NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Constitutional history of Canada

The constitutional history of Canada begins with the 1763 Treaty of Paris, in which France ceded most of New France to Great Britain. Canada was the colony along the St Lawrence River, part of present-day Ontario and Quebec. Its government evolved significantly over the following century, and in 1867 Canada became the name of the new Dominion extending ultimately from the Atlantic to the Pacific and the Arctic coasts. Canada obtained legislative autonomy from the United Kingdom in 1931, and in 1982 acquired both a civil rights charter and the ability to change its own constitution. Canada's constitution includes the amalgam of constitutional acts spanning this period. The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on February 10, 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. ... Flag Capital Quebec Language(s) French Religion Roman Catholicism Government Monarchy King See List of French monarchs Governor See list of Governors Legislature Sovereign Council of New France Historical era Ancien RÃ©gime in France - Royal Control 1655 - Articles of Capitulation of Quebec 1759 - Articles of Capitulation of Montreal 1760... Canada, was the name of the French colony along the St. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Official languages English (de facto) Flower White Trillium Tree Eastern White Pine Bird Common Loon Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Parliamentary representation - House seats - Senate seats 106 24... Motto: Je me souviens (French: I remember) Official languages French Flower Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor LinnÃ©) Tree Yellow Birch Bird Snowy Owl Capital Quebec City Largest city Montreal Lieutenant-Governor Lise Thibault Premier Jean Charest (PLQ) Parliamentary representation - House seats - Senate seats 75 24 Area Total - Land - Water (% of... Canada is the second largest and the northern-most country in the world, occupying most of the North American land mass. ... ... The Charter, signed by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau in 1981. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Canada Act 1982 The Canada Act 1982 (1982 c. ... The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law in Canada. ...

Treaty of Paris (1763)

On February 10, 1763, France ceded most of New France to Great Britain. The 1763 Treaty of Paris confirmed the cession of Canada, including all its dependencies, Acadia (Nova Scotia) and Cape Breton Island to Great Britain. A year before, France had secretly ceded Louisiana to Spain to avoid losing it to the British. (See the Treaty of Fontainebleau). The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on February 10, 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. ... February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1763 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The national flag of Acadia, adopted in 1884. ... Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit (Latin: One defends and the other conquers) Official languages English, French (Canadian Gaelic) [] Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Regional Municipality Lieutenant-Governor Mayann E. Francis Premier Rodney MacDonald (PC) Parliamentary representation - House seats - Senate seats 11 10 Area Total - Land - Water (% of total) Ranked... Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada NASA landsat photo of Cape Breton Island Cape Breton Island (French: Ã®le du Cap-Breton, Scottish Gaelic: Eilean Cheap Breatuinn, MÃkmaq: Ãšnamakika, simply: Cape Breton) is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. ... The Treaty of Fontainebleau refers to a number of agreements signed at Fontainebleau, France, often at the Château de Fontainebleau: October 24, 1745 creating a military alliance between Louis XV of France and Charles Edward Stuart. ...

At the time of the signing, the French colony of Canada was already under the control of the British army since the capitulation of the government of New France in 1760. (See the Articles of Capitulation of Montreal.) Flag Capital Quebec Language(s) French Religion Roman Catholicism Government Monarchy King See List of French monarchs Governor See list of Governors Legislature Sovereign Council of New France Historical era Ancien RÃ©gime in France - Royal Control 1655 - Articles of Capitulation of Quebec 1759 - Articles of Capitulation of Montreal 1760... The Articles of Capitulation of Montreal were agreed upon between the Governor General of New France, Pierre de Cavagnal, Marquis de Vaudreuil, and Major-General Jeffrey Amherst on behalf of the French and British crowns. ...

Royal proclamation (1763)

The policy of Great Britain regarding its newly acquired colonies of America was revealed in a Royal Proclamation, issued on October 7, 1763. The proclamation renamed Canada "The Province of Quebec", redefined its borders and established a British-appointed colonial government. Although not a constitutional text, the proclamation expressed the will of the British sovereign to make statutes for its new possessions. The proclamation was thus considered as the de facto constitution of Quebec until 1774. The new governor of the colony was given "the power and direction to summon and call a general assembly of the people's representatives" when the "state and circumstances of the said Colonies will admit thereof". A portion of eastern North America; the 1763 Proclamation line is the border between the red and the pink areas. ... October 7 is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1763 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

The governor was also given the mandate to "make, constitute, and ordain Laws, Statutes, and Ordinances for the Public Peace, Welfare, and good Government of our said Colonies, and of the People and Inhabitants thereof" with the consent of the British-appointed councils and representatives of the people. In the meantime, all British subjects in the colony were guaranteed of the protection of the law of England, and the governor was given the power to erect courts of judicature and public justice to hear all causes, civil or public.

The Royal Proclamation contained elements that conflicted with the Articles of Capitulation of Montreal, which granted Canadians the privilege to maintain their civil laws and practise their religion. The application of British laws such as the penal Laws caused numerous administrative problems and legal irregularities. The requirements of the Test Act also effectively excluded Catholics from administrative positions in the British Empire. In the most general sense, penal is the body of laws that are enforced by the State in its own name and impose penalties for their violation, as opposed to civil law that seeks to redress private wrongs. ... The several Test Acts were a series of English penal laws that imposed various civil disabilities on Roman Catholics and Nonconformists. ...

When James Murray was commissioned as captain general and governor in chief of the Province of Quebec, a four-year military rule ended, and the civil administration of the colony began. Judging the circumstances to be inappropriate to the establishment of British institutions in the colony, Murray was of the opinion that it would be more practical to keep the current civil institutions. He believed that, over time, the Canadians would recognize the superiority of British civilization and willingly adopt its language, its religion, and its customs. He officially recommended to retain French civil law and to dispense the Canadians from taking the Oath of Supremacy. Nevertheless, Murray followed his instructions and British institutions began to be established. On September 17, 1764, the Courts of the King's Bench and Common Pleas were constituted. Portrait of James Murray as a young man by Allan Ramsay (1742) (Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh) James Murray (Ballencrieff, East Lothian, Scotland, 21 January 1721â€“ 18 June 1794 Battle) was a British military officer, whose lengthy career included service as colonial administrator and governor of Quebec. ... The Oath of Supremacy, imposed by the Act of Supremacy 1559, provided for any person taking public or church office in England to swear allegiance to the monarch as Supreme Governor of the Church of England. ... One of the ancient courts of England, the Kings Bench (or Queens Bench when the monarch is female) is now a division of the High Court of Justice of England and Wales. ... In United States jurisprudence, Court of Common Pleas is a term referring to a court of certain jurisdiction. ...

Tensions quickly developed between the British merchants or old subjects, newly established in the colony, and Governor Murray. They were very dissatisfied with the state of the country and demanded that British institutions be created immediately. They demanded that common law be enforced to protect their business interests and that a house of assembly be created for English-speaking Protestants alone. Murray didn't think very highly of these tradesmen. In a letter to the British Lords of Trade, he referred to them as "licentious fanatics" who would not be satisfied but by "the expulsion of the Canadians". This article concerns the common-law legal system, as contrasted with the civil law legal system; for other meanings of the term, within the field of law, see common law (disambiguation). ...

The conciliatory approach of Murray in dealing with the demands of the Canadians was not well received by the merchants. In May 1764, they petitioned the king for Murray's removal, accusing him of betraying the interests of Great Britain by his defence of the Canadian people's interests. The merchants succeeded in having him recalled to London. He was vindicated, but did not return to the Province of Quebec. In 1768, he was replaced by Sir Guy Carleton, who would contribute to the drafting of the 1774 Quebec Act. The Quebec Act of 1774 was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain (citation 14 Geo. ...

Murray called in the representatives of the people in 1765; however, his attempt to constitute a representative assembly failed, as, according to historian Francois-Xavier Garneau, the Canadians were unwilling to renounce their Catholic faith and take the test oath required to hold office. Francois-Xavier Garneau (15 June 1809 â€“ 2 or 3 February 1866) was a French Canadian poet, civil servant and liberal who wrote a three volume history of the French Canadian nation entitled Histoire du Canada between 1845 and 1848. ...

Restauration movement (1764-1774)

On October 29, 1764, 94 Canadian subjects submitted a petition demanding that the orders of the king be available in French and that they be allowed to participate in the government. October 29 is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1764 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

In December 1773 Canadian landlords submitted a petition and a memorandum in which they asked:

They expressed their opinion that the time was not right for a house of assembly because the colony could not afford it and suggested that a larger council, composed of both new and old subjects, would be a better choice.

In May 1774 the British merchants trading in Quebec responded by submitting their case to the king.

Reform movement (1765-1791)

As early as 1765, British merchants established in Quebec City address a petition to the King to ask for "the establishment of a house of representatives in this province as in all the other provinces" of the continent. Indeed, all the colonies under British domination had parliamentary institutions, even Nova Scotia which obtained its Parliament in 1758.

The movement for reform did not receive any support from the Canadians originally.

Quebec Act (1774)

The Quebec Act granted many of the requests of the Canadians. Enacted on June 13, 1774, the act changed the following: The Quebec Act of 1774 was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain (citation 14 Geo. ... The Quebec Act of 1774 was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain (citation 14 Geo. ... June 13 is the 164th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (165th in leap years), with 201 days remaining. ... Chesma Column in Tsarskoe Selo, commemorating the end of the Russo-Turkish War. ...

No assembly of representatives was created, which allowed the governor to keep ruling under the advice of his counsellors.

The British merchants of Quebec were not pleased by this new act, which ignored their most important demands. They continued to campaign to abolish the current civil code and establish a house of assembly excluding Catholics and French-speakers.

The Quebec Act was also very negatively received in the British colonies to the south. (See the Intolerable Acts.) This act was in force in the Province of Quebec when the American Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775. The Intolerable Acts, called by the British the Coercive Acts or Punitive Acts, were a series of laws passed by the British Parliament in 1774 in response to the growing unrest in thirteen American colonies, particularly in Boston, Massachusetts after incidents such as the Boston Tea Party. ... Combatants American Revolutionaries, France, Dutch Republic, Spain, American Indians Kingdom of Great Britain, German mercenaries, Loyalists, American Indians Commanders George Washington, Comte de Rochambeau, Nathanael Greene, Bernardo de GÃ¡lvez Sir William Howe, Sir Henry Clinton, Lord Cornwallis (more commanders) The American Revolutionary War (1775â€“1783), also known as the...

Letter to the inhabitants of the Province of Quebec (1775)

During the revolution, the Continental Congress attempted to rally the Canadian people to its cause. The delegates wrote two letters (Letter to the inhabitants of the Province of Quebec and Letter to the Inhabitants of Canada) inviting them to join in the revolution. Both letters circulated in Canada, mostly in the cities of Montreal and Quebec. The first letter was written on October 26, 1774, and signed by the president of the congress, Henry Middleton. It was translated into French by Fleury Mesplet, who printed it in Philadelphia and distributed the copies himself in Montreal. The Continental Congress is the label given to two successive bodies of representatives of provinces of the Thirteen Colonies in 18th century British North America: The First Continental Congress met from September 5, 1774, to October 26, 1774. ... On May 29, 1775, the American Continental Congress sent a formal letter to the Inhabitants of Canada inviting them to join in the American Revolution. ... October 26 is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 66 days remaining. ... Chesma Column in Tsarskoe Selo, commemorating the end of the Russo-Turkish War. ... Henry Middleton (1717 â€“ June 13, 1784) of South Carolina was the second President of the Continental Congress, and thus the leader of what was to become the United States, from October 22, 1774 until Peyton Randolph was able to resume his duties briefly beginning on May 10, 1775. ... Fleury Mesplet (January 10, 1734â€”January 24, 1794) was a French-Canadian printer. ...

The letter pleaded the cause of democratic government, the separation of powers, taxation power, habeas corpus, trial by jury, and freedom of the press. Democracy is a form of government under which the power to alter the laws and structures of government lies, ultimately, with the citizenry. ... The separation of powers (or trias politica, a term coined by French political Enlightenment thinker Montesquieu) is a model for the governance of democratic states. ... No taxation without representation was a catchphrase in the period 1763-1775 that summarized a primary grievance of the American colonists in the Thirteen colonies. ... In common law countries, habeas corpus (/heÉªbiÉ™s kÉ”É¹pÉ™s/), Latin for you [should] have the body, is the name of a legal action or writ by means of which detainees can seek relief from unlawful imprisonment. ... Trial by Jury is a comic Gilbert and Sullivan operetta in one act (the only single-act Savoy Opera). ... Freedom of the press (or press freedom) is the guarantee by a government of free public press for its citizens and their associations, extended to members of news gathering organizations, and their published reporting. ...

The second letter was written on May 25, 1775. Shorter, it urged the inhabitants of Canada not to side against the revolutionary forces. (The congress was aware that the British colonial government had already asked the Canadians to resist the call of the revolutionaries.) May 25 is the 145th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (146th in leap years). ... ...

On May 22, 1775, Bishop of Quebec Jean-Olivier Briand sent out a mandement asking the Canadians to close their ears to the call of the "rebels" and defend their country and their king against the invasion. May 22 is the 142nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (143rd in leap years). ... ... The Diocese of Quebec is the oldest Catholic see in the New World north of Mexico. ... Jean-Olivier Briand, (23 January 1715 â€“ 25 June 1794), was the Bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Quebec from 1766 to 1784. ...

Although both the British and the revolutionaries succeeded at recruiting Canadian men for militia, the majority of the people chose not to get involved in the conflict.

In 1778, Frederick Haldimand became governor in replacement of Guy Carleton. (He served up until 1786, when Guy Carleton (now Lord Dorchester) returned as governor.) Sir Frederick Haldimand (August 11, 1718 – June 5, 1791) was a British army officer and governor. ...

Resumption of the reform movement (1784)

Soon after the war, which ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the constitutional question resurfaced. Painting by Benjamin West depicting (from left to right) John Jay, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Laurens, and William Temple Franklin. ...

In July 1784, Pierre du Calvet, a rich French merchant established in Montreal, published a pamphlet entitled Appel à la justice de l'État (Call to the Justice of the State) in London. Printed in French, the document is the first plea in favour of a constitutional reform in Canada. Du Calvet, imprisoned at the same time and for the same reasons as Fleury Mesplet and Valentine Jautard, both suspected of symphatizing and collaborating with the American revolutionaries during the war, undertook to have the injustice committed towards him be publicly known by publishing The Case of Peter du Calvet and, a few months later, his Appel à la justice de l'État. Pierre of Calvet, (1735-1786), born of a French huguenote family, was a wealthy merchant who lived in Quebec, Canada. ...

On November 24, 1784, two petition for a house of assembly, one signed by 1436 "New Subjects" (Canadians) and another signed by 855 "Old Subjects" (British), were sent to the king of Great Britain. The first petition contained 14 demands. "A Plan for a House of Assembly" was also sketched in the same month of November. In December, "An Address to His Majesty in opposition to the House of Assembly and a list of Objections" were printed by the press of Fleury Mesplet in Montreal. The main objection to the house of assembly was that the colony was not, according to its signatories, in a position to be taxed. November 24 is the 328th day (329th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1784 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Fleury Mesplet (January 10, 1734â€”January 24, 1794) was a French-Canadian printer. ...

At the time the November 24 petition was submitted to the king, numerous United Empire Loyalists were already seeking refuge in Quebec and Nova Scotia. In Quebec, the newly arrived settlers contributed to increase the number of people voicing for a rapid constitutional reform. In Nova Scotia, the immigrants demanded a separate colony. The name United Empire Loyalists is given to those British Loyalists who resettled in British North America and other British Colonies as an act of fealty to King George III after the British defeat in the American Revolutionary War. ... Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit (Latin: One defends and the other conquers) Official languages English, French (Canadian Gaelic) [] Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Regional Municipality Lieutenant-Governor Mayann E. Francis Premier Rodney MacDonald (PC) Parliamentary representation - House seats - Senate seats 11 10 Area Total - Land - Water (% of total) Ranked...

Parliamentary constitution project (1789)

When Guy Carleton returned as governor, he was already informed that the arrival of the Loyalists would require changes.

On October 20, 1789, Home Secretary William Wyndham Grenville wrote a private and secret letter to Governor Lord Dorchester informing him of the king's counsellors plans to modify Canada's constitution. The letter leaves little doubt as to the influence that the American War of Independence and the taking of the Bastille (which had just occurred in July) had on the decision. In the first paragraph, Grenville writes: "I am persuaded that it is a point of true Policy to make these Concessions at a time when they may be received as matter of favour, and when it is in Our own power to regulate and direct the manner of applying them, rather than to wait 'till they shall be extorted from Us by a necessity which shall neither leave Us any discretion in the form, nor any merit in the substance of what we give." October 20 is the 293rd day of the year (294th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 72 days remaining. ... 1789 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the United Kingdom Home Office and is responsible for internal affairs in England and Wales, and for immigration and citizenship for the whole United Kingdom (including Scotland and Northern Ireland). ... William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville (October 25, 1759 - January 12, 1834), was a British statesman and Prime Minister. ... Sir Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester (1724-1808) was a British soldier who served as Governor of the Province of Quebec. ... Combatants French government Parisian militia (predecessor of Frances National Guard) Commanders Bernard-RenÃ© de Launayâ€ Prince de Lambesc Camille Desmoulins Strength 114 soldiers, 30 artillery pieces 600 - 1,000 insurgents Casualties 1 (6 or possibly 8 killed after surrender) 98 The Storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789...

Grenville, who prepared the constitution in August 1789, was appointed to the House of Lords before having the time of submit his project to the British House of Commons. Thus, the Prime Minister William Pitt who did it in his place. William Pitt could refer to: William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham; Prime Minister of Great Britain 1766-1768; often known as William Pitt the Elder William Pitt the Younger; his son; Prime Minister of Great Britain (1783-1801) and (1804-1806) William Pitt, Comptroller of the Household to King James...

Following the presentation of the project, British merchants established in Quebec delegated Adam Lymburner to London to present their case of opposition. The British subjects represented by Lymburner objected to the creation of two provinces, suggested an increase in the number of representatives, elections every three years (instead of seven) and requested an electoral division which would have overrepresented the Old Subjects by granting more representatives to the populations of the cities.

The objections of Lymburner were fought against by, among others, deputy Charles James Fox, and in the end only the suggestions related to the frequency of elections and the number of representatives were retained. Charles James Fox Statue of Charles James Fox in Bloomsbury Square, erected 1816. ...

Constitutional Act (1791)

On June 10, 1791, the Constitutional Act was enacted in London and gave Canada its first parliamentary constitution. Containing 50 articles, the act brought the following changes: The Constitutional Act of 1791 was a British law which changed the government of the province of Quebec to accommodate the many English-speaking settlers, known as the United Empire Loyalists, who had arrived from the United States following the American Revolution. ... June 10 is the 161st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (162nd in leap years), with 204 days remaining. ... 1791 (MDCCXCI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 11-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

This partition ensured that Loyalists would constitute a majority in Upper Canada and allow for the application of exclusively British laws in this province. As soon as the province was divided, a series of acts were passed to abolish the French civil code in Upper Canada. In Lower Canada, the coexistence of French civil law and English criminal law continued. Map of Lower Canada (green) Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence (1791-1841). ... Flag Map of Upper Canada (orange) Capital Newark 1792 - 1797 York 1797 - 1841 Language(s) English Religion Church of England Government Constitutional monarchy Sovereign - 1791-1820 George III - 1837-1841 Victoria Lieutenant-Governor See list of Lieutenant-Governors Legislature Parliament of Upper Canada - Upper house Legislative Council - Lower house Legislative...

Although it solved the immediate problems related to the settlement of the Loyalists in Canada, the new constitution brought a whole new set of political problems which were rooted in the constitution. Some of these problems were common to both provinces, while others were unique to Lower Canada or Upper Canada. The problems that eventually affected both provinces were:

In the two provinces, a movement for constitutional reform took shape within the majority party, the Parti canadien of Lower Canada and the Reformers of Upper Canada. Leader of the Parti canadien, Pierre-Stanislas Bédard was the first politician of Lower Canada to formulate a project of reform to put an end to the opposion between the elected Legislative Assembly and the Governor and his Council which answered only the Colonial Office in London. Putting forward the idea of ministerial responsibility, he proposed that the members of the Legislative Council be appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the elected House. Patriote leader Louis-Joseph Papineau speaks to the crowd at the Assembly of the Six Counties. ... The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet official in charge of managing the various British colonies. ...

Union Bill (1822)

In 1822, the Secretary of Colonial Office Lord Bathurst and his under-secretary Robert John Wilmot-Horton secretly submitted a bill to British House of Commons which projected the legislative union of the two Canadian provinces. Two months after the adjournment of the discussions on the bill, the news arrived in Lower Canada and caused a sharp reaction. Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst (22 May 1762 - 27 July 1834), the elder son of the second earl. ... Sir Robert John Wilmot-Horton, 3rd Baronet (21 December 1784 â€“ 31 May 1841) was a British politician during the first third of the 19th century. ...

Supported by Governor Dalhousie, anglophone petitioners from the Eastern Townships, Quebec City and Kingston, the bill submitted in London provided, among other things, that each of the two sections of the new united province would have a maximum of 60 representatives, which would have put the French-speaking majority of Lower Canada in a position of minority in the new Parliament.

The mobilization of the citizens of Lower Canada and Upper Canada began in late summer and petitions in opposition to the project were prepared. The subject was discussed as soon as the session at the Parliament of Lower Canada opened on January 11, 1823. Ten days later, on January 21, the Legislative Assembly adopted a resolution authorizing a Lower Canadian delegation to go to London in order to officially present the quasi-unanimous opposition of the representatives of Lower Canada to the project of union. Exceptionally, even the Legislative Council gave its support to this resolution, with a majority of one vote. Having in their possession a petition of some 60 000 signatures, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Louis-Joseph Papineau, as well as John Neilson, Member of Parliament, went to London to present the opinion of the majority of the population which they represented. January 11 is the 11th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1823 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... January 21 is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Portrait of Louis-Joseph Papineau. ... This article needs cleanup. ...

Faced with the massive opposition of people most concerned with the bill, the British government finally gave up the union project submitted for adoption by its own Colonial Office.

Report of the Special Committee of the House of Commons (1828)

The Ninety-Two Resolutions of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada (1834)

These constituted a sort of declaration of rights on the part of the patriote party. They were drafted by A. N. Morin, but were inspired by Louis-Joseph Papineau. They demanded the application of the elective principle to the political institutions of the province, after the American model; but did not advocate, in any explicit way, the introduction of responsible government. Lord Aylmer, the governor-general of Canada at that time, in an analysis of the resolutions, maintained that "eleven of them represented the truth; six contained truth mixed with falsehood; sixteen were wholly false; seventeen were doubtful; twelve were ridiculous; seven repetitions; fourteen consisted of abuse; four were both false and seditious; and the remaining five were indifferent." Portrait of Louis-Joseph Papineau. ...

Royal Commission for the Investigation of all Grievances Affecting His Majesty's Subjects of Lower Canada (1835)

Following the adoption of the Ninety-Two Resolutions, the Governor Gosford arrived in Lower Canada to replace governor Aylmer. Gosford set up royal commission of inquiry conducted by Charles E. Gray and George Gipps. The Royal Commission for the Investigation of all Grievances Affecting His Majesty's Subjects of Lower Canada reported in 1837 and the Ten resolutions of John Russel were mostly based on it. Sir George Gipps (1791 - 28 February 1847) was Governor of the colony of New South Wales, Australia, for eight years, between 1838 and 1846. ...

John Russel's Ten Resolutions (1837)

On March 2, 1837, John Russell, then British Colonial Secretary, submits ten resolutions to the Parliament in response to the ninety-two resolutions. The Parliament adopts the resolutions on March 6. March 2 is the 61st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (62nd in leap years). ... Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1837 - 1901) 1837 (MDCCCXXXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... March 6 is the 65th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (66th in Leap years). ...

Most of the recommendations brought forth by the elected assemblies were systematically ignored by the Executive Councils. This was particularly true in Lower Canada with an assembly consisting mostly of French-Canadian members of the Parti Patriote. This impasse created considerable tensions between the French-Canadian political class and the British government. In 1834 Louis-Joseph Papineau, a French-Canadian political leader, submitted a document entitled the Ninety-Two Resolutions to the Crown. The document requested vast democratic reforms such as the transfer of power to elected representatives. The reply came three years later in the form of the Russell Resolutions, which not only rejected the 92 Resolutions but also revoked one of the assembly's few real powers, the power to pass its own budget. This rebuff heightened tensions and escalated into armed rebellions in 1837 and 1838, known as the Lower Canada Rebellion. The uprisings were short-lived, however, as British troops quickly defeated the rebels and burned their villages in reprisal. The Parti canadien (also Parti patriote) was a political party in what is now Quebec, Canada, that was founded by members of the liberal elite of French Canada at the beginning of the 19th century. ... Portrait of Louis-Joseph Papineau. ... The Ninety-Two Resolutions were drafted by Louis-Joseph Papineau and other members of the Parti patriote of Lower Canada in 1834. ... Flag used by the Patriotes between 1832 and 1838 The Lower Canada Rebellion is the name given to the armed conflict between the rebels of Lower Canada (now Quebec) and the British colonial power of that province. ...

The rebellion was also contained by the Catholic clergy, which, by representing the only French-Canadian institution with independent authority, exercised a tremendous influence over its constituents. During and after the rebellions Catholic priests and the bishop of Montreal told their congregants that questioning established authority was a sin that would prevent them from receiving the sacraments. The Church refused to give Christian burials to supporters of the rebellion. With liberal and progressive forces suppressed in Lower Canada, the Catholic Church's influence dominated the French-speaking side of French Canadian/British relations from the 1840s until the Quiet Revolution secularized Quebec society in the 1960s. The Quiet Revolution (RÃ©volution tranquille) was the 1960s period of rapid change in Quebec, Canada. ...

Suspension of the Constitutional Act (1838)

Approximately four months after having proclaimed martial law in the district of Montreal, Governor Gosford suspends, on March 27, 1838, the Constitutional Act of 1791 and sets up a Special Council. For other uses, see Martial law (disambiguation). ... March 27 is the 86th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (87th in leap years). ... | JÃ¶ns Jakob Berzelius, discoverer of protein 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The Special Council of Lower Canada was an appointed body which administered Lower Canada until the Union Act of 1840 created the Province of Canada. ...

Report on the Affairs of British North America (1839)

Following the rebellions, in May 1838, the British government sent Governor General Lord Durham to Lower and Upper Canada in order to investigate the uprisings and to bring forth solutions. His recommendations were formulated in what is known as "Lord Durham's Report" and suggested the forced union of the Canadas with the expressed purpose of "making [Lower Canada] an English Province [that] should never again be placed in any hands but those of an English population." Doing so, he claimed, would speed up the assimilation of the French-Canadian population, "a people with no history, and no literature" into a homogenized English population. This would prevent what he considered to be ethnic conflicts. The Report on the Affairs of British North America, commonly known as Lord Durhams Report, is an important document in the history of Canada and the British Empire. ... John George Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham (12 April 1792 - 28 July 1840), was a British Whig statesman and colonial administrator, Governor-General and high commissioner of British North America. ...

Act of Union (1840)

Following the publication of the Report on the Affairs of British North America, the British Parliament adopted, in June 1840, the Act of Union. The new Act, which effected the legislative union of Upper Canada and Lower Canada to form a single province named the Province of Canada, implemented the principal recommendation of John George Lambton's report, but did not grant a "responsible government" to the new political entity. Entering into force as of February 1841, the 62 articles of the Act of Union brought about the following changes: The Act of Union passed in July 1840 and proclaimed February 10, 1841, abolished the legislatures of Lower Canada and Upper Canada and established a new political entity the Province of Canada to replace them. ...

As a result, Lower Canada and Upper Canada, with its enormous debt, were united in 1840, and French was banned in the legislature for about eight years. Eight years later, an elected and responsible government was granted. By this time, the French-speaking majority of Lower Canada had become a political minority in a unified Canada. This, as Lord Durham had recommended in his report, resulted in English political control over the French-speaking part of Canada, and ensured the colony's loyalty to the British crown. On the other hand, continual legislative deadlock between English and French led to a movement to replace unitary government with a federal one. This movement culminated in Canadian Confederation. Responsible government is a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy. ... We dont have an article called Canadian-confederation Start this article Search for Canadian-confederation in. ...

Ministerial Responsibility (1848)

Ministerial responsibility, the principal object of parliamentary struggles conducted by the Parti canadien in Lower Canada and the Reformers in Upper Canada, becomes a reality in 1848, when Governor Lord Elgin agreed to let the leaders of the majority parties in Canada-East and the Canada-West, Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine and Robert Baldwin, form their own Executive Council. The Province of Canada therefore had its first government made up of members taken in the elected House of Assembly. This important change occurred a few months after Governor of Nova Scotia, Sir John Harvey, let James Boyle Uniacke form his own government. Nova Scotia thus became the first colony of the British Empire to have a government comparable to that of Great Britain itself. Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine. ... Robert Baldwin (12 May 1804 â€“ 9 December 1858), Canadian statesman, was born at York (now Toronto). ... Sir John Harvey (April 23, 1778 â€“ March 22, 1852) was a British army officer and a Lieutenant Governor. ... James Boyle Uniacke (1799 â€“ 26 March 1858) led the first responsible government in Canada or any colony of the British Empire. ...

Confederation Projects (1858-1864)

In 1858, Joseph-Charles Taché, doctor and journalist from Quebec City, publish a detailed project of federation. It is the first time that a project of this type is presented publicly since the proposal that John A. Roebuck had made in the same direction to John George Lambton while he was a governor of the Canadas in 1838. Joseph-Charles TachÃ©, (b December 24, 1820 â€“ d April 16, 1894) was a multi-faceted member of the TachÃ© family, a nephew of Sir Ã‰tienne-Paschal TachÃ©. He was a student at the Petit SÃ©minaire de QuÃ©bec and followed this by a study of medicine, receiving his medical...

The same year, Alexander T. Galt, Member of Parliament for Sherbrooke, agrees to become a Minister of Finance in the Macdonald-Cartier government provided that his own project of confederation is accepted.

British North America Act (1867)

The British North America Act 1867 was the act that established the Dominion of Canada, by the fusion of the North American British colonies of the Province of Canada, Province of New Brunswick, Province of Nova Scotia. The former subdivisions of Canada were renamed from Canada West and Canada East to the Province of Ontario and Province of Quebec, respectively. Quebec and Ontario were given equal footing with New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in the Parliament of Canada. This was done to counter the claims of manifest destiny made by the United States of America, for the defense of Britain's holdings. American claims are evinced by the invasions of the Canadas during the British-American War (1812) and the British-American War (1776). The British North America Acts 1867â€“1975 are a series of Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom dealing with the government of Canada, which was known as British North America until 1867. ... The British North America Act of 1867 was the act that established the Dominion of Canada, by the fusion of the North American British colonies of the Province of Canada, Province of New Brunswick, Province of Nova Scotia. ... Canada is the second largest and the northern-most country in the world, occupying most of the North American land mass. ... Note: for information about Canadas present-day provinces, see Provinces and territories of Canada. ... Motto: Spem reduxit (Hope restored) Official languages English, French Flower Purple Violet Tree Balsam Fir Bird Black-capped Chickadee Capital Fredericton Largest city Saint John Lieutenant-Governor HermÃ©nÃ©gilde Chiasson Premier Shawn Graham (Liberal) Parliamentary representation - House seats - Senate seats 10 10 Area Total - Land - Water (% of total) Ranked... Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit (Latin: One defends and the other conquers) Official languages English, French (Canadian Gaelic) [] Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Regional Municipality Lieutenant-Governor Mayann E. Francis Premier Rodney MacDonald (PC) Parliamentary representation - House seats - Senate seats 11 10 Area Total - Land - Water (% of total) Ranked... Canada West was the western portion of the former Province of Canada from 1841 to 1867. ... Bold textBold textBold textBold textItalic textItalic textndigbvsikdbkgbsdxchcgsidgfvkdskgvbsdlkioktgirbeirnbijuiogppsfgbsikgbvhregiyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyygfhdjbdhdc bvcbfghjfh ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Official languages English (de facto) Flower White Trillium Tree Eastern White Pine Bird Common Loon Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Parliamentary representation - House seats - Senate seats 106 24... Motto: Je me souviens (French: I remember) Official languages French Flower Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor LinnÃ©) Tree Yellow Birch Bird Snowy Owl Capital Quebec City Largest city Montreal Lieutenant-Governor Lise Thibault Premier Jean Charest (PLQ) Parliamentary representation - House seats - Senate seats 75 24 Area Total - Land - Water (% of... The Parliament of Canada (French: Parlement du Canada) is Canadas legislative branch, seated at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. ... This painting (circa 1872) by John Gast called American Progress is an allegorical representation of Manifest Destiny. ... The North American War of 1812 between the United States and the United Kingdom is one of several wars associated with that year. ... The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the American War of Independence, was a war fought primarily between Great Britain and revolutionaries within thirteen of her North American colonies. ...

Prior to the BNA Act of 1867, the British colonies of the Province of New Brunswick, Province of Nova Scotia, and Province of Prince Edward Island, discussed the possibility of a fusion to counter the threat of American annexation, and to reduce the costs of governance. The Province of Canada entered these negotiations at the behest of the British government, and lead to the ambivalence of the Province of Prince Edward Island, which later joined the new Dominion. The constitutional conference, ironically, was held on Prince Edward Island, in Charlottetown. Motto: Parva Sub Ingenti The Small Protected By The Great) Official languages English Flower Pink Ladys Slipper Tree Red Oak Bird Blue Jay Capital Charlottetown Largest city Charlottetown Lieutenant-Governor Barbara Oliver Hagerman Premier Pat Binns (PC) Parliamentary representation - House seats - Senate seats 4 4 Area Total - Land - Water... For the federal electoral district see Canadian city and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, with a population of 32,245 as of 2001. ...

Province of Manitoba (1870)

On May 12, 1870, the British Crown proclaimed the Manitoba Act, enacted by the Parliament of Canada, effectivement giving birth to the province of Manitoba. The 36 articles of the Act established the territorial limits, the subjects' right to vote, the representation in the Canadian House of Commons, the number of senators, the provincial legislature, permitted the use of English and French in the Parliament and in front of the courts and authorized the setting-up of a denominational education system. The Manitoba Act was an Act of the Parliament of Canada, and was given Royal Assent on May 12, 1870. ... The geographical area now named Manitoba was originally inhabited as soon as the last ice age glaciers retreated in the southwest. ... May 12 is the 132nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (133rd in leap years). ... 1870 (MDCCCLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ...

The coexistence, on the territory of the province, of French-speaking and catholic communities (the Métis) as well as English-speaking and Protestant communities (British and Anglo-Canadian immigrants) explains the institutional arrangement copied on that of Quebec.

Province of British Columbia (1871)

Province of Prince Edward Island (1873)

Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name. ...

Provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta (1905)

The Saskatchewan Act is legislation passed by the Canadian Parliament that established the province of Saskatchewan on September 1, 1905. ... The Alberta Act, effective September 1, 1905, was an act of the Canadian parliament to establish and provide for the government of the province of Alberta. ... // For more information on the history of the province of Saskatchewan see also Saskatchewan History The history of this plains area actually began 2,100 - 2,000 million years ago wherein there were two continents seperated by an ocean. ... Establishment When missionaries and fur traders arrived from Europe in the eighteenth century Alberta was inhabited by several Aboriginal nations. ...

Statute of Westminster (1931)

Canada and the other British dominions achieved full legislative sovereignty with the passage of the Statute of Westminster 1931, but prior to the Canada Act 1982 the British North America Acts were excluded from the operation of the Statute of Westminster and could only be amended by the British Parliament. This article is about the Statute of Westminster relating to the British Empire and its dominions. ... This article is about the Statute of Westminster relating to the British Empire and its dominions. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Canada Act 1982 The Canada Act 1982 (1982 c. ...

Royal Commission on Dominion-Provincial Relations (1937)

The Rowell-Sirois Commission officially known as the Royal Commission on Dominion-Provincial Relations was a Canadian Royal Commission looking into the Canadian economy and federal-provincial relations. ...

Province of Newfoundland (1949)

Royal Commission of Inquiry on Constitutional Problems (1953)

Premier of Quebec Maurice Duplessis called for the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Constitutional Problems in 1953. ...

The Quiet Revolution (1960s)

In the early 1960s, the Quiet Revolution, stemming from a new assertiveness and a heightened sense of national identity among Québécois, dramatically changed the face of Quebec's institutions. The new provincial government headed by Jean Lesage and operating under the slogans "Il faut que ça change!" and "Maître chez nous" ("It must change!", "Masters in our own house") secularized government institutions, nationalized electricity production and encouraged unionization. The reforms sought to redefine the relations between the vastly working-class francophone Québécois and the mostly anglophone business class. Thus passive Catholic nationalism stylized by Father Lionel Groulx gave way to a more active pursuit of independence, and in 1963 the first bombings by the Front de libération du Québec occurred. The FLQ's violent pursuit of a socialist and independent Quebec culminated in the 1970 kidnappings of British diplomat, James Cross and then the provincial minister of labour, Pierre Laporte in what is known as the October Crisis. The Quiet Revolution (RÃ©volution tranquille) was the 1960s period of rapid change in Quebec, Canada. ... In Canadian English, a QuÃ©bÃ©cois (IPA: ), or in the feminine QuÃ©bÃ©coise (IPA: ), is a francophone native or resident of the province of Quebec, Canada. ... Jean Lesage, PC, CC, CD (June 10, 1912 â€“ December 12, 1980) was a lawyer and politician in Quebec, Canada. ... Lionel-Adolphe Groulx photo from ca. ... The Front de libÃ©ration du QuÃ©bec (QuÃ©bec Liberation Front), commonly known as the FLQ, was a left-wing terrorist group in Canada responsible for more than 200 bombings and the deaths of one man which culminated in 1970 with what is known as the October Crisis. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Pierre Laporte (February 25, 1921 - October 1970), was a Canadian politician who was assassinated by members of the terrorist group, the Front de LibÃ©ration du QuÃ©bec (Quebec Liberation Front). ... Military cordon in support of police taking surrender of terrorist Liberation cell, December 3, 1970 The October Crisis was a series of dramatic events triggered by two terrorist kidnappings by members of the Front de libÃ©ration du QuÃ©bec in the province of Quebec, Canada, in October 1970, which...

The Quiet Revolution also forced the evolution of several political parties, and so, in 1966, a reformed Union Nationale led by Daniel Johnson, Sr., returned to power under the slogan "Equality or Independence". The new premier of Quebec stated, "As a basis for its nationhood, Quebec wants to be master of its own decision-making in what concerns the human growth of its citizens--that is to say education, social security and health in all their aspects--their economic affirmation--the power to set up economic and financial institutions they feel are required--their cultural development--not only the arts and letters, but also the French language--and the Quebec community's external development--its relations with certain countries and international bodies". The Union Nationale was a political party in Quebec, Canada, that identified with conservative French-Canadian nationalism. ... Daniel Johnson, Sr. ...

Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism (1963)

For the federal government this demand for an enormous shift in power to a province done under a threat of a possible unilateral declaration of independence, was cause for great alarm. In 1967, on the initiative of Premier John Robarts of Ontario, a provincial first ministers' conference was held in Toronto to discuss the Canadian confederation of the future. From this, a first round of what would become annual constitutional meetings of all provincial premiers and the prime minister of Canada, was held in February 1968. On the initiative of Prime Minister Lester Pearson the conference undertook to address the desires of Quebec. Amongst numerous initiatives, the conference members examined the recommendations of a Bilingualism and Biculturalism Commission, the question of a Charter of Rights, regional disparities, and the timeliness of a general review of the constitution (the British North America Act). For the recipient of the Victoria Cross see John Robarts (VC). ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Official languages English (de facto) Flower White Trillium Tree Eastern White Pine Bird Common Loon Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Parliamentary representation - House seats - Senate seats 106 24... In Canada a First Ministers conference is a meeting between of the provincial and territorial premiers and the Prime Minister. ... The Right Honourable Lester Bowles Mike Pearson, PC, CC, OM, MA (April 23, 1897 – December 27, 1972) was the fourteenth Prime Minister of Canada from April 22, 1963, to April 20, 1968, and also a 1957 Nobel Laureate. ... The British North America Acts 1867–1975 are a series of Acts of the British Parliament dealing with the government of Canada. ...

In 1968, René Lévesque's Mouvement souveraineté-association joined forces with the Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale and the Ralliement national to create the Parti Québécois; Quebec's provincial political party that has since espoused the province's sovereignty. That same year, Pierre Trudeau became prime minister of Canada by winning the leadership race of the federal Liberal Party. He would undertake numerous legislative measures to enhance the status of Quebec within Canada, including the passage into law in 1969 of the Official Languages Act, which expanded upon the original official language status of both French and English from the 1867 British North America Act. RenÃ© LÃ©vesque (pronounced ) (August 24, 1922 â€“ November 1, 1987) was a reporter, a minister of the government of Quebec, Canada, (1960 â€“ 1966), the founder of the Parti QuÃ©bÃ©cois political party, and 23rd Premier of Quebec (November 25, 1976 â€“ October 3, 1985). ... The Mouvement SouverainetÃ©-Association (MSA, or Movement for Sovereignty-Association) was formed on November 19, 1967 by RenÃ© LÃ©vesque to promote the concept of sovereignty-association between Quebec and the rest of Canada. ... Pierre Bourgault speaks as leader of the Rassemblement pour lIndÃ©pendance Nationale. ... The Ralliement national was political party that advocated the political independence of Quebec from Canada in the 1960s. ... The Parti QuÃ©bÃ©cois or PQ is a political party that advocates national sovereignty for the Canadian province of Quebec and secession from Canada, as well as social democratic policies and has traditionally had support from the labour movement. ... Trudeau redirects here. ... Official Languages Act can refer to: the Official Languages Act of Canada or the Official Languages Act of Ireland. ... The British North America Acts 1867–1975 are a series of Acts of the British Parliament dealing with the government of Canada. ...

Victoria Charter (1971)

The 1971 Victoria Conference, a meeting between the federal government and the provinces, brought about the Victoria Charter. This Charter sought to establish a formula for amending the Constitution without requiring the unanimous consent of the provinces. Notably, it would give a veto to any province having or having ever had 25 percent of the Canadian population, thus essentially giving Quebec and Ontario veto powers. The provinces were supposed to confirm their acceptance by June 28 1971, but a change of premiers in Saskatchewan and the reluctance of the federal government to recommend the Charter to Quebec's legislature, due to deficiencies in the clauses dealing with income security, led to the failure of this initiative. The Victoria Charter was a set of proposed amendments to the Constitution of Canada in 1971. ...

Referendum on Sovereignty-Association (1980)

In 1976 the Parti Québécois won the provincial election in Quebec with a 41.4 per cent to 33.8 per cent margin over the Parti libéral du Québec, and in the 1980 Quebec referendum the Parti Québécois sought a mandate from the people of Quebec to negotiate new terms of association with the rest of Canada. With an 84-per-cent voter turnout, 60 per cent of Quebec voters rejected the proposal. The 1980 Quebec referendum was the first referendum in Quebec on the role of Quebec within Canada and whether Quebec should pursue a path toward sovereignty. ...

After the 1980 referendum was defeated, the government of Quebec passed Resolution 176, which stated, "A lasting solution to the constitutional issue presupposes recognition of the Quebec-Canada duality."

Meeting in Ottawa on June 9, 1980, the newly re-elected Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau and the provincial premiers set an agenda and gave their ministers responsibility for constitutional issues and a mandate to proceed with exploratory discussions to create a new Canadian constitution. However, given the separatist government of Quebec's position that there be two nations established first in accordance with Resolution 176, approval by Quebec of any changes to the BNA Act was impossible. This assertion of national duality was immediately followed with Resolution 177 that stated, "Quebec will never agree, under the existing system, to the patriation of the Constitution and to an amending formula as long as the whole issue of the distribution of powers has not been settled and Quebec has not been guaranteed all the powers it needs for its development." As such, Quebec's government refused to approve the new Canadian constitution a year later. This failure to approve was a highly symbolic act, but one without direct legal consequence as no one questions the authority of the Canadian Constitution within Quebec. June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... Name Pierre Elliott Trudeau Number Fifteenth First term April 20, 1968–June 4,1979 Second term March 3, 1980–June 30, 1984 Predecessor Lester Bowles Pearson Successors Joe Clark John Napier Turner Date of birth October 18, 1919 Place of birth Montreal, Quebec Date of death September 28...

After losing the vote to secede from Canada, the government of Quebec made specific demands as minimum requirements for the Province of Quebec. These demands included control by the government of Quebec over:

The province of Quebec already had theoretically full control over education, health, mineral resources, supplemental taxation, social services, seniors' retirement pension funds, inter-provincial trade, and other areas affecting the daily lives of its citizens. Many Canadians viewed the additional demands as too greatly reducing the power of the federal government, assigning it the role of tax collector and manager of the national border with the United States. Others viewed these changes as desirable, concentrating power in the hands of Québécois politicians, who were more in tune with Québécois desires and interests. The Supreme Court of Canada (French: Cour suprÃªme du Canada) is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeal in the Canadian justice system. ... Minerals are natural compounds formed through geological processes. ...

Though the Parti Québécois government said that the federal government of Canada would be responsible for international relations, Quebec proceeded to open its own representative offices in foreign countries around the world. These quasi-embassies were officially named "Quebec Houses". Today, the international affairs minister is responsible for the less-expensive Quebec delegation system.

Patriation: Canada Act (1982)

Subsequently, an agreement between the federal government and all provincial governments (except Quebec's) agreed to Canada's assumption of full responsibility for its own constitution in 1982 (formerly the responsibility of the United Kingdom). The agreement was enacted as the Canada Act by the British Parliament, and was proclaimed into law by Queen Elizabeth II on April 17, 1982. In Canada, this was called the patriation of the Constitution. Wikisource has original text related to this article: Canada Act 1982 The Canada Act 1982 (1982 c. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Canada Act 1982 The Canada Act 1982 (1982 c. ... April 17 is the 107th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (108th in leap years). ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Patriation is a legal term particularly used in Canada, to describe a process of constitutional change also known as bringing home the constitution. ...

This action (including the creation of a new Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms) came from an initiative by Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau to create a multicultural and bilingual society in all of Canada. Some Canadians saw Trudeau's actions as an attempt to "shove French down their throats" (a common phrase at the time). Many Québécois viewed his compromise as a sell-out and useless: Quebec already had a charter enacted in 1975 and was not interested in imposing French on other provinces; rather, it wished to safeguard it inside Quebec. Many Canadians recognize that the province of Quebec is distinct and unique but they do not conclude from this that Quebec merits a position of greater autonomy than the other provinces, which they feel would be the result of granting special powers that are unavailable to the other provinces. The Charter, signed by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau in 1981. ... Name Pierre Elliott Trudeau Number Fifteenth First term April 20, 1968–June 4,1979 Second term March 3, 1980–June 30, 1984 Predecessor Lester Bowles Pearson Successors Joe Clark John Napier Turner Date of birth October 18, 1919 Place of birth Montreal, Quebec Date of death September 28...

The government of Quebec, in line with its policy of the duality of nations, objected to the new Canadian constitutional arrangement of 1982 (the patriation), because its formula for future constitutional amendments failed to give Quebec veto power over all constitutional changes.

Some believe that the leaders of Quebec used their refusal to sign the 1982 Constitution as a bargaining tool to gain leverage in future negotiations, because the federal Canadian government desired (though it is not legally necessary) to include all the provinces willingly into the new constitution. The National Assembly of Quebec rejected the repatriation unanimously. In spite of Quebec's lack of assent, the constitution still applies within Quebec and to all Quebec residents. Many in Quebec felt that the other provinces' adoption of the constitution without Quebec's assent was a betrayal of the central tenets of federalism. They referred to the decision as the "Night of the Long Knives". On the other hand, many federalists believe that Lévesque's goal at the constitutional conference was to sabotage it and prevent any agreement from being reached, so that he could hold it up as another failure of federalism. In this school of thought, patriation without Quebec's consent was the only option.

Constitution Act (1982)

The Constitution Act, 1982 (Schedule B of the Canada Act 1982 (U.K.)) is a part of the Constitution of Canada. ...

Constitutional reform and upheaval (1982 onwards)

Since Canada's constitution was patriated without Quebec's consent, later initiatives would seek to ameliorate the constitutional status quo, with varying results. Two formal, and unsuccessful, attempts were made to reform the constitution. A subsequent sovereignty referendum in 1995 – only narrowly lost – shook Canada to its core, and would bring about the Clarity Act . Bill on the referendum and eventual declaration of independence. ... The Clarity Act (known as Bill C-20 before it became law) is legislation of Canadas federal parliament that established the conditions under which the Government of Canada would enter into negotiations that might lead to secession following such a vote by one of the provinces. ...

Meech Lake Accord (1989)

In 1987, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney attempted to address these concerns and bring the province into an amended constitution. Quebec's provincial government, then controlled by a party that advocated remaining in Canada on certain conditions (the Parti libéral du Québec), endorsed the accord (called the Meech Lake Accord). Premier Robert Bourassa of Quebec referred to it as the "first step" towards gaining new powers from the federal government. The accord failed, however, as the legislature in Manitoba deadlocked after Elijah Harper refused consent to speed up the process enough to pass the Accord, and Clyde Wells refused to grant a vote on the Accord in the Newfoundland House of Assembly. The Meech Lake Accord was a set of failed amendments to the Constitution of Canada negotiated in 1987 by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and the provincial premiers, including Robert Bourassa, premier of Quebec. ... Martin Brian Mulroney, PC, CC, GOQ, LLD (born March 20, 1939), was the eighteenth Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. ... The Meech Lake Accord was a set of failed amendments to the Constitution of Canada negotiated in 1987 by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and the provincial premiers, including Robert Bourassa, premier of Quebec. ... A portrait of Robert Bourassa, taken during his second term as premier of Quebec (1985â€“1994). ... Motto: Gloriosus et Liber (Latin: Glorious and free) Official languages English and French, per mandate of the Constitution Act 1982 Flower Prairie Crocus Tree White Spruce Bird Great Grey Owl Capital Winnipeg Largest city Winnipeg Lieutenant-Governor John Harvard Premier Gary Doer (NDP) Parliamentary representation - House seats - Senate seats 14... Elijah Harper (born March 3, 1949) is a Aboriginal Cree Canadian politician and band chief. ... Clyde Kirby Wells (born November 9, 1937) is a Newfoundland and Labrador judge and former politician and Premier of the province. ...

In 1990, after the Meech Lake Accord had failed, several Quebec representatives of the ruling Progressive Conservative Party and some members of the Liberal Party of Canada formed the Bloc Québécois, a federal political party intent on defending Quebecers' interests while pursuing independence. The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada (PC) (In French: Parti progressiste-conservateur du Canada) was a Canadian centre-right conservative political party that existed from 1867 to 2003. ... The Liberal Party of Canada (French: ), colloquially known as the Grits (originally Clear Grits), is a Canadian federal political party positioned at the centre of the political spectrum, combining a progressive social policy with moderate economics. ... The Bloc QuÃ©bÃ©cois is a centre-left federal political party in Canada that is devoted to the promotion of sovereignty for Quebec. ...

Referendum on Charlottetown Accord (1992)

The federal government, the twelve provincial and territorial governments, and four first peoples' groups then negotiated a second proposed constitutional accord in 1992--the Charlottetown Accord. Despite near-unanimous support from the country's political leaders, this second effort at constitutional reform was rejected in a nation-wide October 1992 referendum. Only 32 per cent of British Columbians supported the accord, because it was seen there and in other western provinces as blocking their hopes for future constitutional changes, such as Senate reform. In Quebec 57 per cent opposed the accord, seeing it as a step backwards compared to the Meech Lake Accord. Headline on October 27, 1992 Globe and Mail. ...

In the 1993 federal elections the Bloc Québécois became the official opposition. The following year, the provincial Parti Québécois, also separatist, was elected in Quebec. The two parties' popularity led to a second referendum on independence, the 1995 Quebec referendum. Bill on the referendum and eventual declaration of independence. ...

Referendum on sovereignty (1995)

A referendum held in Quebec on October 30, 1995 resulted in a narrow 50.56%-to-49.44% decision against Quebec sovereignty, with a 93% voter turnout. Bill on the referendum and eventual declaration of independence. ... October 30 is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 62 days remaining. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Clarity Act (1998)

In response to concern expressed by immigrants and English-speaking Canadians regarding the wording of the question and the possibility of another referendum, Prime Minister Chrétien referred the matter to the Supreme Court of Canada in December 1999. The Court ruled that Quebec, with less than 23 percent of Canada's population, could not unilaterally secede and only accede to sovereignty if the referendum has a clear majority in favour of a clearly worded question. The Clarity Act (known as Bill C-20 before it became law) is legislation of Canadas federal parliament that established the conditions under which the Government of Canada would enter into negotiations that might lead to secession following such a vote by one of the provinces. ... The Supreme Court of Canada (French: Cour suprÃªme du Canada) is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeal in the Canadian justice system. ...

Following the Supreme Court's decision, the federal government introduced legislation known as the Clarity Act which set forth the guidelines for any future referendum undertaken by the government of any province on the subject of separation. Ironically, the definition of "clearly worded" and "clear majority" were never given in the bill. Instead, it stated that the federal government would determine "whether the question is clear" and whether a "clear majority" (with a requisite supermajority for success being inferred) is attained. Sovereigntists argue that this bill grants veto power to the federal government over referenda on sovereignty. The Clarity Act (known as Bill C-20 before it became law) is legislation of Canadas federal parliament that established the conditions under which the Government of Canada would enter into negotiations that might lead to secession following such a vote by one of the provinces. ... A supermajority or a qualified majority is a requirement for a proposal to gain a specified level or type of support which exceeds a simple majority in order to have effect. ...

Consequentially, with a majority vote supported by all members of the House of Commons, except for members of the Bloc Québécois, both houses of the Parliament approved the legislation.

In recent years, some residents of the oil-rich province of Alberta have advocated for increased autonomy, following Canada's ratification of the Kyoto Protocol. Pracsamp 07:34, 16 February 2007 (UTC)â€” Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario Ignacy Åukasiewicz - inventor of the refining of kerosene from crude oil. ... Motto: Fortis et liber (Latin: Strong and free) Official languages English (see below) Flower Wild rose Tree Lodgepole Pine Bird Great Horned Owl Capital Edmonton Largest city Calgary Lieutenant-Governor Norman Kwong Premier Ed Stelmach (PC) Parliamentary representation - House seats - Senate seats 28 6 Area Total - Land - Water (% of total... Kyoto Protocol Opened for signature December 11, 1997 in Kyoto, Japan Entered into force February 16, 2005. ...

Reference

Contents

Treaty of Paris (1763) GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");