Senator Frum

Linda Frum Sokolowski

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced today that he will appoint my sister, Linda Frum Sokolowski, to the Canadian Senate. I am so proud of and thrilled for Linda, a woman of unique grace, talent and accomplishment. Linda is the author of three books, including a beautiful biography of my mother, the late Barbara Frum. She cowrote and coproduced a documentary that won Canada's highest film award, the Gemini, in 1996. Over the decade 1998-2007, her interviews and articles in Canada's National Post newspaper were among that paper's most hilarious and popular features.

Linda and her husband Howard have been supremely generous supporters of civic and philanthropic causes. Linda served on the board of the Ontario Arts Council and the Art Gallery of Ontario Foundation. In 2006, she chaired the United Jewish Appeal's annual women's campaign and broke all previous fundraising records.

Linda has been a tireless supporter of Canada's Conservative party, dating back to the time when that party could count on precious few supporters anywhere in central Canada. She raised money - mobilized support - and sustained spirits through some very dark and dreary defeats. She did all this while raising three children, comforting and consoling our mother through illness, and suffusing the lives of all around her with happiness and joy.

The Canadian Senate is an appointed body. Most Canadian conservatives believe the Senate should be elected. Since winning office in 2006, Prime Minister Harper has repeatedly attempted to reform the Senate. He has been balked at every turn.  Nine months ago, I wrote a column for the National Post about Harper's predicament.

For two years, Stephen Harper pressed the provinces to hold elections so that he could appoint democratically selected senators. They ignored him.

For two years, Harper minimized prime ministerial powers of patronage in the Senate. Again: Nobody responded.

Harper's principles exposed him to political danger. The partisan balance in the Senate has deteriorated to the point where the Liberals outnumber Conservatives by a margin of nearly 3-to-1 (58 to 20).

Fears that the Liberals would abuse this unelected advantage are well grounded in history... So Harper acted. He acted as almost every prime minister before him has acted, following some of the most ancient traditions of Canadian politics.

If we don't like those actions (and I suspect that few like them less than Harper himself), blame the traditions -- not the man who was thwarted in his every attempt to repair and improve the traditions.

In December 2008 and now again in August 2009, the prime minister has sought a second best to elections: appointments of outstanding individuals of proven public spirit. Congratulations to Linda as she begins this new chapter in a life of service.