The Process for Amending the Constitution of Canada
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THE PROCESS FOR AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION OF CANADA The Report of the Special Joint Committee of the Senate and the House of Commons Joint Chairmen: Hon. Gerald Beaudoin, Senator Jim Edwards, M.P. June 20,1991 SENA'I'E SENKI' HOUSE OF COMMONS CHAMHRE DES COMMUNES Issue No. 1 Tuesday, May 21, 1991 Le mardi 21 mai 1991 Thursday, May 23, 1991 Le jeudi 23 mai 1991 Tuesday, May 28, 1991 Le mardi 28 mai 1991 Wednesday, May 29, 1991 Le mercredi 29 mai 1991 Thursday, May 30, 1991 Le jeudi 30 mai 1991 Tuesday, June 4, 1991 Le mardi 4 juin 1991 Wednesday, June 5, 1991 Le mercredi 5 juin 1991 Thursday, June 6, 1991 Le jcudi 6 juin 1991 Monday, June 10, 1991 Le lundi 10 juin 1991 Tuesday, June 11, 1991 Le mardi 11 juin 1991 Wednesday, June 12, 1991 Le mercredi 12 juin 1991 Tuesday, June 18, 1991 Le mardi 18 juin 1991 Joint Chairmen: Copresidents: Hon. GCrald Beaudoin, Senator L'hon. GCrald Beaudoin, sCnateur Jim Edwards, M.P. Jim Edwards, d6putC Minutes of Proceedings and Evidence of the Special Joint Proc2s-verbaux et timoignages du Comite' mixte spdcial du Committee of the Senate and the House of Commons on Sinat et de la Chambre des communes sur le Process for amending Processus de the Constitution of modification de la Canada Constitution du Canada RESPECTING: CONCERNANT: A study of the process for amending the Constitution of Une Ctude du processus de modification de la Canada Constitution du Canada INCLUDING: Y COMPRIS: The Report to the Senate and to the House of Commons Le Rapport au SCnat et A la Chambre des communes Third Session of the Thirty-fourth Parliament, Troisikme session de la trente-quatrikrne lkgislature, 1991 1991 SPECIAL JOINT COMMITI'EE OF THE SENATE AND COMITE MIXTE SPECIAL DU S~NATET DE LA OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON THE PROCESS CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES SUR LE PROCESSUS DE FOR AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION OF CANADA MODIFICATION DE LA CONSTITUTION DU CANADA Joint Chairmen: Coprhideients : Hon. GCrald Beaudoin, Senator L'hon. GCrald Beaudoin, stnateur Jim Edwards, M.P. Jim Edwards, dCput& Representing flle Senate: Reprhe~zfantle Se'nat : The Honourable Senators Les honorables stnateurs GCrald Beaudoin Gtrald Beaudoin GCrald Comeau GCrald Comeau Philippe Gigantb Philippe Gigantks Michael Kirby Michael Kirby Nathan Nurgitz-(5) Nathan Nurgitz-(5) Representing the Hotise of Commons: Reprksentant la Chanlbre des conzmunes : Members Ken Atkinson Ken Atkinson Gabnelle Bertrand Gabrielle Bertrand Jean-Pierre Blackburn Jean-Pierre Biackburn Coline Campbell Coline Campbell Ronald Duhamel Ronald Duhamel Jim Edwards Jim Edwards Lynn Hunter Lynn Hunter Wilton Littlechild Wilton Littlechild Rob Nicholson Rob Nicholson Lorne Nystrom Lorne Nystrom Andrk Ouellet Andrk Ouellet Ross Reid-(12) Ross Reid-(12) (Quorum 9) (Quorum 9) Serge Pelletier Les cogreffiers du Comite' Eugene Morawski Serge Pelletier Joint Clenks of the Committee Eugene Morawski Other Senators who served on the Committee: Autres se'nateurs qui ont participe' aux travaux du Comiti : Willie Adams Willie Adams E.W. Barootes E.W. Barootes Eric Berntson Eric Berntson Roch Bolduc Roch Bolduc Pat Carney Pat Carney Consiglio Di Nino Consiglio Di Nino Jerahmiel S. Grafstein Jerahmiel S. Grafstein Richard Hatfield Richard Hatfield Daniel Hays Daniel Hays Janis Johnson Janis Johnson James Kelleher James Kelleher Noel Kinsella Noel Kinsella Paul Lucier Paul Lucier Finlay MacDonald Finlay MacDonald Michael Arthur Meighen Michael Arthur Meighen Gildas Molgat Gildas Molgat Raymond Perrault Rayniond Perrault Jean-Marie Poitras Jean-Marie Poitras Mira Spivak Mira Spivak John Sylvain John Sylvain Jean-Maurice Simard Jean-Maurice Simard Norbert ThCriault-(22) Norbert ThCriault -(22) Other Members of Parliament who served on the Committee: Atttres diputh qui ont participb aux travaux du Cornit4 : Warren Allmand Warren Allmand Eugkne Bellemare Eugbne Bellemare Maurizio Bevilacqua Maurizio Bevilacqua Bud Bird Bud Bird Bill Blaikie Bill Blaikie Ethel Blondin Ethel Blondin John Brewin John Brewin Harry Brightwell Harry Brightwell Pauline Browes Pauline Browes Catherine Callbeck Catherine Callbeck Gabriel Desjardins Gabriel Desjardins Maurice Dionne Maurice Dionne Benno Friesen Benno Friesen Jean-Robert Gauthier Jean-Robert Gauthier Beryl Gaffney Beryl Gaffney Mac Harb Mac Harb Robert Layton Robert Layton Francis LeBlanc Francis LeBlanc Derek Lee Derek Lee Ronald MacDonald Ronald MacDonald Shirley Maheu Shirley Maheu Joe McGuire Joe McGuire Peter Milliken Peter Milliken Rey Pagtakhan Rey Pagtakhan Denis Pronovost Denis Pronovost George Proud George Proud Marcel Prud'homme Marcel Prud'homme Scott Thorkelson Scott Thorkelson Pierrette Venne Pierrette Venne Ian Waddell-(30) Ian Waddell-(30) Published under authority of the Speaker of the Publit en conformiti: de I'autoritt du Prtsident de la Chambre House of Con~monsby the Queen's Printer for Canada. des communes par 1'Imprimeur de la Reine pour le Canada. Available from Canada Communication Grou Publishing, En vente: Groupe Communication Canada - &ition, Supply and Sewices Canada, Ottawa, Canada %?A M9 Approvisionnements et Services Canada, Ottawa, Canada KlA OS9 ORDERS OF REFERENCE &tract from the Votes & Proceedings of the Hoccse of Comrnons of Monday, December 17, 1990: - That a Special Joint Committee of the Senate and of the House of Commons be appointed to consult broadly with Canadians and inquire into and report upon the process for amending the Constitution of Canada, including, where appropriate, proposals for amending one or more of the amending formulae, with particular reference to: (i) the role of the Canadian public in the process; (ii) the effectiveness of the existing process and formulae for securing constitutional amendments; and (iii) alternatives to the current process and formulae, including those set out in the discussion paper prepared by the Government of Canada entitled 'Amending the Constitution of Canada": That twelve Members of the House of Commons and five Members of the Senate be the Members of the Special Joint Committee: such Members on the part of the House of Commons to be designated upon report of the Striking Committee no later than three sitting days after the adoption of this motion, which report shall be deemed concurred in upon presentation; That the Committee have the power to appoint from among its Members such sub-committees as may be deemed advisable, and to delegate to such sub-committees all or any of their powers except the power to report directly to the House; That the Committee have the power to sit during sittings and adjournments of the House of Commons; That the Committee, or a sub-committee, have power to travel, and hold public hearings, within Canada; That the Committee have power to send for persons, papers and records, and to examine witnesses and to print such papers and evidence from day to day as may be ordered by the Committee: That the Committee be empowered to authorize television and radio broadcasting, as it deems appropriate, of any or all of its proceedings or of proceedings of its sub-committees, pursuant to the principles and practices governing the broadcasting of the proceedings of the House of Commons; That the parties represented on the Committee be granted allocations for expert assistance with the Committee work in proportion to the representation of the said parties in the House of Commons; That the Committee be empowered to retain the service of professional, clerical and stenographic staff, as deemed available by the Joint Chairmen; That the Committee submit its report not later than July 1,1991, provided that, if the House of Commons is not sitting, the report will be deemed submitted on the day such report is deposited with the Clerk of the House of Commons and with the Clerk of the Senate; That changes in membership of the Committee be effective immediately after notification thereof, signed by the Member acting as Chief Whip of any recognized party, has been filed with the Clerk of the Committee; That the quorum of the Committee be nine Members, whenever a vote, resolution or other decision is taken so long as both Houses are represented, and the Joint Chairmen are authorized to hold meetings, to receive evidence and authorize the printing thereof, when six Members are present, so long as both Houses are represented; and That a Message be sent to the Senate requesting that House to unite with this House for the above purpose, and to select, if the Senate deems it to be advisable, five Members to act on the proposed Special Joint Committee. And the question being put on the motion, it was agreed to on division: ATTEST ROBERT MARLEAU Clerk of the House of Commons Ektractj?om the Minutes & Proceedings of the Senate of Wednesday, January 30, 1991: - That the Senate do unite with the House of Commons in the appointment of a Special Joint Committee to consult broadly with Canadians and inquire into and report upon the process for amending the Constitution of Canada, including, where appropriate, proposals for amending one or more of the amending formulae, with particular reference to: (i) the role of the Canadian public in the process; (ii) the effectiveness of the existing process and formulae for securing constitutional amendments; and (iii) alternatives to the current process and formulae, including those set out in the discussion paper prepared by the Government of Canada entitled "Amending the Constitution of Canada"; That twelve Members of the House of Commons and five Members of the Senate be the Members of the Special Joint Committee, such Members on the