The Bill on the regional veto

The bill on the regional veto that will be tabled in the House of Commons will require the consent of Quebec, Ontario and the Atlantic and Western regions before any constitutional amendment can be proposed in Parliament by the Government of Canada.

Currently, only the House of Commons has an absolute veto over any constitutional amendment. The bill guarantees Quebec, Ontario and the Atlantic and Western regions a general veto over any constitutional amendment in areas where they do not already have an absolute veto or a right of withdrawal. This veto will apply to changes to national institutions such as the Senate, the creation of new provinces and any amendments regarding the distribution of powers.

Under the bill, a constitutional amendment will have to receive the consent of at least six provinces, including Quebec, Ontario, two provinces from the Atlantic region representing more than 50% of that region's population and two provinces from the Western region representing more than 50% of the West's population, before it can be proposed to Parliament. The federal government could not proceed to table an amendment if one of the four regions refused to give its consent, even if seven provinces (or more) representing 50% of Canada's population passed resolutions in favour of the amendment.

The consent of the provinces and the regions will be able to be expressed in various forms: by direct notice, by a vote in the legislative assemblies, or by referendum.

The bill does not amend the Canadian Constitution. Nevertheless, an act of the federal Parliament is a serious measure. This law will become part of Canada's consolidated statutes and will be binding on the current government and on succeeding governments.

In tabling this bill, the Government of Canada is keeping its commitment to Quebecers and ensuring them increased protection within the Canadian federation. Moreover, the Government of Canada also recognizes that the constitutional amendment process is of interest to all parts of the country. That is why the federal government is lending its veto to the four regions of the country.

Now is not the time to hold a series of constitutional discussions, because the Government of Quebec is unequivocally devoted to its secessionist option. If the conditions were to change that is, were Quebec and the other regions to agree, the veto proposed by this bill could be incorporated into the Constitution.