Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s latest move in a constitutional chess game was played last Friday when he vowed to not appoint any more senators.

By closing the door to the Red Chamber, Harper hopes to put pressure on the nation’s provinces and territories to make plans for Senate reform – and, if they don’t act, “the only way to deal with the status quo is abolition.”

With 22 vacant seats in the 105-seat chamber, the ultimatum will likely hit harder in jurisdictions with fewer seats.

Yukon Senator Dan Lang told the Star this week that his six years in office have shown him the importance of having two voices for the territory in federal politics, the other being Yukon MP Ryan Leef.

“I do think that the provinces, especially smaller provinces and territories, have to be very concerned that they don’t lose these political voices in the Senate,” Lang said.

“They are representatives of the region at the end of the day.”

Former Yukon senator Ione Christensen, who held a Liberal seat for about seven years, said today having a Yukon senator helps to inform federal ministers of northern issues.

“From here, it’s hard to get access to ministers ... and as a parliamentarian, your voice carries a lot further,” she said in an interview today.

Leef told the Star Harper has been consistent in his message, and that his public vow to not appoint new senators is “nothing new.”

Harper has not made a recommendation for a potential senator to the Governor General in about 2 1/2 years.

However, he has appointed 59 senators during his time in office – despite his declaration back in 2004 that he “will not name appointed people to the Senate.”

Harper’s reluctance to put bottoms in the 22 empty seats has already been challenged by Vancouver lawyer Aniz Alani.

Alani argues that Harper is under constitutional obligation to fill Senate seats because provinces are under-represented.

In May, a Federal Court justice rejected the government’s application to dismiss the case.

Christensen told the Star Harper’s move will be shortlived.

“Once he gets to a certain point, by law, he will have to start appointing again.”

Leef echoed the prime minister’s thought process: “If (the Senate) can’t be reformed, it should be abolished.”

If provinces provide comments and options for Senate reform, Leef said, the Yukon needs to be part of that discussion.

Last year, the Supreme Court ruled that abolishing the Senate would require unanimous provincial consent – while reforming could occur with a constitutional amendment approved by at least seven provinces representing 50 per cent of Canada’s population.

That, however, does not include a vote from any of the territories.

“(Harper) has put the ball back into premiers’ hands,” Premier Darrell Pasloski said in an interview.

“It is clear from the Supreme Court that Ottawa cannot make unilateral changes to the Senate.

“As the upcoming chair for the Council of the Federation, that puts me in a good position to help move this forward even though we don’t actually get a vote (constitutionally).”

The role of federation chair goes hand-in-hand with hosting the annual Canada’s Premiers’ Conference, which Whitehorse will be hosting next summer.

“It’s really important for Yukoners to realize that if they say, ‘Abolish the Senate,’ they’re (essentially) saying representation would go from two to one,” Lang said.

Similarly, if Lang were to resign from the chamber, the territory’s voices would also be broken in half – if Harper keeps up the moratorium on senator appointments.

If the worst was to happen, Leef said, it would be a “challenge” for the territory, but Yukoners could “reflect on positive representation (in the Senate) from the past.”

Although the Yukon Party has not yet developed a position on whether the Senate should be reformed or abolished, Pasloski said not having a Yukon senator might negatively impact the territory.

“All of our senators have been very hardworking advocates on behalf of Yukoners,” he said.

After the upcoming federal election, there will be 338 members of Parliament. That is 30 more seats due to legislation introduced back in 2011.

“That’s 443 voices between the Senate and the House of Commons,” Pasloski said. “To have just one voice there is pretty small.

“I think that’s not just a reflection of the Yukon, but the North itself.”

Lang hopes the decision for the Senate’s future will happen sooner, rather than later.

“The Senate has to function. It is part of the Constitution.”

Christensen hopes the continued debate of the Red Chamber’s future will help more people understand what the government body does.

“The big thing is transparency, for the public to be able to see how the Senate is working and how they are available to people,” said Christensen, who is also a former Whitehorse mayor and Yukon commissioner.

“I don’t blame people for not understanding it.”