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By Robert Hiltz

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OTTAWA — Jason Kenney, who remains immigration minister after last week’s cabinet shuffle, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reform the Senate Sunday.

Mr. Kenney responded to criticism, notably by some provincial premiers, of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s decision to appoint three losing candidates in the May 2 election to the upper chamber of Parliament.

Critics said the move shows the Tories can’t be trusted to reform the chamber.

Speaking on CTV’s Question Period, Mr. Kenney said: “(The provinces) can fix this by bringing in provincial elections for senators.”

Mr. Kenney held up the example of the 2007 appointment of Bert Brown to the Senate. Mr. Brown was the second person appointed to the upper chamber in Canadian history after winning provincial senate elections. He won the election, sponsored by the government of Alberta, in 2004 by more than 300,000 votes.