The senate has almost the same powers as Canada's House of Commons, except on money bills, but because its members have little democratic authority, it rarely contradicts the Commons.

ECONOMIST: The House of Lords

And just one week ago, the deputy head of Canada's spy agency, the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service, Jack Hooper, told a Senate committee here that only a fraction of immigrants from high-risk areas were being properly screened.

NPR: U.S. Worries as Canada Welcomes New Immigrants