Letter: You need to know the rules before you can change them
By Letter to the Editor on November 4, 2021.
In response to Nicholas Martin’s Oct. 30 letter to the editor, “What happened to reform?” Dear editor, While I fully agree on many of the points made by Nicholas Martin in his letter to the editor published on Oct. 30, there are several flawed statements which only serve to push back the progress of sentiments we both share. Calling the Constitution Act 1982 the “Trudeau constitution” betrays a lack of understanding that patriation required support from the vast majority of provincial premiers. At the time of negotiations, seven of the 10 provinces were represented by Progressive Conservatives, along with one each representing Social Credit, NDP and Parti Quebecois. All but PQ Premier Rene Levesque signed on to the act. Progressive Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney’s attempts to rectify that failure to include Quebec through the Meech Lake and Charlottetown accords were unsuccessful. Now, as then, a majority of premiers (seven to be precise, representing 50% of the population) will be required to amend the Constitution Act 1982 as represented in Sec. 38 of the legislation, which also requires a resolution from the House and Senate. I do not believe Canadians should be scared of constitutional reform. But you need to know the rules before you try to change them. Alex McCuaig Medicine Hat 13-12
