The Tripoli Senate

Peter Van Loan thinks that threatening an election is going to make a big difference in how judicious the Senate is in reviewing his Government's crime bill.

Peter Van Loan lives in my building. I was in the elevator with him this morning and I asked him - point blank - what he thought it would accomplish. Peter knows who I am, but doensn't know, if you catch my drift. In the elevator, I am voter - nothing more, nothing less.

I asked him "What will dissolving the House of Commons do to make the Senate move faster? Senators aren't in the House of Commons so it seems like a bizarre threat to fight an election knowing that the same Senators will be there when you get back with or without a majority."

He smiled. Without even listening to his answer, we both knew that what he was doing was total bullshit - but the bottom line is that we are both right. I hate the crime bill - I think it sucks - I think that the changes make things that are already illegal illegaller. I also think that the Senate shouldn't exist. I think that it is being useful this week- but in a profoundly undemocratic way. The tories aren't actually going to use this plot to bring down their own Government - they are just turning up the volume on two core issues for their base: Senate Reform and Crime. It works out nicely for them.

But, imagine how swiftly the Senate would work if the House did come down and the government changed...we can all dream.