What if they threw an election and nobody voted?

After bestowing "Nation" status upon Quebec, Stephie Wonder returns to his Reform Party roots and announces legislation to allow Canadians to vote for their Senators. Like the "Nation" resolution, this will more than likely turn out to be more cynical pre-election posturing from the Conservatives. The proposed legislation calls on the Federal Government to appoint the winner of a Senate election in a particular province, but do all provinces want to elect the Senate that exists now, the one where Nova Scotia gets 10 Senators and British Columbia gets 6? Funny how the Conservatives bitched about the Liberals threatening to unilaterally amend the Constitution back in the day, but have no qualms about going it alone on major institutional reform when it plays well to swing voters.

If the Conservatives follow through with other legislation, i.e. the amendments to the Canada Elections Act in Bill C-31, you won't be voting for any Senators....or Members of Parliament. Stephen Harper wants you to provide two pieces of state-approved photo ID when you register to vote, so if you don't drive (and most provinces don't have an equivalent to the BCID card in this province), it will be a long, sad walk home from the polls for a lot of people: especially the ones who don't have homes to go to and used to be able to vote by statutory declaration.

Alberta-style Senate elections and Ohio-style voter suppression: Is this a great country or what?