Trudeau was determined that this round of talks would succeed, unlike others. A few weeks later, as another federal-provincial conference was set to take place, the provinces presented Trudeau and his cabinet with a new set of demands. In April 1981, the opposing Premiers allied themselves into the so-called "Gang of Eight."" They agreed to patriation on condition that the Charter was dropped and the federal amending formula was replaced by one in which any province could opt out of any constitutional amendment with full financial compensation. (Internet 2).
Chrétien had always refused to sacrifice Québec's veto, even at the cost of alienating other provinces, because he felt it was important as a safeguard and a symbol for Québeckers. In response, Trudeau shocked the provinces and announced that he was prepared to take unilateral action and go to Britain without the provinces to demand patriation of the Constitution. Chrétien, however, was the mastermind behind this plan, citing the following in his 1985 autobiography Straight From the Heart:.
It stated that the unilateral action of the federal government was legal .
but offensive to the traditional "convention- of getting provincial .
consent for constitutional amendments. My staff and I jumped on the.
word "legal- and dismissed the rest of what it said. (Chrétien 181).
Sterling Lyon, Premier of Manitoba said, "If you do that, you're going to tear the country apart."" Trudeau responded with one of the most captivating quotes in Canadian history:.
If the country is going to be torn apart because we bring back from.
Britain our own Constitution after 115 years of Confederation, and .
because we have asked for a Canadian Charter of Rights [and .
Freedoms], then the country deserves to be torn up."" (Internet 3).
Ultimately, the Supreme Court of Canada unanimously held that such a move would do injury to constitutional custom so Trudeau subsequently backed off (Internet 3).
