Olivia Chow, MP

Broken Promises: Harper Continues to Stack Senate

September 16, 2009

OTTAWA -

After promising to never appoint anyone to the Senate, Stephen Harper has appointed a record 27 senators since December and is now drawing from his pool of cronies, failed candidates in the Senate for election help.

Most notably, newly appointed senator–and former Harper campaign manager–Doug Finley has been tagged to help with strategy. This is a clear abuse of power and shows how Harper’s thirst for total rule has led him to exploit our system.

Harper is following a Liberal tradition–Liberal Campaign Manager David Smith is also a senator.

In the middle of a recession, instead of increasing pensions for seniors, Harper is spending over $3 million each year to keep his 27 appointees in the Senate. Harper is doing this on our tax dollars and in the process, testing the conscience of the country. This latest broken promise reminds us why Olivia Chow and the New Democrats are proud of our long-standing policy to abolish the obsolete, outdated and undemocratic Senate.