,” Rathgeber said. It was revealed earlier this year the prime minister’s then-Chief of Staff Nigel Wright cut Duffy a personal cheque so the senator could repay expenses he’d claimed that had been found to be inappropriate. While there’s no evidence the PMO interfered with the other senators who have had their expenses under the microscope – senators Pamela Wallin and Patrick Brazeau, and the recently retired Mac Harb, Rathgeber still finds the Duffy/Wright affair worrying, with the executive branch of government doing a legislator a favour.
“To me that’s a much bigger problem,” Rathgeber said. If a legislator is indebted to the executive, they’re less likely to be critical of the executive, he said.
It’s still “disappointing” to see fellow parliamentarians involved in such a controversy, Rathgeber said. While the senators in question have been claiming the rules around allowable expenses are complicated, he pointed out there’s a lot of help in Ottawa for anyone with questions, services his team have availed themselves of in the past.
Now the auditor general plans to check out every member of the Senate’s balance sheets, something Rathgeber noted is a major time and money investment for something that’s a relatively small line item on the country’s budget.
“It’s disappointing but not unwarranted,” he said.
It shouldn’t be surprising that a culture of entitlement has sprung up when appointments to the Senate last until the senator’s 75 or retires and comes with a six-figure salary and good pension, he said.
For too long, Rathgeber said, the Senate has been “a dumping ground for bagman fundraisers, party hacks and loyalists.” Even in Alberta, where Senate elections are held to select nominees, the senators are still appointed by the prime minister.
While there’s much talk about an elected Senate, there’s an issue Rathgeber thinks is more important.
“I think reelection is as important as election,” Rathgeber said. Setting it up so senators aren’t just elected once, but have to come back to the polls occasionally might involve constitutional change, however, and he wasn’t sure there’s an appetite for opening up the Constitution at this time.
While the Senate originally strove for regional representation as a counter to the House of Commons’ representation by population, Rathgeber hasn’t seen a Senate vote since he was elected as an MP that broke along regional, rather than party, lines.
“Caucuses have become so powerful, and that includes the Senate,” he said.
The Senate, touted as a chamber of sober, second thought, can be a “valuable tool” in stalling or stopping problematic legislation passed by the Commons, Rathgeber said. “It only has value if it’s functional,” he said.
Within the fold of his former party, the Conservatives, he believes there is an appetite for Senate reform. However, there might not be enough appetite amongst senators for such reform for a bill to make it through.
“You’re asking people to give up a lot,” he said.
Locally, his office has been getting between 10 and 20 contacts from people concerned about the Senate scandals a week, an amount of contact Rathgeber said is high for the summer. Many of those calling are calling for abolition or reform.
Personally, Rathgeber said he’s in favour of reform instead of abolition.
