Senators not to be creatures of party and province

Controversial prime minister Stephen Harper’s personal appointees to the Senate all agreed to vote in favour of his equally controversial senate "reforms" – an elected Senate and terms limits of eight to nine years – when they accepted their seats. That violates the intention of the Canada Elections Act, Section 550, which prohibits written agreements binding the hands of parliamentarians elected to the Commons and does so applied to the Upper Chamber of Parliament regardless of whether or not Senators are elected. It does not matter that the Commons is elected and the Senate appointed. The intention is clear: those seeking to be parliamentarians must not sell their vote.