Prime Minister Unveils Exhibit
Tracing Canada's Constitutional Evolution

May 1, 2000
Ottawa, Ontario

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien today unveiled an exhibition entitled Canada: Milestones in Our Constitutional Evolution which traces Canada's development from a colony to a modern, diverse nation of 10 provinces and 3 territories spanning half a continent.

"This exhibit will give Canadians a deeper understanding and appreciation of our constitutional heritage," said the Prime Minister. "These historic documents tell our incredible story and reflect our cherished values of freedom and respect for minority rights. They tell how we have built a small colony into one of the seven major industrialized democracies of the world and model for tolerance, generosity and compassion. I encourage Canadians to come out to see it in person or to check it out on the Internet."

The Prime Minister unveiled the exhibition in the presence of the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Honourable Gilbert Parent and the Speaker pro tempore of the Senate, the Honourable Rose-Marie Losier-Cool. It is located in the Hall of Honour of the Centre Block on Parliament Hill, and features documents from the National Archives' wide collection of records that are of historical significance to Canada and to Canadians. It spans over three centuries of Canada's history, from the creation of the Sovereign Council of Quebec in 1663 to the entry into Confederation of Canada's newest territory, Nunavut, in 1999.

The exhibition was conceived by the Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet, Mel Cappe, and it is the result of a collaborative effort with the National Archives of Canada, the Canada Information Office, the Senate and the House of Commons.

An Internet based exhibition has also been set up by the National Archives (www.archives.ca) to allow all Canadians, especially youth, to have access to these documents and learn about an important aspect of Canada's history.

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