CALGARY — Just as the high court is about to hear arguments on Senate reform, Conservative cabinet ministers and other party members are toying with the idea of a nationwide referendum on the Senate’s future.

Maxime Bernier, minister of state for small business, first floated a national referendum on abolition in an interview Friday in La Presse newspaper, suggesting a possible timing of next spring. “I think it’s time to ask Canadians what to do with the Senate to reform or abolish it.”

Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall posted a succinct “Not a bad idea” on his Twitter account.

Deepak Obhrai, parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs, said it is a “dandy good idea” that would “absolutely” force the hand of reluctant provincial governments to negotiate. Right now, he says, many prefer to just “keep it quiet.”

“The Senate is supposedly one of the most important institutions; the senators’ argument is ‘we are sober second thought.’ Well, you know who the sober second thought is? The guy on the street.”

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, frustrated in his attempts to bring about elections or term limits for the Senate through simple legislation, has turned to the Supreme Court of Canada to see how far he can go unilaterally or how much provincial buy-in he needs. The court will hear the reference case Nov. 12-14.

Christian Paradis, minister of international development, appeared annoyed by Bernier’s proposal, calling it “premature.” He said the government must wait the year or more it will likely take to get the constitutional opinion of the country’s top court.

“We have to wait for the (court) decision to define what the constitutional framework is first. And this kind of matter has to be discussed in caucus first, not here, not publicly.”