24 — Friday, October 23, 1992 - North Shore News

The Charlottetown Agreement
is the result of one of the
broadest public consultations

in Canadian history.

- @ Over 700,000 Canadians from
all walks of life and representa-
tives of huridreds of concemed
groups were listened to and
heard.

@ National and regional! Aboriginal
groups consulted Aboriginal '
peoples.

@ in every province and territory,
hundreds of public hearings
were held.

© Numerous forums and think
tanks were organized by

' universities across the

country.

Key Public Forums and the extent

of participation by Canadians

Citizens’ Forum on Canada’s Future
(the Spicer Commission):
approximately 700,000 individuals contributed their input
to the Forum.
|
Special Joint Committee on the Amending Process
(Beaudein-Edwards):

209 witnesses were heard and over 500 briefs were submitted —

by approximately 450 individuals and groups.
|
Special Joint Committee on a Renewed Canada
(Beaudsin-Dobbie}:
over 700 witnesses were heard and nearly 3,000 written
submissions were received.
|
Federal Poticy Conferences:

1,500 participants included interest groups, academics
and Canadians. Conferences were held in Halifax,
Calgary, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa.
Letters responding to individuals and groups from the
Minister responsible for Constitutional Affairs:
10,000 letters were sent in response.

Hundreds of thousands of
Canadians have participated in
these forums since 1990.

The Charlottetown Agreement is
the result of federal, provincial, —
territorial and Aboriginal represen-
tatives listening to the input of
Canadians just like you. it repre-
sents a unanimous agreement to
change Canada's Constitution in a
way that would include all parts of
Canada and chart a course for our
future together. These Constitu-
tional proposals are designed to
equip Canada with the structures
and means to meet the economic
and social challenges faced by us
today and by those in generations
to come.