Authors: Dr. Peter McCormick, David Elton and Casey Vander Ploeg
In October 1989, Canadians watched while Albertans went to the polls to elect their first Senator. Now is the time to turn this ground-breaking precedent into practice. More than any other province, Alberta has championed the cause of Senate reform. When reform of the Senate was added to the constitutional agenda in the 1980s, it was because Alberta put it there.
This paper looks at Alberta’s position in senate reform and draws conclusions about why senators from Alberta should be elected. Electing Alberta’s Senators: Senate Reform Step #2 suggests that by moving from precedent to practice, we can reinforce Alberta’s reputation as a responsive, forward-thinking and innovative province.