Senator Paul J. Massicotte

Senators yearn for more modern, less partisan upper house Survey results suggest senators are chafing under partisan processes and leadership By Alison Crawford, CBC News Posted: Dec 11, 2015 4:48 PM ET Last Updated: Dec 11, 2015 4:48 PM ET A bipartisan group of senators have come up with a plan to reform the Red Chamber from within. (CP file photo) The Senate should televise proceedings, senators should elect their own Speaker and question period in the Senate is a waste of…

Immediate release    Working Sessions on Senate Modernization Report   OTTAWA, December 11, 2015 – Working Sessions on Senate Modernization were held by about 40 Senators from October 26th - 28th in Ottawa. These sessions dealt with improvements to the operations and practices of the Senate Chamber. Attendees included Senators from the Conservative and Liberal Independent caucuses and Independents. All Senators were invited. The object of the Working Sessions was to suggest ways the Senate…

Senators Paul J. Massicotte and Stephen Greene: Canada needs a modernized Senate   "We believe that abolition of the Senate is not a viable option for Canada," two senators write.Shutterstock   By Paul J. Massicotte and Stephen Greene This op-ed was also published in the London Free Press, New Brunswick Telegraph Journal, Prince George Citizen and LfPress.com Recent events have brought a strong political need for the Senate to modernize. After the media frenzy surrounding c…

TERRY PEDWELL THE CANADIAN PRESS  OTTAWA — Two senators from opposite sides of the red chamber have teamed up to offer a path toward reforming the maligned institution without opening a constitutional debate. Quebec Liberal Senator Paul Massicotte and Stephen Greene, a Conservative senator representing Nova Scotia, say the red chamber needs to become less politically partisan. The so-called chamber of sober second thought has been under intense pressure to change or be abolished over the past…

Energy challenges in Canada’s territories: A hot topic, a cold reality "The committee found electricity systems are aging, underperforming" SPECIAL TO NUNATSIAQ NEWS ID: 44545 -- Here's the fire that knocked out Pangnirtung's power plant this past April 2. "It is strongly probable that this most regrettable situation could have been avoided if the electricity plant in Pangnirtung, which was constructed in 1971, and operating beyond its life expectancy, had been replaced or retrofitted," t…

Reform Bill Thin, Senate Told A regulatory reform bill lauded by cabinet as one of the first of its kind in the world has numerous loopholes and fails to address the Income Tax Act as the biggest generator of paperwork, say senators. Compliance with federal regulations typically costs small business $3,444 a year, by Industry Canada estimate. “The bill does not include the Income Tax Act per se,” said Senator Paul Massicotte (Liberal-Que.); “If you look at the polls, it’s the number one irrita…

Says Red Tape No Job Creator One of Canada’s largest public unions is dismissing claims of self-interest in opposing a cabinet bill to repeal federal regulations. The 170,000-member Public Service Alliance of Canada told the Senate national finance committee the bill appears pointless and unenforceable. “Do you think the effect of this bill will be for your members to lose jobs?” said Senator Doug Black (Conservative-Alta.); “Is it the deletion that you’re worried about for your members? That’…

Economy's growth at risk if low oil price persists: Poloz BARRIE McKENNA - OTTAWA Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz says the sudden plunge in the price of crude will knock roughly a quarter percentage-point off economic growth next year. Making his first public remarks since last week, when he postponed a planned news conference and appearances before House of Commons and Senate committees after the deadly shooting near Parliament Hill, Mr. Poloz said oil at less than $90 (U.S.) a barrel…

Abbas Rana The Senate Protective Service provided Senators three separate briefings last week on what happened in the Oct. 22 shooting on Parliament Hill and what plans are underway to deal with future emergencies. But some Senators weren't satisfied with the briefings, saying they failed to answer the central questions such as how the gunman entered the Centre Block without an alarm going off and whether security will move to a single command and control post. "I have to say, I'm not entirely…

Red tape: a burden that is more detrimental than a new tax! Paul Massicotte, Senator 39th out of 144: that’s how the World Economic Forum ranks Canada’s overly burdensome bureaucracy. With a mediocre score of 3.9/7, Canada is lagging behind a number of developed countries, including Switzerland, Sweden, the United Kingdom and New Zealand. In the current context of continuing economic gloom, this poor performance is not without consequences. The growing number of cumbersome and sometimes contr…