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PAGE 8, WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 20. 1980, WHITBY FREE PRESS Ottawa Report By SCOTT FENNELL, MP (PC - ONTARIO) As I mentioned in last week's column, over the past 20 years, Canada's BNA Act has been in a state of almost continuai review-so far without mnuch succcss. This time, though, the pressure seems to be on and the Canadians may weil find themselves wîth a new constitution in a couple of years. Wlth the Firat Minister's conference coming Up in Septem- ber, federal and provincial representatives spent thc summer negotiating and compromising. Much of their discussion Alan J. RisenB.A.,LL.B formerly a partnor In the Iaw tlrm of Af fleck, Risen & Sosna wlshes to announce the openlng of his new off ice at Lord Slmcoe Place, Suite 1C 57 Slmcoe St. S. Oshawa, Ontario 571-3942 Preferred area of practice In criminal law. British North America Act under continuai review over the years lu «C et od f fg tîg#*"C'*an LI CL.10 M A t m i im O» N D AV^AMA tm f sAT T fi 0flAUITMlOWliMAYT MU AU SIAiIA& AT ^yAtLOCATN>d COURTICE ALUIN PHARMACY I BAILEY IDA PHARMACYI SHORTS IDA PHARMACY 117 Brock St. N. 362 Brock St. S. 65 Baldwin St. MHTY68294 _WHITBY 668-2100 BROOKLIN 655-3301 focused on a list of 12 "priorities" for a new constitution, a list drawn up by the federal government. One of them, patriation, was discussed last week. There we'i liook at those reforms Ot- tawa wants at the federal level. SENATE: Nowadays, it's difficuit to find many vocal sup- porters of Uic Senate. Originaily meant to bàlance provincial interests against those of Uic popularly-eiected House of Commons, few could admit Uiat Uic Senate has successfully spoken out for Uic regions. Without a doubt, Uic Senate does boast some incredibly cx- perienced and knowledgable persons who produce weil- reasoned critiques of governinent proposais. Yet, this same task lis also' performed by 'Task Forces and Royal Com- missions, wiUi about the same impact. BoUi the PC's and the Liberals put forUi similar formulas for revamping Uic Upper House and making it truly a forum for federai-provinciai relations. They include allowing Uic provinces to appoint ail, or at least Uic majority of Uic mcm- bers for Uic new Chamber and then giving this group some real clout to deal wiUi federal issues affecting Uic provinces. With proper planning, the new Senate could help improve IDENTURE THERAPY CLINIC HARWOOD PLACE MALL 683 *6074 Joanna Margaret Van Dewali, 122 Hilcrest Dr., Wbitby, bas been named to the Dean's Honor List of Georgian Coilege 0f Appiied Arts and Technology. A graduate 0f the Creative Art III Program at the Barrie Campus, she is one of 57 students placed on the iist from over 600 graduates of Georgian Coliege this ycar. The distinction is awarded to top students who achicved a first ciass honors, average of 80 % or above. She is a graduate of Anderson Coliegiate Vocational In- stitute. relations betwcen Uic provinces and Ottawa. SUPREME COURT: Like Senators, Supreme Court Justices are often criticized for belng federal appointees. As Uic Court responsible for interpreting and re-lnterpreting Uic con- stitution, the provinces sec it as a basicaily federal body, not representative of widcr intcrests. (Even Uiough Uhc pattern os Supreme Court decisions over Uic years bas favoured Uic provinces, in politlcs its often Uic perception, raUicr than Uic facts, which count.) Necdless to say, Uic most recent suggestions on reform bave supported provincial input into Court appointments. In ad- dition, Uic federal Liberals generaily favour more represen- tation on the bcnch from Quebec and entrenching Uic Court in Uic constitution. Right now, Uiche Supreme Court exists only as an Act of Parliament. CHARTER OR RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS: John Diefen- baker's Bill of Rights was neyer made a part of Uic con- stitution. It remnains only anoUier Act of Parliament and Acts can be amcndcd or even rcpealed. By enshrining Uic prin- cipies 0f civil and polîtical rightsin a new BNA Act, they would be binding on both the federai and provincial governments. In an era of incrcasîng government involvement In people's lives, a charter like Uiis wouid proteet Uic individual from cx- cesses of an expanding bureaucracy and help discipline Uic power of Uic state. One particular aspect of Uic charter concept is quite con- troversiai: language rights. Intended to ensure "lequal respect" tbroughout Uic contry for boUi officiai languages, in practice Uic charter would provide for education and ýother services in Uic second language wherevcr in Canada Uic num- bers warranted. In Uic opinion of some 0f Uic provinces, a Charter of Rights and Freedoms is secondary, if not irrelevent, to the more fun- damental questions of resource ownership and equalization. Since Trudeau has already said Uiat Uic Charter cannot be "traded-off " for other concessions to tbe provinces, Uic room to negotiate has already diminished. Next wcek: Tbe Resource Issue. Dean 's honor list Nature fashioned the WiId Oak - let fbo- LV1l2 QÀI fashion yourhm 14 Albert St., Oshawa 576-4370 on our entire floor stock of home fumishings