The Incompatibility of the Triple-E Senate Reforms in Canada
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Authors
Hastick, Stephanie L.
Issue Date
2025
Type
Article
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
As Canadian institutions have been shaped and informed by many influences out-side
of Canada’s borders, one must ask: Can imported ideas of reform to Canada’s
Senate, such as the Triple E Senate reform representing having an equal, elected, and
effective Senate, be compatible within a Canadian setting? One will find that the
ideas of reform in the Triple-E Senate are American imports that cannot be applied to
Canada’s ideological landscape of political culture and systems. With an equal Senate,
it does not consider that certain provinces within Canada are treated differently due to
French representation being integral to Canada and its institutions. Furthermore, the
elected Senate impedes Canada’s cultural and political understanding of the Senate
as an institution recognized for its independence and providing sober second thought.
Lastly, an effective Senate fails to recognize that Canada’s institutional system already
gives the Senate powers equivalent to the House of Commons. When examining the
arguments for having a Triple-E Senate, it becomes apparent that Triple-E Senate reforms
are the embodiment of American political culture and systems that happen to
be incompatible with Canada’s political cultures and systems. It discounts the reality
of the issues that will arise from the expectation that such reforms will seamlessly fit in
Canada, and thus, one must respond accordingly and reject Triple-E Senate reforms.
Description
Citation
Hastick, Stephanie L. "The Incompatibility of the Triple-E Senate Reforms in Canada." West Point Journal of Politics and Security, Volume 3 Issue 1; Spring 2025.
Publisher
West Point Press