The Canadian Taxpayers Federation unveiled a 30-foot tall balloon resembling Senator Mike Duffy Thursday in Vancouver as part of a call for a national referendum on abolishing the Senate.
Duffy along with Senators Pamela Wallin and Patrick Brazeau were suspended by the Senate in the wake of a spending scandal that remains under investigation and has prompted accusations of a cover-up orchestrated by the Prime Minister's Office.
"It’s time Canadians got to vote on getting rid of the Senate," said the CTF's Greg Thomas. "This unelected bordello of backscratching has become a shameful relic of the Civil War era of the 19th century."
The CTF also wants Premier Christy Clark to allow a free vote on a B.C. NDP motion supporting Senate abolition.
With just six seats in the Senate, B.C.'s 4.6 million residents have the same representation as 750,000 New Brunswickers.
Prince Edward Island, with the same population as Coquitlam and Port Moody, is constitutionally guaranteed four seats in the Senate.
The CTF originally aimed to display the Duffy balloon at the Legislature in Victoria but it was banned from the grounds by Speaker Linda Reid.