B Y: J A M E S A N D S H A M O O N A N D T E J V I R A N D M A R N I N A A N D J O N A U S A N D A S H I K A A A N D C A LV I N A N D S A R A H A N D M I C H E L L E

FRENCH AND ENGLISH RELATIONS 1980’S AND

1990’S

1980 REFERENDUM = GENERAL VOTE ON THE TOPIC OF QUEBEC SOVEREIGNTY.

• Sovereignty by association = Quebec’s Political independence while still having close economic ties with Canada.• 1980 Referendum.• Result of the referendum: Only 40% of Quebecois

voted “yes”.

PATRIATING THE CONSTITUTION

• This means “to bring the BNA Act (constitution) home to Canada so that our government has the authority to change it”. Since it was in Britain, changes could not be made tplao it without approval of British parliament. We wanted to change that.

AMENDING FORMULA

The set of rules dictating the conditions under which changes can be made to Canada’s constitution.

(7/10 provinces representing at least 50% of the population)

WHY WAS AN AMENDING FORMULA NEEDED?

• Creating an amending formula was an important step that Trudeau had to take in order to have a standardized method of making changes to the Canadian Constitution.

2 COMPONENTS OF THE NEW CONSTITUTION DRAFTED BY TRUDEAU

• 1. The BNA Act of 1867• 2. Canadian Charter of rights and freedoms

THE KITCHEN COMPROMISE

• The Prime Minister and the PM’s literally went in the kitchen of the national conference center to discuss the amending formula over a late night cup of coffee. They eventually resulted in a notwithstanding clause.• Premier Levesque felt betrayed because he felt

that everyone ganged up on him and denied Quebec of its distinct status.

NOTWITHSTANDING CLAUSE

• A clause in the Canadian Constitution that enables Parliament or the legislature of a province to allow an act to stand, even though it contravenes the Charter of rights and freedoms.

• (Contravene: to conflict with)

THE PRIME MINISTER WHO WANTED TO “FIX” THE MISTAKES OF THE CONSTITUTION ACT OF 1982

• Prime Minister Brian Mulroney wanted to fix the constitution to please Quebec

MEECH LAKE ACCORD

• A package of constitutional amendments that would define Quebec as a distinct society within Canada• Critisisms:• Oposed by the Parti Quebecois • Trudeau thought it would split Canada• Might be used in Quebec to override the

constitution and deprive specific groups of rights

ELIJAH HARPER

• Elija Harper was a Cree member of the Manitoba legislature.• He opposed the Meech Lake Accord because it did

not recognize Canada’s aboriginal nations as a distinct society.

THE CHARLOTTETOWN ACCORD

• The Charlottetown accord was a package of proposed amendments made by the Canadian federal and provincial governments• It had failed because the many voters that voted

“no” in Quebec said that the Charlottetown accord did not give them enough power because most of the senate seats would go to the West. They also said no to the Aboriginal self-government because they believed it would affect a large portion of Northern Quebec. 54.3% of Canadians said “no”. 68.3% British Columbians said no

LUCIEN BOUCHARD

• He was the founder of the Bloc Quebecois and became the premier of Quebec in 1996.• He made this party to dedicate and would be

committed to Quebec’s separation from Canada.• Bloc Quebecois = Federal Party

1995 REFERENDUM

• The Results of the Referendum: 49.4% of Quebec people voted “yes” to sovereignty. • The Supreme Court ruled that Quebec did not

have the right to separate completely – it would have to negotiate with the federal government, the nine other provinces, the Aboriginal nations living in Quebec, and the other minorities living there in order to achieve independence• Clarity Act. Was an act passed in 1999 which

stated that in any future referenda Quebec must ask a clear question and win a clear majority.