Victoria Charter.VICTORIA, B.C.--June 1971 Close, but no cigar. Once again, Quebec has scuttled an attempt at constitutional reform. Two years ago, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau began the search for an acceptable amending formula. This seemed to have been reached in the so-called Victoria Charter. This included guarantees of basic political rights in a new Constitution, language reforms, and reform of the Supreme Court of Canada The Supreme Court of Canada (French: Cour suprême du Canada) is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeal in the Canadian justice system.[1] . All first ministers agreed to the changes in principle. Since returning to Quebec, Premier Robert Bourassa Robert Bourassa (July 14, 1933 – October 2, 1996) was a politician in Quebec, Canada. He served as Liberal Premier of Quebec in two different mandates, first from May 12, 1970 to November 25, 1976, and then from December 12, 1985 to January 11, 1994. has faced a lot of criticism. Claude Ryan Claude Ryan, CC, D.h.c. (January 26, 1925 – February 9, 2004) was a Canadian politician and leader of the Parti libéral du Québec from 1978 to 1982. He was also the National Assembly of Quebec member for Argenteuil from 1979 to 1994. , editor of Le Devoir Le Devoir is a French-language newspaper published in Montreal and distributed in Quebec and the rest of Canada. It was founded by journalist, politician and nationalist Henri Bourassa in 1910. It is a respected, intellectual, newspaper of record of sorts in Quebec. , has led the fierce attack of Quebec nationalists. As a result, Premier Bourassa has had a change of heart. He has tried to negotiate changes to the Victoria Charter, seeking additional powers for Quebec on language and social policy. Prime Minister Trudeau has refused to grant these extra privileges and so the Victoria Charter has collapsed. NOT SIGNING In an essay in the Montreal Gazette, 3 February 1996, former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau wrote: "In 1971, Premier Robert Bourassa negotiated a constitutional agreement giving Quebec a veto as well as several other linguistic and legal benefits. The Canadian government convinced the premiers of the other provinces to accept this agreement. When the time came to sign the `Victoria Charter' Mr. Bourassa announced to his colleagues that he had new requests to present and that he needed a brief delay for tactical purposes. A few days later, he announced that he no longer wished to sign the agreement that he, himself, had negotiated and proposed." The Victoria formula for making amendments to the Constitution requires the approval of Ontario and Quebec, at least two Atlantic Provinces Atlantic Provinces, term used since 1949 to designate the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. , British Columbia British Columbia, province (2001 pop. 3,907,738), 366,255 sq mi (948,600 sq km), including 6,976 sq mi (18,068 sq km) of water surface, W Canada. Geography , and at least one other Western province. The Victoria charter http://www.solon Solon, Athenian statesman Solon (sō`lən), c.639–c.559 B.C., Athenian statesman, lawgiver, and reformer. He was also a poet, and some of his patriotic verse in the Ionic dialect is extant. At some time (perhaps c.600 B.C. .org/Constitutions/Canada/English /Proposals/Victoria_Charter.html |
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