Slide 1

A Story of Canadian Nationalism, Turmoil and Betrayal Slide 2 Only copy down the highlighted text. Slide 3 Created in 1867 for the Confederation of Canada Under the authority of the British Parliament The federal government had tried unsuccessfully for years to bring the Constitution to Canada Slide 4 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 Slide 5 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 Slide 6 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 Slide 7 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 Slide 8 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