Canadians either love or hate the Meech Lake accord

Another Viewpoint

Observers watching developments after the signing of the Meech Lake accord Saturday felt they were taking part in a national hangover. Everyone in Canada seemed to be a genius or crazy, a condition not unknown when nerves are frayed by too much celebrating. There were no in-between feelings in the aftermath of the Ottawa signature party. You either loved the deal made in the accord or you hated it.

In Canada’s case it was the culmination of a grinding, seven-day, 80-hour bash in which the nation’s 11 first ministers were battered and threatened. The one thing everyone seemed to agree on was that the closed-door debate process was horrible. Everyone said “never again.”

Changing the constitution in Canada is a national pastime. It’s right up there with hockey and the Stanley Cup.

One doubts the Meech accord with its recognition of Quebec as a “distinct society” will change very much. Many French-speaking Canadians really consider Quebec “their country.” They say that what’s left over is merely an illusion built around a railroad. English-speaking Canadians will argue with you about that.

Quebec feels threatened by the rest of Canada and the rest of Canada feels threatened by the United States. Maybe that’s what’s behind all the constitutional instability. If Quebec went its own way, the Canada that remained would feel even more vulnerable alongside the U.S.

The instability that that produced at last week’s emotional, roller-coaster Meech talks is bound to resurface again.

Lucien Bouchard, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney’s Quebec lieutenant and federal minister of environment who defected recently to Quebec’s separatist cause, said Monday that the concessions wrung by Quebec in Meech Lake were “only the beginning.”

Bouchard may be right. Anyone who doesn’t believe Quebec will come back eventually with more independence-tilted demands hasn’t been paying attention. There doesn’t seem to be any end to it.

Some Meech Lake critics watched the signing and called it “the victory of a thousand cuts,” meaning Quebec was slashing away at Canada by the inch. Other critics compared it to Munich.

Quebec’s separatist and others have threatened to split Canada and form a new nation if the accord dies. The 1987 accord was drafted to woo Quebec into signing Canada’s 1982 constitution and becoming part of the federal process.

Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa said after the accord’s signing he was not putting the Canadian flag back in Quebec’s National Assembly. He seemed to be crowing. He went to Ottawa determined to give in on nothing. He walked away victorious. He joined Canada’s national anthem at the signature ceremony and declared his patriotism. He also made it clear the purpose of Meech Lake was to get Quebec’s needs satisfied, not those of everyone else. He said he got what he came for, “yes, totally.”

Then you have Premier Clyde Wells of Newfoundland. Wells has what used to be called intestinal fortitude. He was the only one of the Meech Lake conference’s first ministers who insisted to the end that Canada as a nation came first, “always, always, always.”

Wells said he recognized Quebec as a “distinct society.” But he said, in effect, the accord put Quebec’s needs above Canada’s, doing justice neither to Quebec nor to Canada. He refused to oppose or accept the accord, saying his signature, which he gave, was conditional upon approval by the people of his province.

Required ratification of Meech Lake by New Brunswick and Manitoba legislatures by the June 23 deadline doesn’t seem to be a problem.

It’s really up to Newfoundland.

Wells was to decide Monday whether to seek approval of the accord by referendum or a free vote in the Newfoundland Legislature. A referendum, Wells said, would require extending the June 23 Meech deadline. That probably would require approval by the other provinces. Nova Scotia’s John Buchannan said he doubted an extension could be arranged.

Bourassa said flatly he wouldn’t go for an extension.

It looked like Canadians were off on another roller-coaster ride.

Wells finally opted for a Meech Lake ratification vote in his legislature, admitting he could not get the deadline extended and there was no time for a referendum.

The premiers and Mulroney said before signing the accord that the description of Quebec as a “distinct society” as defined in the accord was left intact. The ministers elected to accept and read into the Meech conference record a legal opinion of some of Canada’s top jurists. The opinion stated that:

Canada’s Charter of Rights is subject to “reasonable limits as prescribed in a free and democratic society.”

Rights and freedoms in the charter are not infringed or denied by Quebec’s distinct society.

The distinct society clause does not confer any new powers on the parliament or the legislature of Quebec.

Dean Rhodes is chief of the NEWS Central Aroostook Bureau.