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22 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, April 10, 1990 Report from Ottawa J Stevenson speaks on Meech Lake Accord by Ross Stevenson, M.P. Durham There have been occasions late- ly when one had to wonder whether people really, honestly meant what they were saying. In all the discussions about our Constitution .and the proposed amendments to it through the Meech Lake Accord, one hears voices suggesting that the break- up of our country through Quebec's separation is an accep- table option for Canadians. pacreonally I just cannot believe at. HOWEY KITCHEN DESIGNS 112 SCUGOG ST., PORT PERRY authorized dealer of ARTCRAFT KITCHENS on display. from April 6th to 15th, in the "1990 Dream Home" at the National Home Show Since it was first drafted three years ago, the Meech Lake Ac- cord has been acting as a lightn- ing rod for a great many real and imagined grievances across Canada. Much opposition centres on the Accord's provision for "the recognition that Quebec .con- 985-8722 We've got designs on your new kitchen! t Artcraft, kitchen designisan art in itself. Whether your style is the sleek, modern look of European-inspired laminates With our professional design service, or the traditional warmth of fine-grained at a very competitive price. hardwoods, an Artcraft kitchen brings Artcraft's 25 years of solid crafts- your ideas to life. manship is your assurance of a lifetime of quality. 3 NO-WAX FLOORING ON ARMSTRONG CANDIDE VINYL OM 1 STD 0-2) Save $3.00 per sq.yard we can help create your new kitchen from a spectrum of colours, finishes, textures and trims. And, with the latest European technology, we deliver it all arteraft |kitechens® The art of creative kitchens Also introducing the new ... Candide Finesse a unique combination of fas ~ at an affordable hion and function price. stitutes within Canada a distinct society." I must confess to being puzzled at why this 'distinct society" clause makes so many people so troubled. It does not give Quebec any new powers. It simply recognizes, as did the British North America Act which created Canada in 1867, that Quebec has a different language - and thus a . different culture - than the rest of the country. This distinctiveness was established well over 200 years ago. Britain's Quebec Act of 1774 recognized the rights of French- speaking Canadians to their own language and religion. Another clause in the same part of the Accord states: 'Nothing in this section derogates from the powers, rights or privileges of Parliament or the Government of Canada, or of the legislatures or governments of the provinces, in- cluding any powers, rights or privileges relating to language." So, in fact, Quebec receives no powers different from those of the other provinces. Alberta's Premier Don Getty, one of those who signed the Ac- cord in 1987, declared in a recent interview: "I would not sign a document that gave another pro- vince special status over our" province." If this leaves you wondering why so many are arguing so vehemently over the 'distinct society" provision - so am I! As one Ottawa observer commented a couple of weeks ago! "The coun- try could be cracking up over a case of mistaken identity." Last month a national opinion poll showed that while there was at best lukewarm support for the Accord across Canada, an amaz- ing 53 per cent of those interview- ed admitted to knowing little or nothing about it. As Iseeit, approving the Meech Lake Accord and any parallel agreements would simply com- plete the process for adopting our own Constitution which started in the early 1980's. Quebec was left out at that time, and did not sign the agreement leading to the Con- stitution Act in 1982. Obviously, if . we are to have a national Con- stitution, all provinces must be participants. Even Pierre Trudeau admitted on CBC's 'The Journal' that everything in the Accord had previously been pro-\ posed by him prior to the 1982 Constitution agreement. In the spring of 1987, the Prime Minister and the 10 provincial premiers -- each of them elected representatives of the people - met at Meech Lake, north of Ot- tawa, and agreed on the Accord through which Quebec would become a full partner in the Constitution. 1 Over the succeeding three years the Meech Lake Accord has become the focus for dissatisfac- tion over a number of important issues - everything from regional disparities to aboriginal rights. While the Accord has nothing to do with Quebec's new language law for signs, it has proved a han- dy whipping boy for many who are about that regretable legislation - legislation permitted under the "notwithstanding" clause in Section 33 of our 1982 Constitution. Like the great majority of Canadians, my own family were immigrants. They came here in 1817 in seargh of a better life, and . I'm eternally grateful that they did. I am proud of Canada - pro- ud of its traditions, and excited by its future. I am equally proud of the linguistic duality which is part of the ge history, heritage and culture of this country. - Putting this coun ther in 1867 took mabseive Ameen , massive amounts 'of compromise, tolerance, and understanding. We've solved other es to our unity since then. It is extremely difficult'to believe that any Canadians now are prepared to let this country come apart because of a guiafn that can be resolved with mordof that tolerance and understanding. That resolution can be secured without giving special powerssto any province or group, if we all just think and act like Canadians. (The Meech Lake Accord is a brief document, only nine pages long. I have a limited number of copies of the text, along with a nine page introduction. These can be obtained, while they last, by phoning my Constituency Office. In the Oshawa area the phone number is 571-5430. From elsewhere in Durham constituen- cy, ask the Operator for Zenith 9-6130). PAUL VAN CAMP Chartered Accountant 204 Casimir St. 985-9725 PORT PERRY LIL 187 * INCOME TAX * FINANCIAL PLANNING * Running Boards * Window Tinting * * Truck Caps * Box Liners VAN & TRUCK WORLD Cs aon * SMALL BUSINESS ATE i A GG ve Ron a 2 2 Reg. $29.95 per sq.yard 26.95 s NOW ......... per sq.yard o I I to comme | home With Coupon. Sale ends Sat., April 20/90 | Le on on oe == = ooo] 1670 SIMCOE ST. N. ~ OSHAWA, ONTARIO (416) 579-6868 HWY. 36 & MOUNT HOPE ST 328-2846 LINDSAY, ONTARIO (705)