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Former Liberals in the Senate are offering up ready-made legal arguments to anyone willing to take the federal government to court in order to force a national inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls.

They say they are taking the legal route because Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government refuses to heed the calls of aboriginal groups, civil-liberty organizations and opposition parties to hold an inquiry.

"I think that there is no other choice than to go to court," said Sen. Serge Joyal, who wrote the legal argument.

"This is a way to press upon the government in a more efficient manner, so the government will have to defend its stance in court and be shamed by public opinion. That, I think, might compel the government to act, finally."

Joyal, a lawyer by training, cites sections of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, other legal cases and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to buttress his argument for an inquiry.

He and his Senate colleague Lillian Dyck are in the early stages of finding someone who will take the case to Federal Court.

"The first party to launch an action is normally a person who is directly aggrieved or a person who has a direct interest," Joyal said.

Such a case could be before the courts for years.

But Joyal and Dyck say a court case would put pressure on the Conservative government to call an inquiry, something it has so far refused to do.

"It could be an aspect of shaming," Dyck said.

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Senate Liberals offer legal arguments for missing, murdered women inquiry

JON STEWART: OBAMA NOT THE LEADER OF DEMOCRATS, DEMOCRATS HAVE #39;DISDAIN #39; FOR OBAMA
Follow Me @denvernewb https://twitter.com/denvernewb Visit ME @ http://www.dennewbie.com/ Stewart, O #39;Reilly Spar: #39;I Don #39;t Believe That Obama Is The Leader o...

By: Harper Poppy

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JON STEWART: OBAMA NOT THE LEADER OF DEMOCRATS, DEMOCRATS HAVE 'DISDAIN' FOR OBAMA - Video

Senate Democrats reject bill to build oil pipeline
The Democrat-controlled Senate has defeated a bill to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

By: RTV6 || The Indy Channel

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Senate Democrats reject bill to build oil pipeline - Video

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) suffered a rare but prominent defeat on Wednesday when Democrats chose Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) as ranking member of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee.

Although Pallone was next in line to replace retiring Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) on the panel, Pelosi had come out in strong and vocal support of his challenger, Rep. Anna Eshoo (D), a fellow Californian and close friend to the minority leader.

Although Pelosi this week ran unchallenged as House Democrats leader for the next Congress, Pallones victory highlights the limits of her power and caps a tough run for the California liberal, whos led her party for the last 12 years.

Shes been under a microscope since the midterm election rout, with many Democrats and party strategists itching for some younger talent or at least a fresh message.

This party has to look internally as to where the hell its going, said Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), who had called, unsuccessfully, for a delay in leadership elections to allow members to digest the election results. If we think theres no difference in what happened this time and what happened in 2010 ... we are dead wrong.

Pelosi raised more eyebrows when she downplayed the degree of the Democrats losses by rejecting the wave designation being applied by other observers of all stripes and affiliations.

More recently, she angered many in her caucus when she denied a request from Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), an Iraq War veteran and double amputee who backed Pallone, to vote in leadership elections by proxy because her pregnancy prevented her from traveling to Washington.

The episode launched a spirited debate in the Democrats caucus meeting Tuesday, inspiring Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), the civil rights icon, to make an emotional plea to allow Duckworth a vote.

Even Jon Stewart of The Daily Show hit Pelosi, with a sketch ripping her on the controversy an embarrassing, if trivial, call from a much-watched liberal entertainer who often backs Pelosis positions and has on multiple occasions had her on the show as a guest.

Pelosi bounced back quickly Wednesday afternoon, securing a win for Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.) over Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) atop the Veterans Affairs Committee. Brown was next in line to replace outgoing Rep. Mike Michaud (D-Maine), and Pelosi had endorsed her publicly earlier in the month.

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Democrats rebuff Pelosi in vote

Democrats appear to have gained a seat in California's congressional delegation as the last of the state's close House contests seem settled more than two weeks after Election Day.

In both races, Democratic incumbents staved off Republican challengers after finishing behind them on election night, then gradually pulling ahead as election officials continued to count ballots.

On Wednesday, Rep. Ami Bera (D-Elk Grove) declared victory over former Rep. Doug Ose after Sacramento County's final tally showed Bera ahead by 1,432 votes.

And the Associated Press declared Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) the winner of a surprisingly close battle with Republican dairy farmer Johnny Tacherra in a race that was largely off the radars of both major political parties. Costa led by 1,319 votes in the latest counts from the three Central Valley counties in his district.

Ose conceded Wednesday evening and offered congratulations to Bera in a statement released by his campaign.

There was no immediate comment from Costa or Tacherra, who could seek a recount if he is willing to foot the bill. He would be reimbursed if it changed the outcome.

Assuming the results stand, California will have provided a silver lining for Democrats nationally, who lost about 12 seats in the House of Representatives in the Nov. 4 elections and saw Republicans take the majority in the Senate.

Redlands Mayor Pete Aguilar, a Democrat, defeated Republican military veteran Paul Chabot for an Inland Empire seat being vacated by Republican Rep. Gary Miller of Rancho Cucamonga. Democrats will hold 39 of California's 53 House seats.

All four freshman Democrats from California were reelected despite being targeted by national Republicans and their allies in high-spending races. In addition to Bera, Reps. Scott Peters of San Diego, Raul Ruiz of Palm Desert and Julia Brownley of Westlake Village prevailed against challengers. Ruiz's race turned not to be close.

The Peters and Brownley races had been too close to call on election night, but their respective opponents, businessman Carl DeMaio and Assemblyman Jeff Gorell of Camarillo, conceded as the counting went against them in the days following the election.

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California Democrats appear to have gained a House seat