Canada will soon have its first elected senator in 16 years.

[Reform Canada]

April 18, 2007 Brown to be second elected senator By KATHLEEN HARRIS -- Sun Media

OTTAWA - Canada will soon have its first elected senator in 16 years.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced in the House of Commons today that Bert Brown, who has twice been elected as a "senator in waiting" in Alberta, will fill a seat in the red chamber this fall.

"The province of Alberta did, some time ago, hold popular consultation for the filling of a Senate vacancy," Harper said. "When that seat comes due, I will recommend to the governor general the appointment of Mr. Bert Brown."

Brown, a long-time advocate of a "triple-E" (equal, elected and effective) Senate, will replace Dan Hays, who is retiring when the Senate rises for the summer. Brown has served as national chairman of the Canadian Committee for a Triple-E Senate.

Electing senators was a key promise for Harper during the last campaign, and the Conservatives have since tabled legislation to fix terms of senators to eight years.

Stan Waters became the first elected senator in 1990, after he won Alberta's first Senate election and was appointed to the upper chamber by Brian Mulroney. He died in 1991.

Alberta asked voters in successive elections to choose would-be senators, but Liberal governments did not honour the results.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2007/04/18/pf-4057210.html