The Meech Lake Accord: A Historical Overview

The Meech Lake Accord, also known as the Meech Lake Accord Agreement, is a constitutional agreement signed by the Canadian government in 1987. The accord aimed to provide a set of constitutional amendments that would address the demands of the province of Quebec, which had been seeking greater autonomy and recognition of its unique cultural and linguistic identity.

The agreement was named after the scenic Meech Lake in Quebec, where the federal and provincial leaders negotiated the terms of the accord during an informal retreat.

The Meech Lake Accord was a response to the failed attempts of the federal government to gain Quebec’s agreement to the 1982 Constitution Act, which was adopted by all other provinces. The 1982 Constitution Act, which included the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, affirmed the principles of democracy, equality, and the rule of law, but it did not explicitly address Quebec’s concerns.

The Meech Lake Accord was proposed in 1987 as a way to address the constitutional issue of Quebec’s sovereignty and the recognition of its unique cultural and linguistic identity. The accord proposed five key amendments to the Canadian constitution, which would have given Quebec a greater degree of autonomy and recognition as a distinct society.

The first proposed amendment would have recognized Quebec as a “distinct society” within Canada. The second amendment proposed to recognize the existing powers of the provinces, including Quebec, to amend the constitution without the approval of the federal government. The third amendment offered greater powers to the provinces to appoint senators to the Canadian Senate. The fourth amendment proposed to limit the federal government’s spending power in areas of provincial jurisdiction. The fifth and final amendment proposed to recognize the French language as a language of work and of business in Quebec.

The Meech Lake Accord was initially met with enthusiasm among the federal and provincial leaders, and it was expected to be ratified without much opposition. However, it faced strong opposition from several groups, including Indigenous peoples who felt excluded from the process, feminist groups who opposed the recognition of Quebec’s distinct society as it reinforced patriarchal tendencies, and English-speaking Canadians who felt that the accord would further divide the country.

Despite the controversy, the Meech Lake Accord was passed by the federal government and eight of the ten provincial governments. However, it failed to gain the approval of the Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador legislatures, and it ultimately lapsed in 1990, failing to achieve the necessary unanimous agreement among the provinces.

The failure of the Meech Lake Accord was a significant setback for the government of Quebec, which continued to seek greater autonomy and recognition of its distinct society. It also highlighted the challenges of addressing complex constitutional issues in a diverse and multicultural country like Canada.

In conclusion, the Meech Lake Accord remains a significant event in Canadian history, highlighting the challenges of addressing the constitutional concerns of a diverse and multicultural society. The accord’s legacy continues to shape debates around the recognition of Quebec’s distinct society and the challenges of reconciling the interests of different groups within Canada.