LEAF recently sought leave to intervene in the Senate Reform Reference scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court of Canada in November, 2013. Due to the fast-tracking of the case at the request of the federal government, the usual timelines for filing leave applications were severely truncated and LEAF had to seek leave to file our motion late. Unfortunately, the SCC has dismissed our application to file and therefore we will not be heard by the Court in November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Undaunted, we wish to draw to the attention of LEAF supporters and women\u2019s organizations more broadly, the reasons for our attempt to intervene in the case. The topic may seem dry (even with the recent Senate spending revelations!) but women in Canada know from experience how important it is for governments to consult with us when considering any changes to our governmental structures. With the Senate Reform Reference, the government is seeking the Court\u2019s opinion on whether it has the authority to reform the Senate by legislation (Bill C-7) or whether it must do so by constitutional amendment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n