It was meant as a gag; a satirical lampoon in the grand old political tradition of using a crazy stunt to gain attention. But who knew the Canadian Taxpayers Federation’s 10-metre-tall balloon — which may or may not look like a certain independent senator “from” an Atlantic province — would become such a perfect metaphor for the never-ending Senate scandal?
The CTF unveiled the balloon to highlight our call for a national referendum on abolishing the Senate. Several weeks earlier, the CTF had surveyed thousands of supporters and discovered that two-thirds wanted the Senate abolished, and 82 per cent supported a national vote on abolishing the Senate.
We ponied up the $4,700 it cost to commission and build the three-storey-tall balloon. It debuted in July in Ottawa, and a week later reappeared on the steps of the Saskatchewan legislature in Regina. It quickly became a sensation, with requests pouring in from across the country for a visit by the big balloon senator.
In December, it reappeared in Vancouver, but not until after B.C. Speaker Linda Reid banned it from the legislature grounds in Victoria, calling it “disrespectful.” Actually, it’s the Senate’s misuse of tax dollars that many Canadians find disrespectful, but, thanks to Reid’s lack of a sense of humour, the balloon’s popularity only grew — a classic case of a rebellious electorate wanting to see what Mom has forbidden them to look at.
The similarities between the balloon and the Senate scandal are eerie. Like a lot of the defence of the Senate, the balloon is full of hot air. It towers above us “little people,” much like the egos of senators who thought they were above the rules.
Every time people think the scandal must be over, another revelation pops up — likewise, the balloon simply refuses to be retired and continues to make surprise appearances across the country.
The balloon is suspended by volunteers pulling on ropes, while bad-apple senators are suspended by their peers. It grabs attention like the scandal grabs headlines.
Now it’s up to Premier Christy Clark to let the air out of the Senate in this province.
The B.C. New Democrats have promised to bring forward a motion in the spring legislative session calling for abolition of the Senate. This would make B.C. the third province to pass such a motion, following the right-leaning Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall and the left-leaning Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger.
Clark must call a free vote on the NDP motion. B.C. Liberal MLAs should be allowed to vote their conscience, and if they truly look at what is good for B.C., there can be no doubt that they will support abolishing the Senate.
The Senate is a bad deal for British Columbians. With a population of 4.4 million people, B.C. has only six senators. New Brunswick, with a population equal to Vancouver and Richmond, has 10. Tiny Prince Edward Island, with the same population as Coquitlam and Port Moody, has four.
Electing senators will do nothing to improve that ratio. In fact, it will weaken B.C.’s democratic voice by allowing senators to feign some sort of electoral legitimacy, and entrench B.C. as being less important than New Brunswick and other Atlantic provinces.
During the B.C. Liberal leadership race in 2011, Clark made it clear she favoured abolishing the Senate: “We don’t really need a Senate,” she said. Now is the time to hold a free vote and see if a majority of her MLA colleagues agree with her.
A legislature vote for abolishment will let the air out of the Senate-scandal balloon — at least in B.C.
Jordan Bateman is B.C. director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
