Transcript Constitution Reform

A Story of Canadian Nationalism,
Turmoil and Betrayal
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Created in 1867 for the Confederation of Canada
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Under the authority of the British Parliament
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The federal government
had tried unsuccessfully
for years to bring the
Constitution to Canada
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During the lead up to the 1980 Referendum in
Quebec PM Trudeau had promised ‘change’ to
Quebeckers if they rejected sovereignty association
With the failure of the referendum Trudeau felt the
time was right to repatriate
(bring home) the constitution
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Trudeau and the 10 provincial premiers met to
revise the constitution – with no success
Trudeau gave the premiers one last final
ultimatum to reach a deal or be left out of the
process
Trudeau and 9 premiers (not Rene Levesque –
Quebec) worked through the night to reach a deal
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The following morning Levesque learned a deal
had been reached in his absence
Levesque complained the deal confirmed that
“Quebec was alone” within Canada
The purpose of constitutional renewal had been to
reassure Quebec of its
place within Canada –
instead it further alienates
them
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The three main points of the agreement were:
1. The power to amend (change) the
constitution would be brought home from
Britain
2. Changes to the constitution required the
approval of the federal government and 7
provinces (comprising 50% of the pop.)
3. A Charter of Rights and Freedoms would
be added to the constitution
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The federal government voted in favour of the
patriation package
The Parti Quebecois government in
Quebec order all flags to be flown at
half mast to signify the “insult”
from English Canada
The British Parliament approved the changes to
the BNA Act and the Constitution Act 1982 was
born