A few people have asked me this question. Part of the answer rests in the belief that all Alberta “nonCons” (a group that should include a healthy number of “progressive” conservatives) should speak out whenever and wherever they can about Prime Minister Harper’s hyper-partisan approach to governing. The Senate nominee election is one such opportunity.

It’s also driven by the studies that Ned Franks, Professor Emeritus at Queen’s University, has done on the Senate. For a summary of that work see http://www.themarknews.com/articles/1165-the-better-chamber-a-defence-of-the-senate

The “actual” Senate Franks describes does very good legislative work; it produces many good studies of important public issues. Sexual orientation, witness protection, and drug policy are a few examples of where the Senate played a valuable role. When it came to reviewing Canada’s anti-terrorism legislation Canadian Senators, not MPs, did a better job of respecting the legitimate concerns of unpopular minorities. Why? In part because partisanship in the House of Commons blinded too many members to these concerns.

My career has been devoted to studying and teaching about the wide range of issues affecting the people of Alberta. This background makes me an excellent candidate to contribute positively to the Senate’s legacy of good work.