TRUE TO THE MOTTO OF QUÉBEC, JE ME SOUVIENS, 1950 THIS BOOKLET PRODUCED BY THE COMMISSION DE LA

CAPITALE NATIONALE DU QUÉBEC PROVIDES AN OUTLINE

OF THE NINE FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL AND INTERPROVIN-

CIAL CONFERENCES HELD IN QUÉBEC CITY BETWEEN

1864 AND 1989.

BEYOND ITS ACTORS, ITS ISSUES, AND ITS PERIOD,

IT LEADS ONE TO DISCOVER A PLACE OF STONE AND

BEDROCK, OF BLUE AND GREEN, AND A PARTICULAR WAY

OF RECEIVING PEOPLE, WHICH MAKES QUÉBEC CITY,

WITH ITS HISTORY OF NEARLY FOUR CENTURIES, A CITY

WITH A MUSE FOR THE TRACING OF FUTURE DESTINY.

The Québec City Conferences FROM 1864 TO 1989

ANDRÉ ROY

C

The Québec City Conferences FROM 1864 TO 1989

ANDRÉ ROY PREFACE BY THE PREMIER OF QUÉBEC

This publication was produced under the initiative QUÉBEC WILL PLAY HOST TO THE ANNUAL PROVINCIAL PREMIERS’ CONFERENCE ON AUGUST 9 TO 11, 1999. and supervision of the Commission de la capitale IT IS BOTH WITH PLEASURE AND WITH PRIDE, AS PRIME MINISTER OF QUÉBEC AND AS PRESIDENT OF nationale du Québec. THE CONFERENCE, THAT I WILL GREET MY PROVINCIAL COUNTERPARTS AS WELL AS THE LEADERS OF THE Coordination of publication Denis Samson, historian TERRITORIES IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL. THE PREMIERS WILL DISCUSS COMPETITIVENESS, GROWTH, JOBS, Hélène Jean, project manager A BETTER FISCAL BALANCE BETWEEN OTTAWA AND THE PROVINCES, AND SOCIAL POLICIES.

Writing and iconographic research André Roy FEW PEOPLE ARE AWARE THAT IT WAS AT THE INITIATIVE OF QUÉBEC, AND OF ITS PRIME MINISTER AT THE

Translation TIME, MR. JEAN LESAGE, THAT THE ANNUAL PREMIERS’ CONFERENCES WERE INSTIGATED AS A FORUM John Duff OF DISCUSSION AND DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE PROVINCES. Linguistic revision Ghislaine Fiset THIS BOOKLET, PRODUCED BY THE COMMISSION DE LA CAPITALE NATIONALE DU QUÉBEC, OUTLINES THE Proofreading HISTORY OF THE FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL AND INTERPROVINCIAL CONFERENCES HELD IN QUÉBEC CITY. Communications GPS AT THE FIRST PROVINCIAL PREMIERS’ MEETING CALLED IN 1887 BY HONORÉ MERCIER, THE PARTICIPANTS Graphics Paquebot Design DEMANDED AN INCREASE IN FEDERAL SUBSIDIES PAID TO THE PROVINCES. A READING OF THIS BOOKLET WILL REVEAL THAT A NUMBER OF THE ISSUES DEBATED DURING THE CONFERENCES HELD IN QUÉBEC Cover page illustration Benoit Gauthier CITY ARE STILL OF CURRENT INTEREST.

Acknowledgements to the Secrétariat aux affaires intergouvernementales canadiennes for its collaboration.

Legal deposit — 1999 Bibliothèque nationale du Québec National Library of Canada ISBN 2-550-34797-8

© Commission de la capitale nationale du Québec

All rights reserved in all countries. Any reproduction, by any means whatsoever, in whole or in part, is prohibited without the authorization of the Commission de la capitale nationale du Québec.

3 QUÉBEC CITY CONFERENCE OCTOBER 10 TO 27, 1864

1864 1864

IT WAS IN 1864 THAT THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE DIFFERENT THE BIRTH OF A NEW COUNTRY

BRITISH COLONIES IN NORTH AMERICA ENTERED INTO MORE On the 10th of October, 33 delegates from United INTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS POTENTIALLY LEADING TO THEIR Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward FEDERATION. Island and Newfoundland gathered in Québec City to develop the rules of operation for what was to become Canada. The negotiations led to the 72 Québec City Resolutions, which formed the first draft of the defin- THE CHARLOTTETOWN CONFERENCE itive text of the British North America Act. It was decided that in the following months, the text of the A first conference was held in Charlottetown, the Resolutions would be submitted to each of the assem- capital of Prince Edward Island, in September 1864. blies of the participating colonies for their approval. Initially, it was intended as a meeting in which to discuss the possibility of a federation of the Atlantic The two weeks during which this conference took colonies. Having learned of the project, United place were enlivened by many banquets and balls. On Canada (now Québec and Ontario) took the opportu- October 13, the Canadian ministers hosted a luncheon nity to delegate observers. These observers took on an at the Stadacona Club and the Governor General of active role in the deliberations, which soon went United Canada followed suit in the evening. The next beyond mere discussions of principle and dealt day, the Executive Council held a large ball in the directly with the question of a federation of the British chambers of Parliament, then located on côte de la colonies of North America. A second meeting was Montagne, where over 850 members of the Canadian then planned for the following month, this time in elite were received for the occasion. A week later, it Québec City, which was then the capital of United was the turn of the Québec City «bachelors» to invite Canada — a second meeting to give a more official the delegates to the same place in the company of 500 character to the Charlottetown discussions. other guests. Visits to certain historical sites and to the main institutions of the city were also organized. Delegates were to be seen at the Citadel, at the The Parliament of United Canada, then located on Catholic Cathedral, at the chapel of the Seminary, and The «Fathers of Confederation» surround the Chair of côte de la Montagne, where the 72 Resolutions of the the Québec City Conference, Sir Étienne-Paschal Taché. Québec City Conference of October 1864 were developed. the convent of the Soeurs de la Charité at Place (J.B. Livernois, Archives nationales du Québec, Québec City) (J.W. Lowe, National Archives of Canada, C-53057) D’Youville, and at Laval University.

4 5 The representatives of United Canada board the SS Queen Victoria to attend the Charlottetown Conference on September 1, 1864. (Malak, National Archives of Canada, PA-164727)

While two colonies, Newfoundland and Prince About 18 months later, in December 1866, the dele- INTERPROVINCIAL Edward Island, withdrew for fear of being constantly gates of the three participating colonies met in caught in a minority position by the other colonies, a London, England, for the drafting of the final text of CONFERENCE movement of contestation arose in Nova Scotia and in an imperial Act creating the Dominion of Canada OCTOBER 20 TO 28, 1887 New Brunswick, to the point of delaying the establish- which, without the people or the legislatures of any of ment of the new federative system. As for the legisla- the three colonies having been invited to pronounce 1864 ture of United Canada, on March 10, 1865, it themselves on this legislative text, finally entered into 1887

approved the Québec City Resolutions, despite the effect on July 1, 1867. THE CENTRALIST AIMS OF HONORÉ MERCIER, ADVOCATE opposition of many members, particularly those from THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF PROVINCIAL AUTONOMY Canada East, who spoke out against the overly cen- tralist nature of the project. At the end of the XIXth century, the relations between In Québec, Prime Minister Honoré Mercier strength- the federal government and the provincial govern- ened the opposition to Ottawa’s centralist policy. He ments progressively deteriorated, in particular because took advantage of the political debates and of the of the imprecisions that remained in the 1867 consti- effects of the difficult economic situation to make tution with regard to the definition of their respective provincial autonomy his main issue. powers and roles. For his part, Canadian Prime Minister John A. MacDonald considered that the In 1885, the Québec Government, then led by John provincial governments were subordinate to the feder- Ross, complained of the stagnation of federal subsi- al government. From this perspective, and wishing to dies, since they did not correspond to the increase in establish a strong central government, he instituted a population and in expenses incurred by the province. policy which, with the help of the federal power of dis- These subsidies, with revenues drawn from the public allowance and reservation over provincial laws, left no domain, constituted the greater part of Québec’s initiative to the provinces and halted any process aim- financial resources. Honoré Mercier, who became ing to strengthen their autonomy. In 1873, the Prime Minister of Québec in 1887, proposed the Premier of Ontario, Oliver Mowat, took all political decennial review of the subsidy, based on the popula- and legal means to counteract the centralist aims of tion figures as established in each census. The federal Ottawa. Assisted by judicial opinions rendered by the government refused. Privy Council in London, which then acted as the highest court for Canada, Mowat succeeded in In March 1887, a few weeks after coming to power, restricting the exercise of this right of disallowance, and aware of the deterioration of federal-provincial and in imposing the theory of the equality of the two relations, Honoré Mercier launched the idea of powers, federal and provincial, each being sovereign in a Premiers’ Conference in order to study the rela- its field of activity. tions between the federal government and the provinces, particularly in their financial aspects. His goal was to review the financial agreement of 1867, while emphasizing the principle of provincial autono- Spencer Wood, residence of the Lieutenant Governor. (National Archives of Canada) my. Realizing that serious frictions resulted from the

6 7 1887 1887 distribution of powers as defined in the British North the delegates pronounced themselves in favour of a America Act, and that certain provisions remained system of absolute reciprocity with the United States. vague, he presented a list of 22 subjects that were for the most part articulated around the question of pre- The provincial representatives took advantage of their serving the autonomy of the provinces. visit to the capital to attend various social events. On October 20, the delegates went to visit the Spencer In the absence of Prime Minister John A. MacDonald, Wood estate, the residence of the Lieutenant who refused to participate, the conference opened at Governor. The next day, an excursion to the Parliament in Québec City, on October 20, 1887. Montmorency was organized and the Prime Minister Some 20 delegates from five provinces were present, of Québec held a reception at Parliament. On the including Premiers Oliver Mowat of Ontario, William 28th, several Premiers attended the swearing-in of the S. Fielding of Nova Scotia, Andrew G. Blair of New new Lieutenant Governor of conservative allegiance, Brunswick, John Norquay of Manitoba (the only Auguste-Réal Angers. conservative), and of course Honoré Mercier of Québec. The delegates agreed on 26 resolutions that Through this conference, Honoré Mercier set in were divided into two main categories: on the one motion a mechanism that would now make the provin- OTTAWA IS CALLED TO ORDER hand, the best financial arrangements for all the cial Premiers actors in the development of the provinces, and on the other hand, constitutional Canadian federation. For the first time since 1867, a In addition, the conference played an important role The delegates attending the 1887 Interprovincial Conference. amendments tending to limit the powers of the central majority of the provinces had held an official meeting in the development of the rights of the provinces by Seated, from left to right, Premiers Andrew G. Blair (New reminding the federal government of the very essence Brunswick), Honoré Mercier (Québec), Oliver Mowat (Ontario), government. More precisely, the purpose of these to assess their situation and to define their demands William S. Fielding (Nova Scotia) and John Norquay (Manitoba). amendments was to increase the federal subsidies precisely. It was clear that after the 1887 conference, of a federative constitution. In the future, the federal (M.A. Montminy, Archives nationales du Québec, Québec City) based on population, to abolish the federal right of the provinces, or at least the majority of them, were government would be much more hesitant to use its disallowance, to reform the Senate so as to allow not prepared to accept the passive and subordinate power of disallowance, and the disputes over the inter- the provinces to appoint half of the members while role that certain federal politicians wanted to have pretation of the distribution of powers would be reducing their terms to four years, to recognize the them play. settled before the courts. In this regard, in an opinion provincial ownership of all public lands, to recognize rendered in 1896, the Privy Council confirmed the provincial legislative jurisdiction over certain the equality of the two levels of government and the matters not provided for under the 1867 Act, and autonomy of the provinces, thereby recognizing their to redefine the provincial boundaries. In addition, sovereignty in their spheres of legislative jurisdiction.

8 9 Simon-Napoléon Parent, Prime Minister of Québec INTERPROVINCIAL from 1900 to 1905, host of the 1902 Interprovincial Conference. CONFERENCE (Livernois, Archives nationales du Québec, Québec City) OF DECEMBER 18 TO 20, 1902

1902 1902 THE PROVINCES FACE INCREASING POVERTY Edward Island, R.P. Roblin of Manitoba, and Simon- Napoléon Parent of Québec. Premiers G.W. Ross of Between 1887 and 1902, the financial situation of the Ontario and Edward G. Prior of British Columbia provinces became increasingly precarious. Québec, were unable to participate, but both were in agreement like the other provinces, was short of funds, at a time with the objectives of the conference and expressed when the development of the public domain, of edu- this to the Prime Minister of Québec. After having cation and of the road system, all of which were areas presented detailed statistics indicating how Québec’s of provincial jurisdiction according to the British expenses had increased, and the negligible increase in North America Act, required considerable amounts of the federal subsidies, Parent explained the extent of funding. Expenses were continually rising, whereas the increases in federal revenues from 1868 to 1900. the subsidies remained fixed. The provinces, although What Parent sought was the creation of a common reticent on this point, made efforts to increase their front among the provinces to force the federal govern- revenues from their own sources of taxation. In 1902, ment to increase its subsidies. He also took the oppor- particularly through customs duties and excise tax, the tunity to advance the idea of building a transcontinen- revenues of the federal government increased as never tal railway whose route and terminal would be on before, which induced the provinces to renew their Canadian soil, rather than an extension of the Grand efforts to review the financial arrangements. The Trunk railway through the United States. Prime Minister of Québec, Simon-Napoléon Parent, tested the ground with the other provincial Premiers Leaving aside the constitutional and juridical reforms before formally inviting them to another interprovin- proposed in 1887, the delegates dealt strictly with the cial conference on the issue of the federal subsidies to issue of subsidies. Thus the conference reiterated and the provinces. clarified the resolution in that regard, adopted at the first interprovincial conference. The Premiers THE PROVINCES SEEK AN INCREASE IN SUBSIDIES demanded that the amount destined to fulfill the needs of the provincial administrations be increased substan- The conference opened on December 18, 1902 at the tially, that the annual federal subsidy of 80¢ per inhab- Parliament of Québec, attended by representatives of itant be based henceforth on the total population of four of the six provinces. Present at the conference each province in the last decennial census, and that an were Premiers G.M. Murray of Nova Scotia, L.J. additional subsidy of 20¢ per inhabitant be granted Tweedie of New Brunswick, Arthur Peters of Prince them for the administration of justice.

10 11 The Parliament Building, where the 1902 Interprovincial Conference was held, bringing together the Premiers of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba and Québec. FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL (Famille Livernois, Archives nationales du Québec, Québec City) CONFERENCE SEPTEMBER 25 TO 28, 1950

1902 1950 The provinces thus agreed on the increasing of the in federal subsidies to the provinces, which led to the TOWARD A CANADIAN CONSTITUTION subsidies, but Ontario and the Western provinces amendment of the section of the British North avoided making a deeper commitment toward the rail- America Act concerning the financial arrangements. During the early 1950s, the federal government set way project. The conference concluded by a resolution itself the objective of obtaining the agreement of the inviting the President to organize a meeting with the provinces on an amendment formula for the British federal government, during which the conference res- North America Act in order to then proceed with its olutions would be presented to it. Before returning repatriation. Louis Saint-Laurent, then Prime home, the Premiers attended a banquet held in their Minister of Canada, called an initial federal-provincial honour by Quebec City’s Chamber of Commerce. First Ministers’ Conference in January in Ottawa, to obtain the opinion of the provinces on the possibility AMENDMENT OF SECTION 118 of arriving at an agreement on this subject. OF THE BNA ACT ON SUBSIDIES From the beginning of the conference, two trends In the short term, the results of this conference developed: the development of a new constitution or appeared inconclusive. The Prime Minister of the establishment of a framework to amend the exist- Canada, Wilfrid Laurier, refused to support the ing one. The latter approach rapidly took centre stage Transcontinental project, and contented himself with and an agreement was concluded on three points: 1) the development, in the spring of 1903, of a new rail- the 147 sections of the Constitution must not all be way network beginning in Moncton, crossing the amended in the same way, in view of their unequal Saint Lawrence River at Québec City, and continuing importance; 2) certain of these sections were not of to the north through Québec and Ontario, toward interest to all governments, but only to a few; it was Winnipeg. On the other hand, he agreed to study the therefore appropriate for the latter to have the right to question of the subsidies, but was slow to follow up on amend them; 3) certain sections of the BNA Act had the grievances of the provincial Premiers. Indeed, it become outdated and should be repealed. was necessary to wait until another conference, this time federal-provincial, held in October 1906 in The conference then agreed to divide the sections of Ottawa, before a general settlement of the conflict the constitution into six categories, namely those could be reached based on the Resolutions of the 1902 sections of interest only to the federal parliament; only The First Ministers pose for journalists before beginning to the provincial parliaments; to the federal parliament Québec City Conference. Finally, Laurier and the discussions centred on renewal of the constitution. Premiers came to an agreement in 1907 on an increase and one or more provinces; to the federal parliament (Photo Moderne enrg., Archives nationales du Québec, Québec City)

12 13 The First Ministers and the Governor General of Canada at the Citadel, on September 25, 1950. Seated, from left to right, can be seen: John B. McNair (New Brunswick), Maurice Duplessis (Québec), Louis Saint-Laurent, Prime Minister of Canada, Lord Alexander, Governor General of Canada, Leslie M. Frost (Ontario), Angus L. McDonald (Nova Scotia), D.L. Campbell (Manitoba). Standing: E.C. Manning (Alberta), J. Walter Jones (Prince Edward Island), Byron L. Johnson (British Columbia), T.C. Douglass (Saskatchewan) and Joseph R. Smallwood (Newfoundland). (Photo Moderne enrg., Archives nationales du Québec, Québec City)

1950 1950 try to agree on the way to classify the various sections and Ontario, and on the other, the eight other of the British North America Act, within the six cate- provinces. While there was agreement that the consti- gories already established. Already, the Garson tution should be repatriated and freed from the con- report, which set down in writing the deliberations trol exercised over it by the British Parliament, there of the Attorneys General, reflected a complete agree- were strong divergences of opinion regarding the clas- ment on 36 points and near unanimity on 60 others. sification of the sections into categories and regarding On the 51 litigious points remaining, the most difficult the amendment formula that should be applied to cases to settle related to the Senate, the Lieutenant some of them. Governors, the federal power of disallowance, the appointment of judges, the guarantee of French lan- These elements of disagreement were particularly evi- guage rights in the different Parliaments, and especial- dent where section 92 of the constitution was con- ly the exclusive power of the provinces to legislate on cerned, which gave the provinces absolute control, in property and civil rights. The discussions during the peace time, over property and civil rights. A few of the conference dealt mainly with these points. The First provinces that wanted Ottawa to bear the cost of social Ministers also discussed their views on other topics, security measures accepted its being amended by a but no consensus arose out of these talks. Among simple majority of the provinces, whereas others other things, they did not agree on the nature of the refused to adopt such an amendment procedure. This changes to be made in the constitution, some wishing was the case of Québec which, in the name of its polit- and all the provinces; the sections concerning funda- A DIFFICULT CONSENSUS TO ESTABLISH for a strengthening of the powers of the federal gov- ical and cultural autonomy, demanded that the mental rights; and the sections to be repealed. An ernment, and others wishing for a strengthening of provinces have a right of veto over any constitutional equal number of amendment procedures were devel- This conference was held in Québec City, at the provincial areas of jurisdiction. amendment modifying their power in this area. In oped for these different categories, ranging from a Parliament Building, from September 25 to 28, and order to try to break the deadlock, the permanent simple Act of Parliament to the unanimous consent of right at the outset, Louis Saint-Laurent reminded the A DEADLOCK IN NEGOTIATIONS committee of Attorneys General was invited to study the provinces. The conference also recommended the delegates that the ultimate objective was the drafting various proposals in order to arrive at an amendment study of a formula allowing the delegation of powers of a new constitution that would be essentially a The conference adjourned its deliberations on formula satisfactory to all governments interested, and between the two levels of government. In order to Canadian document in its nature and in its effects. September 28 without the First Ministers’ having been to present a report at a subsequent meeting, the date study the problem as a whole, a committee of However, the immediate object of the conference con- able to come to an agreement. Beyond an opposition of which remained to be set. Attorneys General was created, whose recommenda- sisted in continuing the work undertaken in January in between the federal government and the provincial tions would be discussed at a second conference in order to arrive at a consensus on a constitutional governments, the conference brought to light dissent September. amendment formula. The 11 delegations would thus among the provinces; on the one hand stood Québec

14 15 FIRST ANNUAL PROVINCIAL PREMIERS’ CONFERENCE ON DECEMBER 1 AND 2, 1960

1960 1960

«IL EST TEMPS QUE ÇA CHANGE»

«Il est temps que ça change» (The time has come for change). This was the slogan on which the Liberal Party of Jean Lesage based its election campaign in June 1960, promising to implement a broad program of social reform. This expression came to be applied to the relations between the government of Québec and the federal government, as well as those of the other provinces. Backed by a harvest of 51 of the 95 seats in the Legislative Assembly, Lesage was able to bring forward the elements of his electoral platform regard- ing the constitution and the negotiation of a new fiscal agreement with the federal government.

In contrast to the defensive attitude that the govern- The conference met in Québec City on December 1 ment of Maurice Duplessis had adopted with regard to and 2, 1960, in the Legislative Council Chamber, and federal-provincial relations, Lesage took the first steps all the provinces were represented by their respective toward a rapprochement and took the initiative of Premiers with the exception of Alberta and Prince calling the first conference of provincial Premiers in Edward Island, who delegated representatives. An over 50 years. Lesage thereby wished to establish a invitation was also sent to the Prime Minister of permanent mechanism for interprovincial relations, Canada, John Diefenbaker, who declined it, but dele- and to contribute to creating greater harmony gated an observer. The participants at the 1960 Premiers’ Conference. between the two levels of government. In the short In the usual order: Melvin MacQuaid, representative of Prince Edward Island, Premiers Robert L. Stanfield (Nova Scotia), term, he aimed at specific objectives: to set up a per- Dufferin Roblin (Manitoba), W.A.C. Bennett (British Columbia), manent council of the provinces and to create a per- Leslie Frost (Ontario), Jean Lesage (Québec), Louis Robichaud (New manent secretariat that could contribute to the Part of the delegations of New Brunswick, Brunswick), Joseph R. Smallwood (Newfoundland), T.C. Douglass establishment of a federal-provincial dialogue liable British Columbia and Saskatchewan. (Saskatchewan) and Russel Patrick, representative of Alberta. to avoid unnecessary friction. (Neuville Bazin, Archives nationales du Québec, Québec City) (Neuville Bazin, Archives nationales du Québec, Québec City)

16 17 John Robarts during his press conference. (Duncan Cameron, National Archives of Canada, PA-117111)

Leslie Frost, Jean Lesage and W.A.C. Bennett, THE FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL initiators of a tradition that has lasted over 40 years. (Neuville Bazin, Archives nationales du Québec, Québec City) CONFERENCE OF MARCH 31 TO APRIL 2, 1964

1960 1964 THE CREATION OF A PERMANENT tion. Pressed by time, the delegates could not really IN QUEST OF A WAY TO Negotiations made little progress with the govern- INTERPROVINCIAL ORGANIZATION? examine each of these issues in depth. With regard to FINANCE THE «QUIET REVOLUTION» ment of John Diefenbaker, but when Lester B. the proceedings, the Premiers decided that the delib- Pearson took power in 1963, the «cooperative federal- At the beginning of the conference, Jean Lesage pro- erations at the annual conference should henceforth In order to accelerate the process of modernizing ism» that he advocated seemed to open the door to a posed the creation of a permanent council of the be held in camera, and it was by means of commu- Québec society, begun after the Second World War, as mutual respect of the jurisdiction of both levels of gov- provinces. This council would foster dialogue on a niqués that the delegations could report on the discus- soon as Jean Lesage came to power, he proposed to ernment as well as to an equitable sharing of the fiscal wide range of topics of provincial jurisdiction, and sions, while the Chair of the conference reserved the implement several political, institutional and social resources. His electoral platform introduced an «opt- would facilitate the establishment of a common front possibility of giving a press conference at the end of reforms. The State, as the motive force behind this ing out formula» that would enable the provinces to against the federal government on all matters on the meeting. «Quiet Revolution», gradually took charge of the withdraw from certain jointly financed programs in which the provinces were likely to rally together. fields of education, health and social services; also, a exchange for income tax points and for equalization According to Lesage, there was a lack of coordination THE BEGINNING OF A LONG TRADITION reform of the public service was undertaken, and new payments equivalent to the expenditures that the between the provinces that could be remedied by such government agencies were created, such as depart- federal government would have incurred for these a committee, which could also take charge of organiz- In actual fact, the conference did not fully achieve the ments, «régies» (boards or commissions) and govern- programs in the province having chosen to exercise its ing future conferences. With the exception of Premier expected results. The idea of a permanent council of ment-owned corporations. right to opt out. Louis Robichaud of New Brunswick, the provincial the provinces was not retained, since the deliberations leaders gave this project a cool reception. Instead, they finally dealt only with the possibility and utility of To finance these projects, Québec had to find new During a conference held in November 1963, in tended to prefer discussions of ideas based on very instigating an annual Premiers’ Conference and, if sources of revenue. Using as a basis the recommenda- Ottawa, on the Canadian economic situation, discus- flexible agendas, without decision-making that could implemented, on its mode of operation and the scope tions of the Tremblay Commission on constitutional sions arose on joint programs, on fiscal relationships bind the participants. According to them, their meet- of its activities. The outcome was that the Premiers issues (1956), Lesage demanded a new fiscal agree- and on the Canadian pension system. Jean Lesage suc- ings should be limited to discussing certain subjects of judged it worthwhile to hold further meetings on a ment between the federal government and the ceeded in negotiating a substantial increase in the a purely provincial or interprovincial scope, so as to regular basis. Without making a long term commit- provinces, the main element of which would be the provincial share of inheritance taxes. Interested in pur- avoid federal-provincial disputes. These meetings ment, they agreed to meet in Charlottetown the fol- replacement of co-financed programs and conditional suing these discussions, he invited the First Ministers should not take the place of the federal-provincial con- lowing year. Premier Bennett of British Columbia subsidies with fiscal sharing agreements that would to another federal-provincial conference in Québec ferences. even launched the idea of hosting the 1962 confer- have the effect, in the case of Québec, of reducing its City in early 1964. ence. A tradition had been born. dependence on federal funds. He also demanded that The discussions then dealt with the main questions the sharing of tax revenues from income tax on indi- QUÉBEC, AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE DEBATE raised by the Premiers during the deliberations: viduals and corporations and from inheritance taxes be employment, equalization payments and fiscal changed so that Québec could obtain more. The conference opened on March 31, in the arrangements, constitutional amendments, agricul- Legislative Council Chamber. For three days, the ture, financing of municipalities, and road transporta- Prime Minister of Canada and the provincial

18 19 Jean Lesage, at the airport that now bears his name, greeting the Premier of Newfoundland, Joseph R. Smallwood. (Duncan Cameron, National Archives of Canada, PA-117105)

1964 1964 created: the first, called the Tax Structure Committee, personal income tax revenues, to grant an appropriate composed of ten provincial ministers and three feder- tax abatement to any province wishing to take charge al ministers, had as its mandate to review the Canadian of all the co-financed or subsidized programs, and to fiscal system and to prepare a report for a future con- harmonize the Canadian pension system with the new ference. With regard to the shared cost programs, the Québec system in terms of both contributions and federal government prepared to negotiate a withdraw- benefits. In the case of student loans and broadened al formula with Québec, but in view of opposition family allowances, Québec would instead receive a fis- from the other provinces, the initiative was not fol- cal equivalent. lowed through for the moment. Instead, a second Premiers, accompanied by nearly 120 ministers and implemented; and to set up its own pension plan. committee was created, and mandated to develop a In June, Québec withdrew from 29 of the 45 joint pro- advisors, sought to reach an agreement on five main Moreover, Jean Lesage returned to the charge, but formula that would allow certain co-financed pro- grams in which it had participated. It continued to col- points: fiscal arrangements, joint programs, student again unsuccessfully, with his idea for a permanent grams to be turned over to those provinces desiring it, laborate in temporary programs and in those in areas loans, schooling allowances extended to students aged council of the provinces and for a secretariat of feder- accompanied by the appropriate fiscal compensations. of shared jurisdiction. The Canada Pension Plan and 16 and 17, and the pension plan. After a first day of al-provincial conferences, which he had sketched out Finally, with regard to student loans, the extended the Act creating the Régie des rentes du Québec were discussions devoted to the opting out formula and the in 1960. schooling allowances and the Canada pension plan, adopted during the first few months of 1965, whereas shared-cost programs, all the participants were invited the federal government agreed to consult the the Caisse de dépôt et de placement, the main financ- to a reception at the Château Frontenac, before the The conference ended without the parties arriving at provinces further with a view to arriving at an ing instrument of the Régie, was created the following Premiers headed to the Bois-de-Coulonge for a ban- an agreement on any of the subjects. On the other agreement. summer. quet hosted by the Lieutenant Governor. hand, it was agreed that two committees would be OVERTIME: OTTAWA AGAINST QUÉBEC In actual fact, the negotiations took place mainly between the federal government and Québec. Once the conference was over, the federal government Québec’s positions on these different matters was to faced two major problems: its plan for a national pen- The First Ministers present at the Federal-Provincial Fiscal broaden the areas of taxation and the equalization of Conference in 1964. From left to right: E.C. Manning (Alberta), sion system was in difficulty, and Québec remained these taxes, using as a basis the province where their W.A.C. Bennett (British Columbia), Dufferin Roblin (Manitoba), discontented with the negotiations on the sharing of yield is the highest; to adopt the opting out formula Robert L. Stanfield (Nova Scotia), John Robarts (Ontario), Lester B. the tax base. To try to solve these problems, intensive for jointly financed programs; to withdraw with com- Pearson, Prime Minister of Canada, Jean Lesage (Québec), Louis negotiations were immediately undertaken between pensation, from the program of student loans and Robichaud (New Brunswick), W.R. Shaw (Prince Edward Island) Québec and Ottawa. Nearly two weeks later, the par- and Joseph R. Smallwood (Newfoundland). extended schooling allowances, the first of these being (Duncan Cameron, National Archives of Canada). ties came to an agreement according to which the fed- under provincial jurisdiction, and the second already eral government agreed to raise the provinces’ share of

20 21 10TH ANNUAL PROVINCIAL PREMIERS’ CONFERENCE, AUGUST 4 TO 6, 1969

1969 1969

IN HIS WELCOMING SPEECH TO THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE 10TH POLLUTION

ANNUAL PROVINCIAL PREMIERS’ CONFERENCE, QUÉBEC PREMIER The conference opened on August 4 in the Legislative JEAN-JACQUES BERTRAND ARGUED IN FAVOUR OF THE «MEMBER- Council Chamber at the Parliament Building. All the STATES» OF THE CANADIAN FEDERATION WHICH, UNDER THE Premiers were present except Joseph Smallwood of

CONSTITUTION, HAD IMPORTANT DUTIES TO EXERCISE. Newfoundland, who no longer participated in this kind of interprovincial meeting. The discussions dealt ACCORDING TO HIM, THEY SHOULD PLAY THEIR ROLE OF RESPON- mainly with pollution, urban development and inter- SIBLE STATES AWARE OF THEIR OBLIGATIONS, AS THESE DUTIES provincial cooperation.

SHOULD FURTHER INCREASE IN SCOPE AFTER THE COMPLETION The Premiers continued the discussions begun the OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BEGUN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. previous year in Waskesiu, Saskatchewan, concerning the pollution issue. The provinces unanimously decid-

JEAN-JACQUES BERTRAND ALSO EXPRESSED THE IDEA THAT THIS ed to advise the federal government that pollution — of the air, water and soil — was a problem directly ANNUAL MEETING WOULD TAKE ON THE SAME IMPORTANCE, under their jurisdiction. They were firmly resolved to IN RELATION TO MATTERS OF PROVINCIAL INTEREST, THAT THE fulfill their responsibilities in this field and requested

FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL FIRST MINISTERS’ CONFERENCE HAD IN that the issue be dealt with in the framework of the Canadian Council of Resource Ministers (CCRM). RELATION TO FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL MATTERS. AN OVERVIEW OF Finally, the Premiers wished the issue of pollution be THE PAST NINE YEARS LED HIM TO OBSERVE THAT THESE CON- on the agenda of the next federal-provincial First

FERENCES HAD MADE IT POSSIBLE TO BRING MATTERS UP TO Ministers’ Conference.

DATE ON A WIDE RANGE OF PROBLEMS SHARED BY THE A press scrum given by the Premiers at the end of their PROVINCES, PARTICULARLY CONCERNING THE SHARING OF THE conference in August 1969. From left to right: G.I. Smith (Nova Scotia) (hidden), Alex Campbell (Prince Edward Island), TAX BASE. Louis Robichaud (New Brunswick), John Robarts (Ontario), Jean-Jacques Bertrand (Québec), Ed Schreyer (Manitoba), Ross Thatcher (Saskatchewan), Harry Strom (Alberta) and W.A.C. Bennett (British Columbia). (J.F. Bellemare, Archives nationales du Québec, Québec City)

22 23 Some after-work recreation. Watched by provincial delegates, the Premier of New Brunswick, Louis Robichaud, performs a stroke on the golf course at the Cap-Rouge Golf Club. (Le Soleil)

1969 1969 development of large cities. They discussed in partic- the conference, they had an opportunity to play golf or ular the problems of housing, recreation and munici- to tease the trout. As for their spouses, they had the pal groupings. opportunity to visit the Ursuline monastery, Place Royale, the Montmorency falls and Île d’Orléans. The second day of the conference was devoted to the new federal policy of integrating Aboriginal people into Canadian life, and to interprovincial cooperation in the fields of education (educational television), health, consumer protection and natural resources.

Before the end of discussions, Québec Prime Minister Jean-Jacques Bertrand relaunched Jean Lesage’s idea for the creation of a permanent secretariat of inter- provincial conferences. However, this initiative did not achieve the expected degree of success, since the other REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Premiers considered that flexibility and informality in the material organization of the conferences was the Also, to follow up on the 1968 conference, the best solution. Premiers studied the question of regional develop- ment. Concerning the relations between the federal A BUSY SCHEDULE government and the municipalities, they concluded that unless the province concerned has given its con- After the first day’s deliberations at the conference, the sent or has been specially notified, no direct link Premiers were received at the City Hall of Québec between these two levels of government should exist. City by Mayor Gilles Lamontagne, after which they They also spoke out against any eventual unilateral went to Lac Beauport for a banquet hosted by action by Ottawa in the field of housing. Federal Lieutenant Governor Hughes Lapointe. The next day, cooperation must be maintained, but this action must in the evening, they were invited to a buffet on the be done through the provincial programs already in showboat L’Escale, where they attended a show given The provincial Premiers during a work session, place. Finally, the Premiers examined the overall prob- by folk singers Gilles Vigneault, Renée Claude and chaired by Jean-Jacques Bertrand. (Le Soleil) lem arising out of the new dimension created by the Jean-Pierre Ferland. Finally, on the last afternoon of

24 25 The Manoir Richelieu, jewel of the Charlevoix region, where the Premiers met, celebrates its 100th anniversary in 1999. (Jules Rochon, Archives nationales du Québec, Québec City)

20TH ANNUAL PROVINCIAL PREMIERS’ CONFERENCE, AUGUST 15 TO 18, 1979

1979 1979 THE PROVINCIAL PREMIERS’ CONFERENCE HELD IN POINTE- al budget so that Ottawa and the provinces could dis- AU-PIC, NOT FAR FROM QUÉBEC CITY, IN 1979, WAS THE LAST cuss the monetary and fiscal policies to be applied for the coming months. In order to combat unemploy- BEFORE THE QUÉBEC REFERENDUM ON SOVEREIGNTY-ASSOCIA- ment, the federal government should take measures TION. THE TWO MAIN THEMES DEALT WITH AT POINTE-AU-PIC geared toward expenditures that would create jobs, WERE THE ECONOMY AND ENERGY. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME SINCE particularly among young people, but also in the most seriously threatened regions and sectors. To deal with 1976 THAT DISCUSSIONS HAD NOT FOCUSED MAINLY ON MATTERS inflation, it was necessary to control the rate of growth OF A CONSTITUTIONAL NATURE. of the current expenditures of governments. Finally, they emphasized the importance of federal-provincial cooperation in implementing stimulants to economic development.

FIGHTING UNEMPLOYMENT THE GATT AGREEMENTS AND INFLATION The Premiers also discussed the question of the latest Before examining these issues, the Premiers undertook round of GATT negotiations in Tokyo on the reduc- a review of the economic situation over the past year. tion of tariff barriers. They agreed to speed up the While the economy was generally satisfactory, it nev- work of evaluating these agreements in order to deter- ertheless raised a few concerns. The Premiers detect- mine their effect on the economy of each province, ed signs of an economic slowdown and of renewed and asked the federal government to reserve sufficient inflation, as well as the possibility that unemployment resources to set up industrial adjustment programs, in might again begin rising. It was to counteract these concert with the provinces, in order to assist business-

The provincial Premiers at Pointe-au-Pic. From left to right: worrisome perspectives that they agreed on certain es and workers affected by these agreements. They Brian Peckford (Newfoundland), Peter Lougheed (Alberta), William measures, all aimed at job creation. also recommended, on the part of Canada, more bilat- Davis (Ontario), John Buchanan (Nova Scotia), René Lévesque eral trade with other countries. The Premiers wished (Québec), Sterling Lyon (Manitoba), William R. Bennett (British The main consensus concerned the need for dialogue these two subjects of an economic nature to be exam- Columbia), Alan Blakeney (Saskatchewan), Richard Hatfield (New between the different levels of government. The ined at the next federal-provincial First Ministers’ Brunswick) and J. Angus Maclean (Prince Edward Island). (Marc Lajoie, Archives nationales du Québec, Québec City) Premiers requested that a conference of Finance Conference on the economy, proposed for the follow- Ministers be held before the tabling of the next feder- ing November.

26 27 The Premier of Alberta, Peter Lougheed, and his wife. (Bernard Vallée, Archives nationales du Québec, Québec City) THIRTIETH ANNUAL PROVINCIAL PREMIERS’ CONFERENCE, AUGUST 20 TO 22, 1989

1979 1989 THE ISSUE OF OIL cial banquet hosted by Prime Minister René Lévesque WHILE AT THE BEGINNING THE ANNUAL PROVINCIAL THE MEECH LAKE ACCORD at which Diane Dufresne sang her most beautiful PREMIERS’ CONFERENCES WERE MAINLY OF A SOCIAL NATURE, On matters relating to energy, the provinces could not songs, and a cruise to Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive and to A very unusual atmosphere prevailed at this provincial WITHOUT A DECISION-MAKING CHARACTER, THEY GAINED IN agree on the price of oil, and postponed discussions to Grosse-Île. As for the spouses and family members, Premiers’ conference. Indeed, the Parliaments had only a later date. On the other hand, they requested that they had the opportunity to visit the Laure Conan CREDIBILITY DURING THE 1980S. FIRM DEMANDS WERE ten months left during which to ratify the Meech Lake the federal government review its emergency legisla- museum in La Malbaie, the Domaine Forget in NOW BROUGHT FORWARD AT THESE CONFERENCES, ENABLING Constitutional Accord, intended to remedy Québec’s tion in the event of an oil shortage, in order to enable Saint-Irénée and the Saint-Gilles paper plant in Saint- isolation arising out of the 1982 constitutional reform, THE PROVINCES TO VOICE THEMSELVES ON THE ECONOMIC, those provinces that desired it to assume their respon- Joseph-de-la-Rive, and to take a cruise of the Saint which was implemented without Québec’s consent. sibilities in this sector, and asked that it leave to them Lawrence River on the Marie-Clarisse II. The day MONETARY AND FISCAL POLICIES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERN- Even though they ceaselessly repeated that the subject the administration of the home insulation program in after the conference, a visit to the LG-3 construction MENT. THE 1989 CONFERENCE DEALT WITH FIVE MAIN was not on the agenda, several provincial Premiers took order to avoid the current administrative overlap. site at James Bay was arranged. advantage of the Québec City conference to make ELEMENTS OF DISCUSSION: THE FEDERAL GOODS AND Finally, Ottawa was asked to enhance the development known their opinions on this agreement signed two of energy resources and investments in the field of SERVICES TAX (GST), THE ECONOMY AND TRADE, ENVIRON- years earlier. Some of them wished to conclude a paral- energy savings, through new fiscal policies. MENTAL ISSUES, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AND REGIONAL lel agreement, while others were still undecided on the subject. However, for the Prime Minister of Québec, DEVELOPMENT. The other themes dealt with during the conference Robert Bourassa, one fact remained: there was no ques- were shared-cost health programs, lotteries, inter- tion of reopening the accord. provincial trucking, overlapping in government servic- es, and the constitutional process. In this regard, the THE GOODS AND SERVICES TAX ten provinces agreed to ask Canadian Prime Minister Joe Clark to make known his intentions with regard to The meeting started by addressing a controversial constitutional reform. They also wanted to activate issue: the Goods and Services Tax. The Premiers the deliberations of the permanent federal-provincial described the federal government’s proposed GST as constitutional committee, which had been on hold for unacceptable, not only because it encroached upon a six months, in order to bring matters up to date field of taxation traditionally occupied by the regarding the latest constitutional conferences. provinces, but also because of its damaging effects on inflation, interest rates, employment and regional A number of activities punctuated the Premiers’ stay at The provincial Premiers, the representatives of the territories and development. In addition, the complexity of the proj- the Manoir Richelieu: a village festival in the garden of the delegates during a work session in the Legislative Council Chamber at the Parliament Building. ect could cause administrative problems for small busi- the «La Roche Grise» estate in Pointe-au-Pic, an offi- (Bernard Vallée, Archives nationales du Québec, Québec City) nesses, farmers and fishers.

28 29 Robert Bourassa and David Peterson in conversation during a cocktail at the Château Frontenac. (Bernard Vallée, Archives nationales du Québec, Québec City)

1989 1989 For the economic and commercial part, the Premiers vice, and requested that it not hastily table legislation first discussed interest rates. The provinces contended to govern the telephone companies subject to provin- that Canada’s current economic situation did not justi- cial legislation. fy the policy of high interest rates applied by the Bank of Canada. The discussions then focused on the ques- REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT tion of transportation. The Premiers agreed to coop- erate with the federal government to find a financing The Premiers realized that the current regional devel- mechanism that would bring improvements to the opment policies did not reduce inequalities between pan-Canadian road network, and demanded that regions. In order to fill these gaps, they wished to hold Ottawa impose a one-year moratorium before reduc- discussions with the federal government to carry out ing the subsidies to Via Rail. an evaluation of federal job-creation programs and to fight against regional disparities. It would be of inter- THE ENVIRONMENT est to both levels of government to adopt policies in order to encourage the public and employees to invest The provinces requested that the federal government in local enterprises. establish and ensure the enforcement in Canada of strict standards on pollution emissions from automo- Before closing the conference, the Premiers revisited a biles, while they would pass laws on gasoline in order few decisions made the previous year in Saskatoon. to reduce the levels of volatile organic compounds. They agreed on the urgent need to halt the rising costs The Premiers also wished environmental issues to be in the health care sector, and urged the federal gov- included among the priorities at the annual First ernment to bring to an end the cutbacks in transfers to Ministers’ Conferences and at the federal-provincial the provinces in this sector. With regard to Senate conferences on the economy. reform, they agreed that this issue warranted an in- The participants at the 1989 Premiers’ Conference. First row: depth examination, and asked Alberta to continue its Frank McKenna (New Brunswick), David Peterson (Ontario), Robert With regard to telecommunications, the Premiers activities on this subject of a constitutional nature. Bourassa (Québec), John Buchanan (Nova Scotia) and Gary Filmon (Manitoba). Second row: Dennis Patterson (Northwest Territories), wished Ottawa to consult the provinces on the issues During a private meeting, the Premiers of Québec, Don Getty (Alberta), Joseph Ghiz (Prince Edward Island), William related to a recent decision of the Supreme Court of Ontario and Newfoundland decided to create an inter- Vander Zalm (British Columbia), Grant Devine (Saskatchewan), Canada on jurisdiction in the area of telephone ser- departmental committee on the hydroelectric devel- Clyde Wells (Newfoundland) and Toni Penikett (Yukon). opment of certain rivers in Labrador. (Bernard Vallée, Archives nationales du Québec, Québec City)

30 31 1989 The organizers planned several social and recreational activities for the Premiers and their families: an official reception at the residence of the Lieutenant Governor Messrs. Ghiz, Peterson, Penikett, Filmon, Rémillard (Québec and at the Musée de la civilisation, a cruise on the Minister responsible for Canadian intergovernmental affairs), Saint Lawrence River, a cocktail and luncheon hosted Wells and Patterson on the occasion of a cruise on the Saint Lawrence River by the Prime Minister of Québec in the ballroom of (Bernard Vallée, Archives nationales du Québec, Québec City) the Château Frontenac, where humorist André- Philippe Gagnon gave a performance. For their part, the spouses of the Premiers were able to visit the Musée des Ursulines, Île d’Orléans and the Charlevoix region, and to attend a chamber music concert in the Salon Rose at the Château Frontenac.

32 BIBLIOGRAPHY

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34 35 Printed in July 1999 by Imprimerie La Renaissance inc. Sainte-Foy