July 1, 1867, marks the date that Canada confederated into a nation dedicated to promote democracy. Canada would be governed by a Parliamentary system consisting of an upper and lower chamber of legislation. The House of Commons, being the lower chamber is made up of elected representatives from across the country, democratically voting upon bills. The upper chamber, the Senate is made up of 105 individuals specifically appointed by the Governor General to represent certain geographical areas across the country. The Senate is primarily responsible for providing a "sober second thought" on bills passed on by the House of Commons. The chamber revises the bills, and occasionally passes it back to the House of Commons if amendments are needed. However, the Senate has become the target of public and political criticism because Canadians have begun to demand transparency and Government accountability. While some argue that it is time to abolish the institution entirely as it is much too costly, undemocratic, and unnecessary, others are offended that there is talk of destroying one of the strong bases upon which confederation was built. .
The ignition of the debate regarding the role of the Senate in our Governmental Institutions have arisen from corruption, allegations, and second thoughts regarding the need for the Senate. Senators make a gross salary of approximately $132,300 a year, and typically cost taxpayers $106,264,111 annually. Senate expenses are able to reach as high as $300,000 however their documentation regarding their spending limits and regulations is unavailable to the public. Therefore, the Senate has the ability to operate in secret with tax money. Apart from the obvious high costs of having a Senate in place, a main concern is that the Senators themselves are not elected and are therefore undemocratic and unrepresentative of the population. Appointed by the Governor General to specific geographical regions, the Senators are not required to have been born, lived, or have any prior knowledge of the region they represent.