From: thood@corvus.matrox.com (Thomas Hood)
Newsgroups: can.politics
Subject: The tentative agreement of August 19th
Date: 20 Aug 92 17:27:49 GMT
Organization: Matrox Ltd.

The first ministers' agreement-in-principle of August 19th is
the first agreement since the Meech Lake accord which looks like
it could pass.

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The essential points:

42 fewer senators: 6 senators/province, 1 senator/territory

42 more M.Ps: 18 more for Ontario & Quebec, 4 for B.C., 2 for Alberta 

Commons closer to rep-by-pop except Quebec guaranteed >= 25% of seats!

Senate votes simple majority; veto only over natural resource taxes
  and over legislation related to the French language and culture (which
  must be passed by a "double" majority); other Senate/Commons
  disagreements resolved in joint sessions (62 senators versus 337 M.Ps.)
  perhaps after a delay.

Senators elected either by the public in a General Election, OR by the
   provincial legislature!

Each province gets veto over composition of Senate.

The narrowly-defined version of the distinct-society clause.

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Comments:

Parliament would have the same number of seats in total.

Quebec would have the same number of seats -- about 25% of them.

The power of the Senate would be legitimate, but drastically reduced.

That power would be wielded by the provincial government in each province
  where the legislature elects the province's senators!

No progress is reported on defining aboriginal self-government, but
  Merdredi is demanding carte-blanche and threatening "direct action".

Transfer of powers to provinces has not yet been decided, but Quebec
  has demanded:  Environment, Manpower training, and Communications.

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My analysis:

The regions have gained little with this Senate.  It will have only
symbolic power.  The veto over natural resource taxes is a perfect
example of fighting the last war.

Quebec has gained a huge concession: an immediate increase in
its representation in the House of Commons (which will still be the
chamber with almost all the power) and a guarantee that it will never
decrease.  Astounding!

There is every indication that English Canada will grow in population
faster than Quebec (despite that equally amazing guarantee of Quebec
getting 25-30% of immigrants), and that non-Quebecers will become
underrepresented in the rep-by-pop chamber in years to come -- perhaps
grossly underrepresented.

Furthermore, Quebec's senators will now effectively represent the
Government of Quebec in Ottawa.  Amazing!

Along with the narrowly-defined distinct society clause, limits
on federal spending in areas of provincial jurisdiction, and whatever
powers can be extracted from the feds today, these are the
concessions Bourassa has demanded for calling off the referendum on
independence.  He seems to be in a strong position.  The whole
Quebec political class is working a good-cop/bad-cop sting that
non-Quebecers have not fully countered.

--
Thomas Hood                                                    thood@matrox.com
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