Senators Representation of Constituents
Senators have the same constitutional provisions to offer services as members of the House of Commons. This includes a rarely used provision to maintain a constituency office. Three senators currently have such offices. Two of the three have not designated themselves to a specific divisions, but to represent their province as a whole. While constituency offices are rare, all senators maintain an office on Parliament Hill.
One feature of the Canadian Senate that sets itself apart from the House of Commons is the introduction of a Private bill. The cost to introduce a private bill in the Senate is $200 compared to $500 for one in the House. Prior to 1961, senators had a lot more "constituency work" because divorce was in the purview of Parliament. There is no legal obligation for providing constituency services.
Read more about this topic: Canadian Senate Divisions
Famous quotes containing the words senators and/or constituents:
“Gold? Yellow, glittering, precious gold?
...
This yellow slave
Will knit and break religions, bless th’ accursed,
Make the hoar leprosy adored, place thieves,
And give them title, knee and approbation
With senators on the bench.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“The men who carry their points do not need to inquire of their constituents what they should say, but are themselves the country which they represent: nowhere are its emotions or opinions so instant and so true as in them; nowhere so pure from a selfish infusion.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)