Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Major constitutional conferences have taken place across the country over the past five weekends to examine the federal government's 28 proposals for constitutional and institutional reform.
Each of the first four conferences dealt with a specific part of the federal package. As Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs, and chairman of this Assembly's special committee on constitutional reform, I attended the conferences, in Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver. With me at the concluding conference in Vancouver was the Hon. Dennis Patterson. Other Members of our special committee on constitutional reform attended some of the conferences including Ernie Bernhardt, MLA Kitikmeot; and Brian Lewis, MLA Yellowknife Centre.
Participants at the five events included Ministers and Members of Parliament, aboriginal people, bureaucrats, leaders of business, labour, special interest groups, and the so-called "ordinary Canadians."
Last weekend participants attempted to bring together the conclusions of the previous four conferences. A draft report was circulated and was the subject of discussion for the final day of the conference. This report is presently being redrafted. There are also indications that the federal government is intending to sponsor a sixth conference on aboriginal issues in Ottawa on March 14 to 15.
It is far too early to say exactly what impact this conference process will have on the current round of constitutional negotiations with Quebec, but I believe it could be and will be significant. Although the federal proposals cover far more than just Quebec's demands, the timetable for the current round is governed largely by the legislation in Quebec which requires the Quebec government to call a referendum on sovereignty by October of this year.
Mr. Speaker, your special committee on constitutional reform will table a more detailed report on these conferences and the national constitutional process once it has received the final report of the concluding Vancouver conference.
The five constitutional conferences were designed to blend with the work of the special joint parliamentary committee which will report on February 28th. The tabling of that report in Parliament will lead to a new phase in the constitutional process designed to achieve national agreement on a renewed federation.
No solution can be achieved however, without the involvement and consent of at least seven provinces/territories with 50 per cent of the population. Accordingly, the next round will require a process that will involve the provinces and territories together with the federal government in shaping amendments to our constitution which must have widespread support among citizens and governments. Thank you.