Posts Tagged ‘ Constitution Act 1982 ’

Warren Harding — once thought America’s worst president — wasn’t as bad as Donald Trump (and then let’s get real on Canada’s constitution again, very gradually)

Oct 15th, 2024 | By | Category: In Brief

COUNTERWEIGHTS EDITORS. GANATSEKWYAGON, ON. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2024. What to say in the midst of assorted disturbing numbers for the great cause of the free and democratic society in the USA today? Even if Michael Moore now (or still?) believes the Harris-Walz Democrats will win in the end on November 5. And more to the […]



Who is supposed to be running the Government of Canada — the federal government elected by the Canadian people or 10 provincial premiers ??

Mar 14th, 2024 | By | Category: In Brief

RANDALL WHITE, FERNWOOD PARK, TORONTO . THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2024. Last night I heard an eminent CTV host urge that many (mostly Conservative) provincial premiers want the Liberal federal government to change its carbon tax policy. Doesn’t this mean (the implication seemed to be) that the federal government should do just that? This reminded me […]



Evolution of alternative to monarchy in Canada has been in progress since 1947

Feb 2nd, 2023 | By | Category: In Brief

ONTARIO TONITE. RANDALL WHITE, FERNWOOD PARK, TORONTO, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2023. It appeared almost a month ago now. But I am still remembering Sasha Akhavi’s January 7, 2023 piece in the Toronto Star on his new legal status as a Canadian citizen. As matters stand he is also a subject of King Charles III of […]



October 2022 Quebec election like June 2022 provincial election in Ontario (in some ways at least)

Oct 6th, 2022 | By | Category: In Brief

COUNTERWEIGHTS EDITORS, GANATSEKWYAGON, ON. OCTOBER 6, 2022. We at least ought to be living in an era that is growing increasingly more aware of its own history. (In any case, we seem to be increasingly faced by key current issues with deep roots in a past we understand imperfectly at best.) Here in the Ganatsekwyagon […]



The long journey to ending the British monarchy in Canada actually began just after the Second World War

Sep 18th, 2022 | By | Category: In Brief

COUNTERWEIGHTS EDITORS, GANATSEKWYAGON, ON. SEPTEMBER 18, 2022. The extravaganza following the death of Queen Elizabeth II has been especially concentrated in the old imperial metropolis across the seas. And there as well the Queen’s state funeral tomorrow will begin at 11 AM BST (or 6 AM EDT here in North America). Whatever else, all this […]



New northern directions (and two lights that failed), 1976–1992

Dec 31st, 2019 | By | Category: Heritage Now

The middle of the summer of 1977 was not quite nine months after René Lévesque’s unsettling PQ victory in the November 1976 Quebec provincial election. And it was at this point that the Anglo-American economist and philosopher Kenneth Boulding told the 44th annual Couchiching Conference in Ontario : Canada is an “absurd country straight out […]



Walking through the last nine months of 2019 with our favourite counterweights articles (& fate of next chapter in “Democracy in Canada Since 1497”)

Dec 21st, 2019 | By | Category: In Brief

We’ve already noted our favourite counterweights articles for the first three months of this year (in “Six from the 6ix in early snow as 2019 winds down : Impeachment, Throne Speech, 1st Quarter, Birdhop at last”). We’re now ready to cover the final nine months. (And at the end of this we’ll also have a […]



Constitution Act, 1982 “severed Canadians from ancestral monarchical foundations” (no wonder PM Harper doesn’t like it!)

Apr 17th, 2012 | By | Category: In Brief

“And Barbara it’s starting to rain, very gently.” So a youthful Peter Mansbridge told David Frum’s mother – and TV viewers across Canada –  as Elizabeth II approached  the table to sign the proclamation of the Constitution Act, 1982, 30 years ago, on Saturday, April 17, 1982. The ceremony was held outdoors on Parliament Hill […]



Happy birthday Harold Innis, on the day after the night of the Canadian constitutional long knives, 1981

Nov 7th, 2011 | By | Category: Ottawa Scene

The 30th anniversary of the day after the Canadian Night of the Long Knives – when “on November 5th, 1981, a radiant Trudeau announced the deal that had been reached with the nine provinces” and a “fuming Lévesque looked on” – has already been commemorated, at various places on and off the world wide web. […]