Capilano-Howe Sound Tory MP
Mary Collins
Yes, because:
® both in the new elected Senate
and a revised House of Commons,
B.C. wili see important improve-
ments in its representation;
© in a Senate with six seats per
province, B.C. will have an equal
voice;
@ in the House of Commons,
B.C. will gain seven new seats
over the next five years, as oppos-
ed to only two under the old
system;
@ our representation will continue
to grow as our population in-
creases as the principle of repre-
sentation by population has been
entrenched in the new provisions;
e@ B.C. will gain authority in such
areas as forestry, mining and
tourism and may also choose to
have more authority in both im-
migration and labor market train-
ing; °
@ the proposals provide for an
agreement to be negotiated and
approved by federal and provin-
cial governments and aboriginal
Broups enabling aboriginal people
to gain control over their lives,
overcome the social and economic
inequities and move toward self-
sufficiency;
@ the agreement provides for the
first time a description of the
fundamental characteristics of
Canadian society, reaffirming
equality of rights which are guar-
anteed in the Charter;
@ there is an opportunity to in-
clude Quebec in our constitutional
family by recognizing their lan-
guage, culture and civil code of
law.
West Vancouver-Garidaldi Liberal
MLA David Mitchell
Yes, because:
@ there are. more powers for
B.C.: under a new, decentralized
framework, B.C. will have clear
jurisdiction with no more costly
federal government duplication in
key areas such as job training,
housing, immigration,
tourism, communications and
regional economic development;
@ despite what some critics have
suggested about the effectiveness
of the proposed new Senate, it
will be a major improvement over
the existing upper chamber and
will provide a much-needed new
voice for B.C. in Ottawa;
@ the Senate will now be an
elected body and will have equal
representation from all provinces;
@ the proposed amending for-
mula entrenches the 7/50 formula
(the agreement of at least seven
provinces with 50% of Canada’s
population) in crder to make
future changes to the
Constitution, except for changes
to national institutions such as the
Senate, House of Commons and
thé Supreme Court;
@ B.C. has the most to gain from
the proposal to recognize the in-
herent right to aboriginal self-
government in the Constitution,
because B.C. is most affected by
the uncertainty of unresolved
native fand ciaims;
@ self-government rights will be
defined over 2 five-year peviod
and will not be enforceable in the
courts wnti! that time:
@ in an increasingly unstabie and
rapidly changing world, the accep-
tance by B.C. and Canadians of
the agreement will send a strong
signal to the international invest-
ment community that Canadians
are prepared to accept a com-
promise solution that has been
openly negotiated and unani-
_ mously endorsed by the leaders of
their governments across the
country; .
@ it will be heard as a vote of
confidence in Canada.
Marilyn Beker: former North
Vancouver District mayor

Yes, because:
See Yes page S

forestry, |

THE PROPOSED package of
reforms to Canada’s Constitu-
tion contained in the Charlotte-
town Accord has inspired pro-
minent accord supporters and
opponents from the North Shore
to mount various soapboxes
since the debate over the refer-
endum began. .

in its continuing efforts to
present its readership with as
much information as possible
from both sides in the debate,
the North Shore News has com-
piled a summary of arguments
from local Yes and No camps
and a summary of the accord’s
highlights.

The Aug. 28, 1992, Charlotte-
town Accord is the product of a
series of meetings on constitu-
tional reform that began in Ot-
tawa on March 12, 4992, and
culminated in Charlottetown on
Aug. 27 and 28, 1992. Accord
highlights:

Canada Clause:

Provides 2 statement of the
country’s fundamental values
and would guide Canadian
courts in interpreting the entire
Constitution, including the
Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Recognizes Quebec as a
distinct society within Canada
and includes a statement of
commitment of Canadians and
their governments to linguistic
duality.

Also recognizes aboriginal
rights; racial and ethnic equality
and cultural diversity; gender
equality; and the equality of
provinces.

Senate Reform:

Each province would de
assigned six senators; each ter-
ritory would be assigned one
senator. Additional seats would
be added to represent Canada’s
aboriginal peoples.

Total seats in the Senate
would be 62; the current total is
104.

Senators would be elected by
the people or by provincial or
territorial legislatures. Senate
elections would be held simulta-
neously with House of Com-
mons elections.

Allowance would be made for
provinces or territories to pro-
vide gender equality or to desig-

nate seats for specific purposes.

The Senate would have veto
powers over bills involving fun-
damental tax policy changes di-
rectly related to natural
resources,

lt would also have the
authority to block key appoint-
ments, including the heads of
key regulatory agencies and citl-
tural institutions.

The Senate’s approval would
also be needed for bills maierial-
ly affecting the French language
or French culture.

It could block the passage of
the federal budget and other
money bills for up to 30 days.

Senators could also initiate
bills, except for money bills.

They would not be eligible for
federal Cabinei posts.

@ House of Commons:

The new Parliament would
have 337 seats, 42 more than the
current 295-seat Parliament.

Quebec would be guaranteed
at least one quarter of House of
Commons seats, and would ini-
tially get an additional 18 seats.

Other provinces would initially
receive additional seats: Ontario,
18; B.C., four; Alberta, two.

A special readjustment of
House representation would take
place after the 1996 census.

The combined number of

‘Senators and MPs in the first

new Parliament (62 and 337)
would be the same as the current
total (104 and 295).
@ Supreme Coart:

The current composition of
the Supreme Court would be en-
trenched in the Constitution.

The Supreme Court’s nine
members would include three
judges from Quebec. Provinces
would submit lists of candidates
for the other six seats to the
federal government, which
would make the final selection.

@ Aboriginal rights:

The inherent right of Canada’s
aboriginal peoples to self-
government within Canada
would be recognized in the Con-
stitution, The entrenchment of
that right would not create new
rights to land.

Aboriginal government would
be recognized as one of the three
orders of government in Canada.

Friday, October 23, 1992 - North Shore News - 3

THE CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION nt

Governments and aboriginal
peoples would be committed to
negotiating agreements that
would set out how the right to
self-government would be im-
plemented.

@ Federal spending:

Ways of eliminating the
duplication of federal and pro-
vincial spending would be
sought.

A framework for the future
ase of federal spending powers
is areas of provincial jurisdiction
would be established.

Future uses would be in pur-
suit of national objectives and
aimed at reducing overlap and
duplication.

@® Labor Markets:

Labor market development
and training would be recognized
as areas of exciusive provincial
legislative jurisdiction.

The federal goversmen? would
retain exclusive legislative re-
sponsibility for unemployment
insurance and reijated services
and would continue to spend on
job creation programs.
© Immigration:

Provinces could choose to
have more control over immigra-
tion. The federal government
would be obliged to negotiate
and conclude agreements on
immigration matters.

@ Culture:

Provinces would have ex-
clusive legislative jurisdiction
over cultural matters within the
province, while recognizing the
continuing responsibility of the
federal government in Canadian
cultural affairs.

@ Provincial jurisdiction:

Exclusive provincial jurisdic-
tion would be recognized in the
areas of forestry, mining,
tourism, housing, recreation and
municipal and urban affairs.

@ The Amending formuia:

Changes to the Senate and the
House of Commons would re-
quire unanimous consent.

Changes to the composition of

the Supreme Court would also :

require unanimous consent.

All changes to the amending
formula would require the unan-
imous approval of the provinces
and the federal government.

North Vancouver Tory MP Chuck
Ceok

No, because:

@ most of the constitutional
package is basically an
agreement-in-principle that would
result in further consultations and
discussions;

@ the proposed new 62-seat
Senate would be totally ineffec-
tive, with no power;

@ Quebec would appoint its six
senators, and, depending on the
government in power in Quebec,
the senators would owe their
allegiance to the province of
Quebec rather than the people of
Quebec;

@ under the proposed accord,
Quebec would be guaranteed 25%
of the seats in the House of
Commons, and future
demographics suggest Quebec’s
population will fall in the next 10
to 20 years, while B.C.’s popula-
tion is expected to increase;

@ native self-government provi-
sions contained in the proposed
constitutional accord would create
a third level of government in

_ Canada;

© native self-government . status
would also give natives the power
to make their own laws and
possibly create their own justice
system;
@ there is no definition as to how
these powers will operate in terms
of the provincial governments,
municipal governments and the
federal government;
@ neither side in the constitution-
al debate, particularly the Yes
side, is willing to talk about the
actual clauses contained in the ac-
cord;
@ Prime Minister Brian
Mulroney, Constitutional Affairs
Minister Joe Clark and the presi-
dent of the Royal Bank of Canada
are using scare tactics to convince
Canadians to vote in favor of the
proposed accord.
North Vancouver District Coun.
Exnie Crist
No, because:
@ the constitutional package pro-
vides for an enormous shift of
power from Ottawa to the pro-
vinces, which will result in 10
“Baltic states,’’ two territorial
governments and aboriginal self-
government, cach going their sep-
arate ways;
@ the deal will also result in the
elimination of national standards
for social programs;
® any province will be able to opt
out of social programs and still be
entitled to federal funding for
their own programs;
@ the notwithstanding clause is
retained in the proposed package
and will allow the provinces to
exempt themselves from any or all
clauses of the Charter of Rights
and Freedoms;
@ the proposed constitutional ac-
cord fails to guarantee full and
effective equality for women and
takes back equality rights won in
the Meech Lake Accord;
@ the Constitution would be
engraved in stone and may not be
amended in the future except by
the unanimous consent of the
House of Commons and all the
provincial legislatures;
@ the First Ministers refused to
consider recognizing municipalities
as a separate form of government
with all the necessary powers and
responsibilities.
North Vancouver City Coun. Rod
Clark:
No, because:
@ this is not an agreement at all,
merely a framework for further
negotiations;
@ more than 5O areas require fur-
ther negotiation;
@ aboriginal self-government is
not defined at all, yet the impact
of this so-called third order of
government is bound to be
significant; it is to go beyond ter-
See No page 8