SECTION ONE: The ContextSECTION ONE: The Context
Part One: The Constitutional Context
The Canadian Constitution:The Canadian Constitution:What’s it Do?What’s it Do?
legislative system– bicameralism (House of Commons and Senate)– modes of representation
H of C – representation by population Senate -- regional
federalismCharter of Rights and Freedomsamending formulas
Amending the Constitution...Amending the Constitution...
various formulas– range from 2/3 of provinces (with 50% of the
population) to unanimous consent– HOWEVER, no Quebec or regional veto
Amending the Amending the Constitution...How Difficult?Constitution...How Difficult?Meech Lake Accord
– proposed in 1987, failed in 1990– lesson: negotiations could no longer be
undertaken behind closed doors
Amending the Amending the Constitution...How Difficult?Constitution...How Difficult?Charlottetown Accord
– struck July 1992– referendum October 1992
No 45%, Yes 55%
– lesson: agreement difficult to achieve under conditions of broad public participation
Amending the Amending the Constitution...How Difficult?Constitution...How Difficult?effective Quebec constitutional veto
– Quebec sovereignty Referendum 1995 No: 50.6%/Yes: 49.4%
– Chretien’s parliamentary resolution (1996) recognizing Quebec as a distinct society within
Canada constitutional veto for all Canadian regions
(including Quebec)
Amending the Amending the Constitution...How Difficult?Constitution...How Difficult?very difficult!!the result??
– constitutional arrangement frozen into place without Quebec’s agreement and with little prospect for change
Part One: The Constitutional Part One: The Constitutional ContextContext
Federalism
Rationale for Uniting...Rationale for Uniting...
economicmilitary/security concerns
Rationale for FederalismRationale for Federalism
why NOT large, unitary government– existence of Quebec as a separate nation– smaller colonies reluctant
Federalism – What is It?Federalism – What is It?
orders of government– NOT levels of government
division of powersjudicial review
Rationale for FederalismRationale for Federalism
why NOT large, unitary government– existence of Quebec as a separate nation– smaller colonies reluctant
federalism a pragmatic solution to make union possible– low-cost -- provinces expected to “whither
away”
Division of Powers -- CanadaDivision of Powers -- Canada
Federal Powers– enumerated powers (s.91)– peace, order and good government– residual power– reservation, disallowance, declaratory
Provincial Powers (s.92)– enumerated powers– matters of a “merely local or private nature”
Trends in Canadian FederalismTrends in Canadian Federalism
decentralizationentanglement
Level of CentralizationLevel of Centralization
(Confederation)
Large Unitary Gov’t
Federalism
Decentralized Federation
Centralized Federation
Small Unitary Gov’ts
Canada 2001Canada 2001 Canada 1867Canada 1867
Explaining Canadian Explaining Canadian DecentralizationDecentralizationlack of representation of provincial interests within the federal government
representation of provincial/regional interests primarily through the provincial governments
existence of Quebec especially after 1960 – Quiet Revolution “maitre chez nous”
– federal society
Federal-Provincial EntanglementFederal-Provincial Entanglement
explaining entanglement– division of powers spells out tools more than areas of
responsibility– division of powers not suited to emerging policy
problems– vertical fiscal disequilibrium
elements conducive to entanglement– federal spending power
prevailing views of entanglement