I think the senate is redundant, along with alot of other government positions. We could drastically reduce the size and cost of government by eliminating redundant and unelected positions.

Annual Remuneration of the Redundant Senate of Canada

Senators are appointed, not elected. And they stay in office until they die.

$119,300 = each Senator (there are 100 Senators)

Plus the following bonus pay for special roles:

$54,661 = Speaker of the Senate
$21,000 = Speaker pro tempore
$71,322 = Leader of the government in the senate
$33,100 = Deputy leader of the gov. in the senate
$33,100 = Leader of the opposition in the senate
$21,000 = Deputy leader of the opposition in the senate
$10,300 = Government Whip
$6,200 = Opposition Whip
$5,300 = Deputy Government Whip in the Senate
$3,100 = Deputy Opposition Whip in the Senate
$6,200 = Government Caucus Chair
$5,300 = Opposition Caucus Chair
$10,300 = Chair of Standing Committee
$5,300 = Vice-chair of Standing Committee
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$12,216,183 = Total annual savings by abolishing Canadian senate

The elected House of Commons would no longer have to have their bills reviewed by the Senate, so additional savings will be realized by speeding up government processes.

Annual Remuneration of other redundant Political Offices

The Governor General is appointed by the Queen, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. He/she then appoints nine supreme court of Canada judges. The salary paid to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is used as a remuneration reference amount for the salaries of MPs in the House of Commons.

$114,000 = Governor General
$278,400 = Chief Justice
$257,800 = Puisne Judges (there 8 of these)
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$2,454,800 = Total savings by abolishing Governor General and Supreme Court of Canada.

That's $14,670,983 that we could save by eliminating unelected political positions in Canada. That's just at the top. There are probably lots of public employees who do little to earn their huge salaries. And we better not be paying a salary to the Queen!

Plus we could save even more money by bringing the salaries of elected officials in line with the wages of ordinary Canadians:

Annual Remuneration of Members of the House of Commons

$144,300 = Minister of Parliament (there are 308 ridings)

Plus the following bonuses for special roles:

$146,422 = Prime Minister
$71,322 = Minister
$69,200 = Minister of State
$51,900 = Secretary of State
$14,600 = Parliamentary Secretary
$73,261 = Speaker of the House of Commons
$37,500 = Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons
$71,322 = Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons
$49,300 = Leader - Other Parties
$36,000 = Opposition House Leader
$14,600 = House Leader - Other Parties
$14,600 = Deputy House Leaders - Government and Official Opposition
$5,300 = Deputy House Leaders - Other Parties
$26,100 = Chief Government Whip
$26,100 = Chief Opposition Whip
$10,300 = Whip - Other Parties
$10,300 = Deputy Government Whip
$10,300 = Deputy Opposition Whip
$5,300 = Deputy Whip - Other Parties
$10,300 = Caucus Chair - Government and Official Opposition
$5,300 = Caucus Chair - Other Parties
$14,600 = Deputy Chairperson of Committees of the Whole
$14,600 = Assistant Deputy Chairperson of Committees of the Whole
$10,300 = Chair of Standing and Standing Joint Committee
$5,300 Vice-chair of Standing and Standing Joint Committee
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$45,248,527 = Total amount paid annually

For 2005 the average annual earnings of Canadians was about $32,782, extrapolated from the following Statistics Canada document with an annual increase of 2 percent. Many Canadians earn much less each year. By making all their salaries equal, and no more than 1.5-times the average ($49,173 per year) we would save $30,103,243. That's a reduction in cost of 2/3rds.

I should get a big $$$ commission for pointing that out. ;-]