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Provincial Equality, Special Status and the Compact Theory of Canadian Confederation*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 November 2009

Abstract

Historically, Canadian Confederation was both a compact of equal provinces and a compact of founding peoples, which established the province of Quebec in order to conserve French-Canadian culture in its historic homeland. This observation suggests a solution to the apparent conflict between the principle of provincial equality and the demand for special status for Quebec. The appearance of conflict arises from the habit of equating constitutional status with legislative power. If one distinguishes between status and power, it becomes possible to preserve the constitutional equality of the provinces while according special powers to the government of Quebec in furtherance of its unique historic purpose.

Résumé

À l'origine, la confédération canadienne constituait à la fois un pacte entre provinces égales et un pacte entre deux peuples fondateurs. Elle instituait la province de Québec afin d'assurer la préservation de la culture canadienne-française dans son berceau historique. Cette constatation nous amène à concevoir un début de solution au conflit apparent entre le principe de l'égalité des provinces et la quête d'un statut distinct pour le Québec au sein de la fédération. L'apparence de conflit provient de l'habituelle absence de distinction entre le statut constitutionnel et le pouvoir législatif d'une entité étatique. Si l'on distingue le statut constitutionnel du pouvoir législatif, il devient alors possible de préserver l'égalité constitutionnelle des provinces tout en accordant des pouvoirs spéciaux au gouvernement du Québec qui soient en conformité avec son objectif historique particulier, à savoir la préservation de sa culture francophone.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Political Science Association (l'Association canadienne de science politique) and/et la Société québécoise de science politique 1999

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