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Document on Québec's Positions on Constitutional And TIMETABLE QUÉBEC'S POSITIONS ON CONSTITUTIONAL AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL ISSUES FROM 1936 TO MARCH 2001 1864 Charlottetown and Québec 1948 The Fleur-de-lys flag officially Conferences for a project to becomes the flag of Québec. unite the British colonies of North America. 1949 Entry of Newfoundland into the Canadian federation. 1867 Birth of the Canadian federa- tion. The federation then had Abolition of appeals to the four provinces: Québec, Ontario, Judicial Committee of the Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Privy Council in London. 1870 The federal Parliament creates 1951 Constitutional amendment the Northwest Territories. regarding old-age pensions. Manitoba becomes the fifth 1954 Québec income tax. Canadian province. 1956 Report of the Royal Commis- 1871 British Columbia enters the sion of Inquiry on Constitu- Canadian federation. tional Problems (Tremblay 1873 Prince Edward Island enters Commission, Québec). the Canadian federation. 1964 Constitutional amendment 1875 Creation of the Supreme Court regarding old-age pensions of Canada by the federal and additional benefits. Parliament. 1965 Preliminary report of the Royal 1898 Creation of the Yukon Territory Commission on Bilingualism by the federal Parliament. and Biculturalism (Laurendeau- 1905 Alberta and Saskatchewan Dunton Commission, federal). becomes the eighth and the ninth Canadian provinces. 1966 Québec refuses to accept the procedure for constitutional 1914-1918 The First World War. amendment, thereafter re- 1926 The Balfour Declaration on ferred to as the “Fulton-Favreau the status of the Dominions of Formula.” the British Empire. 1967 Interprovincial “Confederation of 1931 Statute of Westminster: confir- Tomorrow” Conference, Toronto, mation of Canada’s accession November 27 to 30, 1967. to independence. The amend- ment of the Canadian Consti- 1968 Beginning of a series of consti- tution continues, however, to tutional conferences ending in require an intervention by the June 1971. British Parliament. The Legislative Assembly of 1939-1945 The Second World War. Québec becomes the National 1940 Report of the Royal Commission Assembly. The Legislative Coun- on Dominion-Provincial Rela- cil is abolished. tions (Rowell-Sirois Commis- 1971 Rejection of the Victoria Consti- sion, federal). tutional Charter, 1971, which Unemployment insurance be- Québec refuses to accept. comes a federal power. 510 QUÉ BEC'S POSITIONS ON CONSTITUTIONAL AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL ISSUES FROM 1936 TO MARCH 2001 1974 Adoption by Québec of the federal government and the Official Language Act that provinces, with the exception declares French to be the offi- of Québec, agree on the patri- cial language of Québec. ation of the Canadian Consti- tution along with substantial 1975 Adoption of the Québec constitutional amendments. Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. 1982 Proclamation on April 17, 1982 of the Constitution Act, 1982, 1977 Adoption of the Québec Char- despite Québec’s opposition. ter of the French language. Opinion of the Supreme Court 1978 Federal bill on constitutional of Canada in the Reference reform (C-60). concerning the Constitution Adoption of the Québec Refer- of Canada (Québec’s veto), endum Act. December 6, 1982. 1979 Report of the task force on 1985 The government of Québec Canadian unity (Pépin-Robarts presents to the federal gov- commission, federal). ernment a Draft Agreement on the Constitution. 1980 Québec referendum on the 1986 New round of constitutional Sovereignty-Association project, discussions. Québec makes May 20, 1980. The NO vote known its five conditions for carries the day with 59,56 % endorsing the Constitution of votes cast ; the YES vote Act, 1982. obtains 40,44 %. 1987 1987 Constitutional Accord Federal project for the unilat- (Meech Lake), June 3, 1987. eral patriation of the Canadian Constitution along with sub- 1990 Failure of the 1987 Consti- tutional Accord, Meech Lake, stantial constitutional amend- June 22, 1990. ments. 1991 Report by the Commission on 1981 Constitutional agreement of the Political and Constitutional eight provinces opposing the Future of Québec (Bélanger- federal government’s unilateral Campeau Commission, Québec), patriation, April 16, 1981. March, 1991. Opinion of the Supreme Court Adoption by Québec of An Act of Canada in the Reference respecting the process for for a draft resolution concern- determining the political and ing the Constitution of Canada, constitutional future of Québec September 28, 1981. (Bill 150), June 20, 1991. Federal-provincial Conference Federal proposals aimed at on the Constitution, Ottawa, renewing the federation, Sep- November 2 to 5, 1981. The tember, 1991. 511 QUÉ BEC'S POSITIONS ON CONSTITUTIONAL AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL ISSUES FROM 1936 TO MARCH 2001 1992 Consensus Report on the 1998 Opinion of the Supreme Court Constitution, Charlottetown, of Canada on the federal August 28, 1992. On October Reference on the secession of 26, 1992, the Agreement is Québec, August 20, 1998. rejected in Québec by referen- 1999 Signature by provincial gov- dum (56,68 % voting NO and ernments, with the exception 43,32 % voting YES), as well of Québec, of the Social Union as in the rest of Canada within Framework Agreement, Feb- the framework of another ruary 4, 1999. referendum held simulta- neously (54,3 % voting NO, the Creation of the Nunavut terri- Yes option obtaining 45,7 % tory by the federal Parliament. of the votes). 2000 Adoption by the federal Par- 1994 Agreement on Internal Trade, liament of the Act giving effect July 18, 1994. to the requirement for the clarity as set out in the opi- 1995 Referendum in Québec on the nion of the Supreme Court of Bill respecting the future of Canada in the Quebec Seces- Québec providing for Québec’s sion Reference (Bill C-20), accession to sovereignty as June 29, 2000. well as an offer of economic and political partnership with Adoption by Québec of the Canada (October 30, 1995). Act respecting the exercise of The NO vote carries the day the fundamental rights and with 50,58 % of votes cast, prerogatives of the Québec the YES option obtains 49,42% people and the Québec State of votes cast. (Bill 99), December 13, 2000. 1996 Institution by the federal government of a reference to the Supreme Court of Canada pertaining to Québec’s acces- sion to sovereignty. Québec refuses to participate in it. 1997 The Calgary Declaration of first ministers of the provinces, with the exception of Québec, September 14, 1997. Bilateral amendment of section 93 of the Constitution Act, 1867, thereafter making it possible to establish linguistic school boards in Québec. 512.
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