After decades, if not an entire 149-year history of questionable, unethical, at times scandalous lapdog behaviour, Canada actually needs more Senate now.

The red trough is finally more than a moonlighting gig for party donors, an echo chamber for Prime Ministers or the place where justifiable expense claims go to die.

It is suddenly delivering a valuable second-look service on the physician-assisted dying legislation. And that looks like the beginning of a trend.

Perhaps the biggest kudo to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau so far is that, by accident more than design, he has reformed the Senate without wading into the Constitutional morass.

When he kicked all the Liberal senators out of his party caucus, Trudeau unmuzzled more than a third of the Senate. And by appointing free-thinkers as his first fill-up for a large number of vacancies, the prime minister has unleashed an independence streak which will only end when the Chamber is restacked with flaks and hacks.

On the assisted dying bill, a defining act for this country which any one of us might one day seek comfort in using, senators are asking the tough questions and proposing legitimate amendments to bring the proposed law more in line with the Supreme Court ruling, the Constitution and public opinion.

And there are signs the government's resolve to reject their demands is starting to crack.

There are encouraging hints they'll allow someone to request a doctor's help to end the insufferable pain of a life without a merciful end in sight. As it sits now, the bill stipulates the patient must be near death.

Of course the Senate's prior timidity could give way to future temerity if it stalls or vetoes popular bills backed by strong Commons support.

In the meantime, pity Trudeau's leader in the Senate trying to shepherd bills through opposition on all sides.

And you can only laugh at the Liberal whip as he tries to corral support not knowing which senator is voting for what.

The Senate is no longer the slumber zone of Parliament Hill, proposing and opposing on command from their political masters in the Commons.

It has a voice beyond pleading not guilty in courts and a purpose beyond serving as an expense claim auditing nightmare.

The much-maligned independent-thinking Senate is now what founding fathers designed - but rarely delivered.

That's the Last Word鈥�.