Xref: utzoo can.politics:1976 can.francais:73
Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!julian!uwovax!36_5130
From: 36_5130@uwovax.uwo.ca (Kinch)
Newsgroups: can.politics,can.francais
Subject: Re: Notwithstanding clause -- truly a sad day for Canada
Message-ID: <1124@uwovax.uwo.ca>
Date: 19 Dec 88 21:14:56 GMT
References: <1988Dec13.133220.28851@lsuc.uucp> <4321@hcr.UUCP> <809@auvax.UUCP> <230@electro.UUCP> <2521@looking.UUCP>
Lines: 47
Organisation: University of Western Ontario, Canada

In article <2521@looking.UUCP>, brad@looking.UUCP (Brad Templeton) writes:
> The decision to use the famous notwithstanding clause to me marks one of
> the worst events in Canadian political history.

This statement bares repeating!

> Today, this hope is dashed.  You may call this a 'slippery-slope' argument,
> but I believe that this precedent will make it much easier for other
> violations of the chater to be entrenched in law.

Indeed! I would have put money down (though not alot) that NO
government would have the guts to use this very disgusting clause.
Although I agree with the courts ruling I would have been quite
willing to go along with it if it had been otherwise. That is what our
courts and judicial system is for! By using this damn clause Bourassa
has shown his contempt for the whole system! 

> 
> The sign law was stupid and the courts agreed.  You should be able to
> have a sign in Japanese, Swahili or rot13 code if you want to.  Certainly
> in one of Canada's official languages.
> 
I just wonder how they would feel if Ontario said that English only
signs were allowed outside. While the rest of the country is (slowly)
becomming bilingual (or at least accepting French more) Quebec thumbs
its collective nose at us. I think that they have done themselves NO
favours with this unprecedented move! 




> We should scrap Meech Lake.  

We should have anyway!

> A province that would do this over something
> as trivial as the control of signs deserves no place in the constitution
> of this country.  That's how strongly I feel about this.
> -- 

I can't agree with this, Quebec deserves a place. An EQUAL place as
the rest of the provinces have! Unfortunatly they want a bigger piece
than any other, this is unacceptable!

> Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software Ltd.  --  Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473

Dave Kinchlea	          Kinch@uwovax.uwo.ca