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Quebec vows to block American Republican-style Stephen Harper's proposed senate reforms

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Oct 6, 2008, 10:44:16 PM10/6/08

Charest vows to block Tories' proposed Senate reform
Last Updated: Monday, October 6, 2008 | 6:53 PM ET
The Canadian Press

Quebec Premier Jean Charest is promising to do whatever he can to
block the kind of Senate reform being proposed by Conservative Leader
Stephen Harper.

Speaking on Monday in Ottawa, Harper said his plans to reform the
Senate are full of "common sense" and that he will proceed with the
proposals if his Conservatives are re-elected next week.

Charest, who was in Vermont on Monday to meet with the state's
governor, James H. Douglas, said any unilateral attempts to reform the
upper house would be met with stiff opposition in Quebec.

Harper has spoken about the need to have elected senators whose
maximum term would be eight years.

Quebec and other provinces have argued that both of those planks are
unconstitutional.

The provinces maintain that significant changes in one of the
country's primary parliamentary institutions can only be achieved by a
full-blown constitutional amendment approved by at least seven
provinces representing 50 per cent of the population.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadavotes/story/2008/10/06/charest-senate.html