Taxpayers: Vote to Abolish the Senate on Monday
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Albertans to vote to abolish the unelected Senate during Monday’s provincial referendum.
“The separation question is getting a lot of attention, but folks should remember how much the Senate is costing them when they head to the ballot box on Monday,” said Kris Sims, CTF Alberta Director. “Nobody gets to vote for senators, they are wasting our money on lavish international travel and the Senate has cost us more than $1 billion over the past decade.
“It’s time to vote to abolish the unelected Senate in Ottawa.”
On Monday, Oct. 19, Albertans will be able to vote on 10 different questions.
Question seven reads: “Do you support the Government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to abolish the unelected federal Senate?”
The CTF is urging Albertans to vote “yes” to abolish the unelected Senate.
Senators are appointed by the prime minister. They never face elections and remain in their positions until the age of 75.
Senators are paid $192,700 per year, with the Speaker of the Senate being paid $268,300 per year, plus a housing and car allowance.
The CTF reported the Senate Speaker and her entourage spent nearly $1 million on international travel since 2023, jetting to places such as Ireland, Brazil, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and the African country of Benin.
Unelected Senators nearly doubled their international travel spending in two years from $391,095 in 2023 to $736,165 in 2025, according to a Canadian Taxpayers Federation analysis of parliamentary financial disclosures.
A total of 65 unelected senators spent $1.9 million on international travel between Jan. 16, 2023, and March 17, 2026, the records show.
“All attempts to reform the Senate have failed over the last 30 years, while we’ve seen a shocking waste of taxpayers money,” said Sims. “Everyone from Avi Lewis to Preston Manning says it’s time to send a message to Ottawa to abolish the unelected Senate and that’s exactly what Albertans should do on Monday.”
