In today's Globe and Mail, we have New Democrat MP Pat Martin suggesting that one effective mechanism for abolishing the Senate without amending the constitution would be to cut off its funding.

It's no secret that the NDP wants to abolish the Senate. While I don't agree with this option (and certainly don't agree with the hypocrisy surrounding minimum seat guarantees in the House), I certainly don't dispute that abolition is a legitimate alternative. What I do find interesting is that Mr. Martin's Senate reform strategy is quite similar to the Conservatives: Avoid amending the constitution, but adjust the parameters around which the Senate operates.

Hopefully while the Senate Reform Act is before the House, Mr. Martin will be cognizant of the fact that, while he may not agree with the reforms contained within those bills, he is a proponent of using parliament as the mechanism for reform. Were he to suddenly declare that a constitutional amendment is required, it would be nothing short of hypocritical.