The Constitution should not be opened without consulting the provinces, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau said Saturday in a remark that would have likely displeased his father, Pierre Trudeau, who negotiated the patriation of the Constitution in 1982 without Quebec’s consent.

The MP for Papineau was reacting to a decision by the NDP to launch a campaign aimed at abolishing the upper chamber — a move he absolutely disagrees with.

“I find that to want to abolish the Senate without consulting the Quebec government, without listening to what other provincial governments have to say on the matter, is a mistake,” he said. “It’s Stephen Harper’s mistake not to consult the provinces in his Senate reform. It is (NDP Leader) Thomas Mulcair’s mistake do not speak to the provinces with his plan to abolish.”

The Senate is facing widespread criticism over an expenses scandal. Trudeau is convinced the solution lies in improving the Senate — the existence of which, in his opinion, benefits Quebec greatly.

“To see the reaction of francophones outside Quebec and especially Quebecers who understand at some level that it is the weight of the Senate that ensures —” he said, without completing his sentence. “We have 24 senators from Quebec and there are just six from Alberta and British Columbia. It’s to our advantage. To want to abolish it is demagoguery. We’ll have to improve it.”

Senate documents have been obtained by the RCMP in connection with housing benefits unduly claimed by senators Mike Duffy, Patrick Brazeau and Mac Harb. Trudeau welcomed police involvement in the case.

“We need to restore confidence in our parliamentary system,” he said. “There was a lot of cynicism. If we want a government that can function well, a society that governs well, people should know that the rules are the same for everyone.”

From his seat as leader of the third party, Trudeau promises to fuel the debate Monday on the Senate crisis because, according to him, it is unacceptable that Nigel Wright, Stephen Harper’s then chief of staff, gave $90,000 to Duffy “to obstruct an investigation.”

Last weekend, Wright took sole responsibility making a personal gift to a senator and resigned.

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