Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 23, 1990 TAG: 9006230182
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MONTREAL LENGTH: Medium
The agreement, which would have designated Quebec a "distinct society," had to be ratified by all 10 provinces by midnight Saturday. All but Newfoundland and Manitoba had ratified the so-called Meech Lake accord.
Newfoundland's premier, Clyde Wells, on Friday night suspended debate indefinitely on the measure, a move that effectively killed the accord, said Sen. Lowell Murray, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's top constitutional adviser.
Murray said Mulroney would address the nation of 26 million residents today.
Quebec's premier, Robert Bourassa, told his provincial legislature Friday that "the Meech Lake accord has not been ratified."
"In the name of all Quebecois, I want to express my profound disappointment," he said.
The federal government had made a last effort to save the accord through a Supreme Court extension of the deadline. Government lawyers believed that only Quebec's ratification, which took place June 23, 1987 and started the process, would expire Saturday night.
But Murray said an extension of the deadline would only have worked if preceded by a positive vote in Newfoundland, one of Canada's poorest provinces with about 500,000 residents.
Earlier, the Manitoba legislature pushed the agreement close to death when it was forced to adjourn by the lone Indian member of the assembly. The lawmaker wanted constitutional recognition of Indian tribes as distinct people.
"Manitoba did its best, but was obstructed. Premier Wells' decision to break his commitment and not hold his vote tonight killed the last hope for Meech Lake to succeed," Murray said.
In Newfoundland, Wells said he believed Meech Lake "is wrong for the long-term future of Canada and wrong for the long-term future for this province."
The five-point agreement, first approved by the prime minister and the premiers of the provinces in 1987, is aimed at winning Quebec's signature on Canada's 1982 constitution. In that year, the ministers set a three-year deadline for approval by the Parliament and legislatures.
But in the interim, governments changed in three of the provinces - Manitoba, Newfoundland and New Brunswick - and the premiers reneged on the signatures of their predecessors.
The dithering over the accord has given rise to increased nationalist sentiment in Quebec. It has been implied that if the Meech Lake accord is not ratified, Quebec, which contains one-fourth of Canada's population, will have to rethink its role in the Canadian federation.
There has been speculation Quebec may again threaten to secede from Canada.
by CNB