Why did Stephen Harper’s proposed Senate Reform Act fail to become law?

Stephen Harper’s proposed Senate Reform Act failed to become law primarily due to constitutional and legal challenges regarding the federal government's authority to unilaterally alter the Senate's structure.

The legislation sought to transform the Senate into an elected chamber and establish term limits. However, the initiative faced significant judicial hurdles:

• Constitutional Challenges: In 2013, the Quebec Court of Appeal declared the act unconstitutional.
• Supreme Court Ruling: The process ultimately stalled following a 2014 Supreme Court of Canada decision, which determined that such fundamental changes to the Senate could not be enacted by the federal government alone but required the consent of a majority of the provinces.1

Following this ruling, Harper expressed disappointment but stated that his government would respect the court's decision.1