OTTAWA - The federal Conservatives have finally unveiled the first part of their plan for reforming the Senate. Legislation has been introduced that would require each province to hold an election to nominate a chosen group of potential Senate candidates. Any of the provinces' nominations would then stand a chance to be appointed by the Prime Minister to the Senate. If appointed they would serve a nine year term.

Whether or not the federal government can even require provinces to hold a Senate-nominating election is something that will likely come down to a Supreme Court decision. The Conservatives are eager to alter the Senate without having to re-open the Constitution, and that is why they are pursuing this end-around method. Some critics are arguing that the Conservatives aren’t doing enough to reform the Senate, considering their past promises of a complete overhaul and previous vocal support for a triple-E Senate. A recent Harris-Decima poll indicated that 61% of Canadians support re-opening the Constitution to reform or abolish the Senate. With that level of support, one has to wonder why the federal Conservatives would avoid the Constitutional amendment route – yet, it is likely that lingering memories of the Meech Lake Accord might prevent them from taking this path.

The Conservatives will need to outline their plan very clearly to Canadians, as they are not yet living up to the promises made during the election campaign. The prospect of no longer having appointed Senators was a big reason why many Canadians voted for the Conservatives in this election.  Now that their pledge has been altered, they can expect more than a few upset supporters. How Prime Minister Harper handles these critics will play a big role in maintaining the positive momentum they have enjoyed post-election.

Recently, Kelly McParland of the National Post wrote, "[o]nce you unleash the Constitution as an issue, you lose all control." That idiom is truer today than ever before. The Harris-Decima poll that revealed Canada's eagerness to re-open the Constitution also revealed that 58% of Canadians would be willing to offer favourable amendments to secure Quebec's signature on the Constitution. Jack Layton has all but signaled that he, too, would cave in to Quebec's demands. If any debate surrounding a Constitutional amendment were to take place in Parliament, the NDP would surely seize it as an opportunity to grandstand for Quebec.

Regardless of the reception this plan receives by the public or provincial officials, the Conservatives have to move swiftly and with conviction. Even though they are watering down a core campaign pledge, they can still demonstrate that they care about this issue by moving ahead quickly and maintaining momentum. Support for future legislation, such as the elimination of the long-gun registry, may falter if it appears the Conservatives have become complacent with their majority. It has also been speculated that this may be Prime Minister Harper's last term as party leader - so it is very important that he remains focused and delivers on Senate reform. The Conservatives don’t exactly have a dynamo waiting in the wings to take over as leader, so it is even more important that Harper's majority establishes an excellent rapport with Canadian citizens.