20th Anniversary of Meech Lake

[Canada 02]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1614610/

There were aspects of it and the Charlottown accord that I liked. (Voted Yes in the Charlottown referendum).

the fact that Trudeau was against it appealed to me even more.

Recognition of Quebec as a distinct society didn't seem like that big a deal. Granting them constitutional veto power was a big deal.

I liked de-centralization of power.
I liked senate reform
I liked provincial input into appointments to the Supreme Court

had they included First Nation people in the accord (Aboriginal self-government), Elijah Harper likely would not have opposed it in the Manitoba legislature, and Clyde Wells would not have had reason to cancel the Newfoundland vote

[mykalberta]

It was the last best chance at unity.

But life goes on.

[Resolute 14]

The veto was the big problem, and by itself enough to kill Meech Lake, imo.

[mykalberta]

How much do you need to change the constitution though? Have they changed it at all in the last 10 years?

[VladtheImpaler]

And yet Quebec still hasn't left... what a bitter pill...

[Byrns]

.6%

[Bownesian]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

How much do you need to change the constitution though? Have they changed it at all in the last 10 years?

They added Nunavut in the last 10 years which required a small change.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by Canada 02

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1614610/

There were aspects of it and the Charlottown accord that I liked. (Voted Yes in the Charlottown referendum).

the fact that Trudeau was against it appealed to me even more.

Recognition of Quebec as a distinct society didn't seem like that big a deal. Granting them constitutional veto power was a big deal.

I liked de-centralization of power.
I liked senate reform
I liked provincial input into appointments to the Supreme Court

had they included First Nation people in the accord (Aboriginal self-government), Elijah Harper likely would not have opposed it in the Manitoba legislature, and Clyde Wells would not have had reason to cancel the Newfoundland vote

One BIG item against the Charlottown Accord that pretty much would have been a showstopper for me had I been able to vote at the time was that Quebec was to be constitutionally enshrined to have at least one quarter of the seats in the house of commons.

Might not seem like a big deal with respect to the demographics of the day, but since then and present-day trends have the rest of Canada growing at a faster clip than Quebec. While calling Quebec a 'distinct society' doesn't seem like much of an effort or affront to English Canadians, the idea that their vote shall permanently magnify their minority is, regardless of cultural arguements.