What Senate reforms did Stephen Harper’s majority government propose?

During his majority government, Stephen Harper’s administration introduced the Senate Reform Act in June 2011. This legislation aimed to transform the Senate from an appointed chamber into an elected one and to establish term limits for its members.1

However, these proposed reforms faced significant legal challenges. The act was declared unconstitutional by the Quebec court of appeal in 2013. Subsequently, a 2014 Supreme Court decision determined that such fundamental changes to the Senate required the consent of a majority of provinces, which ultimately caused the reform efforts to stall.1