B. Thomas Hall
B. Thomas Hall is former House of Commons procedural clerk.
An ‘instant-runoff’ style ballot system is the least disruptive, and ensures that the wishes of the majority of voters are respected.
It is in the government’s best interest to appoint a competent and impartial clerk. We don’t have an American-style Congress which operates as a fully autonomous institution independent of the executive.
These legislative changes would represent a comprehensive modernization of the Senate, enabling the non-party Senators appointed in the last few years to take control of the Upper Chamber and to steer it, effectively and efficiently.
Well-designed procedural rules and practices can also increase Senators’ effectiveness and efficiency. In this column, I’ll offer a few suggestions for modernizing the Senate’s procedure and practice.
The appointment of Independents created a Senate with a fleet of modern electric vehicles, but they are still hitched to horses following the same old ruts in a dirt road instead of moving forward at their full potential. Here are some solutions.
