Senator-in-waiting vote could come this fall
Last Updated: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 | 7:20 PM ET
CBC News
Premier Ed Stelmach says a vote for an Alberta senator-in-waiting could come with the fall municipal elections. (CBC)Albertans could be asked to elect new senators-in-waiting during municipal elections this fall, Premier Ed Stelmach said Tuesday.
A firm decision has not been made pending discussions with municipalities, Stelmach said, but the province is "firmly committed to senator elections."
The province has three options — freestanding elections, rolling the vote in with the municipal elections, or waiting until the next provincial election in 2012.
"I believe the term for the senator expires towards the latter part of 2011," Stelmach said, so his preference would be one of the first two options.
Alberta has held senate elections three times — in 1989, 1998 and 2004. The prime minister is not obliged to appoint successful candidates when a Senate seat comes open, but Prime Minister Stephen Harper did appoint Bert Brown in 2007.
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