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Page 10, The Herald, Wednesday, April 22, 1991

Fight C Canadian Premiers : agree to patriate our Constitution

- It is the Canadian Patriation Plan.
it provides for a made-in-Canada Constitution.

It incorporates a National Amending Formula that recognizes the
constitutional equality of all our Provinces.

On Apiil 16, 1981, eight Premiers presented to the federal govemment their

Accord—the Canadian Patriation Plan and a Canadian Amending Formula.

This is the Constitutional Accord.

Whereas ¢, Canada i is a mature eand independent county
with a federal system of government, |

@ the Parliament of the United Kingdom has retained, at the -
request of the Parliament of Canada and with the .
_ approval of the Provinces, residual power to amend
certain parts of the British North America Acts. upon -
receiving a proper request from Canada,

@ itis fitting and proper for the Constitution of Canada to be
-amendable in all respects by action taken wholly within
‘Canada, ©

@ the full exercise of the sovereignty of Canada requires a

Canadian amending procedure in keeping with the
federal nature of Canada,

The Canadian Patriation Plan is conditional upon the
Govemment of Canada withdrawing the proposed Joint’

Address on the Constitution now before Parliament and . - . : |

subscribing to this Accord.
Dated at Ottawa this 16th day of April 1981.

A On behalf,of the Government of Alberta =

Therefore, the Governments absarbing to this Accord
as follows:

1. To patriate the Constitution of Canada by taking the

necessary steps through the Parliament of Canada and
the Legislatures of the Provinces;

2. To accept, as part of patriation, the amending formula
attached to this Accord as the formula for making all
future amendments to the Constitution of Canada;

. To embark upon an intensive three-year period of
constitutional renewal based on the new amending
formula and without delay to determine an agenda
following acceptance of this Accord; and

' 4, To discontinue court proceedings now pending in

Canada relative to the proposed Joint Address on the
“Constitution now before Parliament.

The Provinces of New Brunswick and Ontario are invited to

sign this Accord.

Signed on behalf of the under-mentioned Govemments, to
be followed by ratification by the respective Legislatures or

"National Assembly

Government of British Columbia

William R. Bennett, Premier

es ee tof Nevdoudend oo

| : Bish — Premier