EDMONTON — Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi did not offer his opinion on abolishing the Senate on Friday when asked, saying the question is irrelevant because it would require unanimous consent from federal and provincial governments. "I like reading, and unicorns too, but I don't spend my time trying to develop them in Alberta," said Nenshi when a reporter asked him to share his opinion on whether Canada's unelected Senate should be abolished. "Let's focus on things that actually might happen and improve the lives of Albertans." .Albertans will vote on Oct. 19 on whether the Alberta government should advocate for abolishing Canada’s unelected Senate. The question is one of Premier Danielle Smith’s nine referendum questions centred on how Alberta can improve its place within Canada. The Canadian constitution allocates Senate seats regionally: Ontario and Quebec each receive 24 seats, the three Maritime provinces split 24 , Newfoundland and Labrador has six, the four territories each get one, and Western Canada splits 24. Abolishing the Senate is considered a massive ask, even if Smith’s government is given the mandate to do so, because it would require unanimous consent from the federal government and the other Canadian provinces. Nenshi and the Alberta NDP have vehemently said they oppose all the questions on Alberta’s referendum, but in doing so, they are going against their federal counterparts, who have long fought to abolish the Senate. .On Thursday, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation challenged Nenshi in a press release, calling on him to state his position on abolishing the Senate."Because I think it's irrelevant," Nenshi said when a reporter said he did not answer the original question. "You know, it's sort of like asking me who my favourite contestant on Love Island is, but I've never seen Love Island." The Alberta NDP maintain that they and the federal government are not the same. .Smith and the UCP argue that it is time for Alberta to receive proper representation in the Senate, especially given that five of Alberta’s Senators were appointed by the federal government without consultation. “The NDP believes Alberta’s unequal Senate representation is 'irrelevant' and akin to Love Island," wrote Smith's press secretary Sam Blackett in a statement sent to the Western Standard. "This is a slap in the face to all Albertans and is beyond shameful.""The Alberta NDP are openly telling Albertans they'll never fight for stronger representation or their voice in Ottawa, proving they'd rather prop up a broken and unelected body that keeps Albertans on the sidelines.""It’s time for the NDP to stop sitting on their hands and finally join us in standing up for Albertans for a change.”
