Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The first Ministers and aboriginal leaders of Canada met in Charlottetown on August 27 to confirm the elements of the historic national constitutional reform package.
The package was negotiated over the last six months by federal, provincial, and territorial governments, along with the four national aboriginal organizations.
Because of the participation by the territories, the aboriginal peoples, and eventually Quebec, they found a package they believe truly represents the results of a Canada round of constitutional negotiations.
I wish to take this opportunity to thank Members of the Special Committee on Constitutional Reform, our team of advisors and officials for their dedication and assistance through these long months of negotiations.
Members will recall that the Northwest Territories participation in constitutional negotiations was based on five elements: one, constitutional recognition of an inherent right to aboriginal self government; two, eliminating the effects of the constitution amending formula on territories which want provincial status; three, ensuring territorial participation, public and private meetings, and conferences on constitutional, economic and aboriginal matters; four, recognizing territorial interests in proposals for the Canadian economic union and mechanisms for decentralization of the federation; and five, territorial involvement in the reform senate in Supreme Court nominations.
The inherent right to self government will be entrenched in the constitution, and, furthermore, aboriginal institutions will be recognized as a third order of government in Canada.
This element of the reform package is without a doubt the most remarkable and historic achievement, in that the Indian, Inuit and Metis communities of Canada will soon have the constitutionally recognized means to chart their future within confederation.
Mr. Speaker, for the past decade territorial governments have worked towards removal of the amending formula provisions which required the consent of existing provinces before a new province could be created. This part of the constitution will be changed to allow territories to deal directly with the federal government to establish a new province through an act of parliament alone.
With three exceptions, new provinces will enter confederation with full amending formula voting privileges. Existing provinces will have to approve giving new jurisdictions the ability to participate in votes under the general and unanimity provisions of the amending formula, and in initiating the constitutional amendment.
On the related amending formula issue of extension of provincial boundaries into existing territories, the section of the constitution dealing with this matter will repealed. A new provision requiring the consent of the territory affected will be included in the constitution.
The third element of our committee's terms of reference involves seeking assurances that the territories would be participants in future talks on aboriginal, constitutional and economic matters. On this matter, a political accord will guarantee that the territories will be invited to all First Ministers' Conferences on the constitution and the economy.
Territorial participation in negotiations and conferences on aboriginal matters will be entrenched in the constitution.
Mr. Speaker, the constitutional reform process did not just deal with high profile issues, like aboriginal self government and provincialism, it also addressed measures which are intended to improve the Canadian economic union, in particular, removing barriers to inter-provincial trade.
While the reform package contains a commitment to the free movement of goods, services, people and capital in a political accord, the details of implementing the principle, including exemptions for developing jurisdictions and to the timing for phasing out trade barriers, will be addressed at a future First Ministers, conference.
Finally, the constitution will be changed to give the territories the same rule as provinces in recommending nominations for Supreme Court vacancies.
With respect to the senate, existing and future territories, including Nunavut, would be guaranteed one senator each in the reform senate. However, existing provinces and parliament will have to approve increasing the number of senators to six when a new province is created.
In conclusion, some significant achievements have been made for the north, for Inuit, Dene, Metis, but most important for Canada. However, these achievements and possibly Canada as we know it, would be lost if support for constitutional amendments cannot be attained from provincial legislatures and parliament as prescribed in the amending formula.
The same circumstances apply to support from the aboriginal community, for the package which their leaders have negotiated.
There will be a vigourous campaign in the coming months to educate the Canadian public on the merits of the reform package. Furthermore, all Canadians will have the opportunity to vote on a package in the national referendum on October 26. Today referendum questions are being debated in the House of Commons, and the Quebec National Assembly.
The proposed question for most Canadians will be, do you agree that the constitution of Canada should be amended on the basis of the agreement reached on August 28, 1992?
Reports from Quebec indicate that a similar straightforward question will be used in their October 26 referendum. Plans are already under way in the north to enumerate voters, establish offices for distribution of information on the reform package and referendum, and prepare for the vote on October 26.
Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to update the House on this matter. I will be tabling a more detailed special committee report later this Session. Thank you.
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