... "strong and free" nation since 1867, but how could it be when it didn't even have its own constitution at the time? On a map, Canada appeared to be an independent nation, when in reality, it was still very dependant on Great Britain. The Canadian Flag still consisted of the Union Jack, Canadians still sang "God Save the Queen", and the British always ... not have to listen to absolutely everything that the British said. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, if something was to be changed in the constitution, it had to be passed through the Canadian Parliament as well as it...

• Word Count: 1088
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography

... and belief systems equally. However, they were very distinct from both cultures. Many Metis families settled near the Great Lakes and western Canadian lakes since water was important for the fur trade. Throughout the years, the Metis have contributed greatly to North America's economic growth acting ... By the 1900s the Metis began fighting strong for their self-identity. Although the Constitution Act of 1982 was established which affirmed and recognized the existing Aboriginal and Treaty rights of the Canadian Aboriginals, the Metis wanted their own separate voice. As a result, the Met...

• Word Count: 1519
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography

The policy of multiculturalism in Canada began in 1988 after the Canadian Multiculturalism Act was passed. This was new law was in keeping with the Canadian constitution that recognizes and provides for the right of every Canadian to be protected. The Act envisioned establishing a multicultural society that would define the diversity of Canada to the world and the future generations. The ... to eliminate the existing and apparent barriers that excluded minority cultures from participating in nation building. Today, Canada remains among the few countries that have anchored multiculturalism in t...

• Word Count: 2297
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... put forth the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which was included in the new Constitution act of 1982. It is because of these accomplishments that he was a very significant man in Canadian law and for that matter, in Canadian history. From the beginning of the time as prime minister, Trudeau was determined ... rest of the country, which is something every citizen of Canada deserves. In 1982, Trudeau introduced the charter of rights and freedoms, and the constitution act, which are undoubtedly his greatest achievements. The charter of rights and freedoms presents Canadians with fundamental ...

• Word Count: 494
• Approx Pages: 2

... the British North America Act. Any changes to this constitution required the approval of the British government. For years, Canadian governments had considered patriating the constitution, but no agreement could be reached. In 1981, Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau decided it was time to act upon the ideas of the Canadian people. Trudeau and the premiers of the 10 provinces of Canada met in ... reasonable fro all provinces. Quebec, at the time wanted a veto power over any changes that would be unacceptable for its own province. When the federal government acted to patriate the const...

• Word Count: 354
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... should play the major role in International relations. (Wehr & Pfoser, 1990) The constructivist theory illustrates how Canada's involvement in International Institutions has played a very strong role in Canadian foreign policy. Canada's involvement with the United Nations along with its attempts to orchestrate peaceful resolutions to conflicts and its largely neutral stance should serve as a role model to ... the rest of the world particularly Canada's neighbour's to the south on how to conduct peaceful and orderly foreign relations. Canada's constitution best summarizes its constructivi...

• Word Count: 1888
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... to office and "began the process which established a nation in the northern part of this continent and set the pattern for that nation's political institutions." Since Confederation, many events in Canadian politics have held vast significance in Canada's history. For example: Confederation (1867), Hudson Bay territories joining the dominion (1870), Arctic Islands added to the dominion (1880), the defeat of ... may move freely. Any measures which unduly discriminate between individuals, goods, services and capital on the basis of their origin or their destination should be unconstituti...

• Word Count: 4049
• Approx Pages: 16
• Grade Level: High School

... by leading the development of common and civil law through its decisions on questions of public importance. Under Canadian law the Governor General appoints all justices of the court, though by the constitution the Prime Minister alone appoints all justices of the court. The Prime Minister's choice for a justice does ... of new laws, and ensures a postive and healthy morale within the Court. The justices in the Supreme Court of Canada are by the constitution, appointed by the Prime Minister. This method of appointing should be changed to include the people of Canada as the justices that...

• Word Count: 806
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... mostly collected taxes from government. Now days, the system of government has become more democratic and more representative of Canadian society. Which it seems is accountable now! The federal government has to divide powers between the provinces and federal government itself. "The constitution stated that Parliament had the power to make laws for, "Peace, order and good government in Canada ... heads the cabinet and appoints its members. The prime minister and cabinet direct the intent and effect of government policies." Reforming the government is also a major part of the Canadian go...

• Word Count: 1828
• Approx Pages: 7

... live in the US but work in Canada. The opposite is true for many Canadians that live along that great expanse we call the US Canadian border. Being from Canada but having lived in the US I've had the opportunity to see how residents in both countries live and how ... but notice how interconnected their economies are and how standards of living in both are closely related. A constitution-based federal republic with a strong democratic tradition runs the United States. While in comparison the Canadian government is a confederation with parliamentary democracy. Even today despite its curren...

• Word Count: 637
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography

... History of Canada, "A proposal for unification of the Canada's, pressed forward by colonial officials and English merchants in 1822, had only heightened French-Canadian fears of being enveloped by the English." As a result of the French-Canadian fears a man named Louise-Joseph Papineau rose to defend the French-Canadians with nationalistic principles and requested more control in the assembly. Papineau ... argue that Brown's offer to unionize all of British North America was the real originator. With this statement four major political groups supported Brown, the French-Canadian Conserva...

• Word Count: 2079
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Ever since the Charter came into effect in 1982, it has had major impact on Canadian politics and law. The Charter allows the judicial and legislative branch to be transparent and able to be holding each other accountable. Many would argue that ... of the public. Therefore, the government felt if it passed laws supporting same-sex relationships, they would face backlash from the public. This case illustrated how the constitution is the master law and protects the rights of minorities. Same-sex couples are minorities so usually laws are not going to be in their favor because it goes ... Chart...

• Word Count: 1534
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography

... other countries that they could achieve something. What they achieved was a victory of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. All four divisons of the Canadian Corps were fighting along side of British and French soldiers of The Triple Entente in Vimy Ridge. This was one of the four battles ... part in. They started a new technique called the "creeping barrage". Which come up to be effective in the battle. On the fourth day the Canadian troops broke through and took over the "Ridge". Canadians proved themselves that they had courage and that they had a purpose. Also something that was ... unfamiliar...

• Word Count: 555
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... Empire, Canada inherited the principle of legislative supremacy from the United Kingdom. This is explicit in the British North America Act of 1867, which states that Canada would have a constitution "similar in principle to that of the United Kingdom." The principle of legislative supremacy asserts that the legislative branch of government (i.e. the House of Commons and provincial legislatures) is ... laws than those enacted by the legislature. Human and civil rights were the jurisdiction of the legislatures and the Canadian courts were reluctant to interfere. In addition, Canada's con...

• Word Count: 458
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... In 1949 Canada abolished the right of appeal from Canadian courts to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in Great Britain. In 1982 the British North American Act was patriated -made Canadian- thus giving Canada the right to amend its constitution without recourse to the British Parliament. In conclusion, the Canadian Constitution today governs and directs the institutions and processes of ... government throughout the country. It originates in part from the written American Constitution but it derives in a much larger part from the ... the successful conclusion of its war of ind...

• Word Count: 3069
• Approx Pages: 12
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... April 17, 1982, when Queen Elizabeth II made her mark on the Constitution Act finally gaining Canada the independence they had longed for. The Constitution Act quickly became one of the most critical moments in Canadian history, having achieved nationhood without revolution, rebellion, or bloodshed (Internet 2). By patronizing the Constitution Act, it meant that the government of Canada would no longer have ... North America Act (BNA Act) for them (Internet 4). Trudeau and his cabinet also entrenched the Charter of Rights and Freedoms into the Constitution Act. The Charter stipulated the...

• Word Count: 4400
• Approx Pages: 18
• Grade Level: High School

... up of Canada. Immediately following the vote, Prime Minister Pierra Trudeau announced that, either with or without provincial support, he intended to make the Canadian Parliament solely responsible for Canada's constitution (Cairns 1991). Until this time, Canada's constitution, the British North America Act, had remained a legislative act of the British Parliament which had passed the necessary laws for Canada to be ... (MLA accessed 13th September 2003). Quebec had five demands that needed to be fulfilled before they could sign the 1982 Constitution with dignity and honour (Barteby acc...

• Word Count: 2748
• Approx Pages: 11
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... rights as such. There were rights if there was a provision in the Indian Act or in other legislation or in the constitution. If Canadian law had given Indians rights, Indians had rights. Treaties, on their own, had no legal force in Canadian law; aboriginal rights claims were part of an ancient dreamtime. It follows that the 1969 white paper was not surprising. The ... . (2) In this Act, "aboriginal peoples of Canada" includes the Indian, Inuit and Metis peoples of Canada. This section of the Constitution was at best ambiguous, at worst a con job. If there was no recognition of aborigina...

• Word Count: 4016
• Approx Pages: 16
• Grade Level: High School

... from Canada each element would virtually stay the same, as it was when Quebec was part of the Canadian Confederation. The Interim Constitution element described how a temporary constitution would be enacted on the day Quebec gain sovereignty until a valid constitution could be empowered. The interim constitution according to the Bill "must ensure the continuity of the democratic institutions of Quebec and of the constitutional ... of a unified Canada, the Governor in Council asked the Supreme Court of Canada to better define what legitimate powers Quebec has for secession. Briefly, those ...

• Word Count: 1389
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... the victory of the "No" forces in the Quebec Referendum on Sovereignty-Association (1980) Appointed Jean Sauve first woman speaker of the House Of Commons (1980) Canadian Charter of Rights (1982) Patriation of Canadian Constitution (Constitution Act) (1982) Appointed Jean Sauve first woman Governor-General (1984) What he considered one of the most important pieces of legislation he would sign during his tenure ... was the Official Languages Act of 1969. Perhaps the most striking part of his address to Canadian Parliament was this: During the February (1968) meeting the Constitutional .....

• Word Count: 2240
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

... an independent and sovereign nation with its own unique image. The goal of the Canadian Dominion was to gain power of law, and the ability to enforce those laws that apply to all of Canada. On March 29th/ 1982 Canada enacted the Constitution Act, gaining political independence. The Constitution Act has three main parts. One part is the Charter of rights and Freedoms ... or ethnicity has no bearing on all charters set forth to the people. Secondly the Amending Formula, This is another essential part of the Canadian Constitution; this charter gives Canada piece of mind, and the ability to...

• Word Count: 693
• Approx Pages: 3

... the House of Commons, the Senate, which was dominated by Liberals, rejected the new tax. Mulroney then used an obscure part of the Canadian Constitution to appoint new Senators who agreed to support the new tax. The GST eventually became law in 1991. After the tax came into ... taking over the oil wells in Kuwait. Mulroney's last important initiative once again involved the Canadian constitution. The Charlottetown Accord, which was approved by the Canadian provinces, tried to bring Quebec into the constitution by recognizing the province as a distinct society and also provided the provi...

• Word Count: 1705
• Approx Pages: 7

... 's North American territories was the drafting of The Royal Proclamation Act of 1763. The Proclamation is a document that lays out many new laws, provisions and codes. The Quebec constitution lye's in the Proclamation as well as colonial boundaries but the part concerning aboriginal rights lies in the introductory preamble. The preamble clearly states, "Indian nations are autonomous political ... very mention of aboriginal rights is ground breaking because it marks two significant arguments. One the acknowledgment of aboriginals in the Constitution clearly states that aboriginals are a ...

• Word Count: 2063
• Approx Pages: 8

... 1947 and the London School of Economics, 1947-1948. During his schooling at the University of Montreal, Pierre Trudeau was required to join the Canadian Officers Training Corps. He, like many of his fellow Quebecois, opposed the recruitment. Pierre Trudeau picked up a reputation as a radical and ... the Supreme Court and with Rene Levesque, but at what cost later to Canada? Trudeau was instrumental in bringing - 5 the constitution home to Canada. The Constitution Act was signed by Queen Elizabeth II in a pageantry ceremony on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on April 17, 1982. . When ... agai...

• Word Count: 2632
• Approx Pages: 11
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... provisions. All amendments focussing on political, social, and economical concerns. Over the past two decades such issues as the White Paper, the entrenchment of Aboriginal eights in the constitution, the expectations for self-government created by the Penner Report, the community-based Indian self-government initiative, the Nielsen Report, the Meech Lake Accord and the most recent Royal ... , were not correctly implemented. Such advocates maintain that the reserves were intended to protect "Indians and Indian lands," from exploitation and violation from new settlers. In addition, the Can...

• Word Count: 4905
• Approx Pages: 20
• Grade Level: Undergraduate