Chapter activists Marilyn Reid and Ken Kavanagh with Helen Forsey.
The Council of Canadians St. John’s chapter co-hosted the launch of Helen Forsey’s new book A People’s Senate for Canada yesterday evening.
The chapter highlighted in its promotion for the event, “This little book is written for Canadians who care about our democracy and the future of our planet. The Senate, surprisingly, could make major contributions to both. A People’s Senate for Canada explains how we can make that happen. This is a timely book about reclaiming our democracy from the control of global corporations and the Prime Minister’s Office. Provocative and thoroughly researched, it links the Senate to current issues like climate change, trade agreements, human rights and electoral reform. A People’s Senate is exactly what this country needs today – and it is not a pipe dream!”
To read an excerpt from her book, please click on the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ website here. In Forsey’s vision, “The People’s Senate could explore options for limiting the power of the Cabinet to ratify binding international agreements, such as today’s ‘next generation’ trade and investment treaties, without Parliament’s approval.” This would include the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
Forsey is the daughter of the late trade unionist and constitutional expert Senator Eugene Forsey. She writes about constitutional, political, rural and feminist issues.
For more on last night’s book launch, please see the Facebook event page Book Launch and Discussion: A People’s Senate for Canada.
