The Two Ambitious Attempts at Constitutional Change That Will Be Forever Linked to Mulroney’s Name

Commentary The death of Brian Mulroney, the 18th Prime Minister of Canada, will remind Canadians of many things—his evisceration of John Turner in a televised debate (“you had an option, sir!”), his gigantic 1984 electoral victory, the introduction of the GST, the negotiation of a free trade pact with the United States, and his work to muster international support against South African apartheid. But it is most likely that his name will be forever linked to two ambitious attempts that ultimately didn’t bear fruit: the Meech Lake Accord and the Charlottetown Accord. The controversial patriation of the Canadian Constitution in 1982, engineered by Pierre Trudeau and a coalition of provincial premiers, had left a sour taste in the mouth of many Québecois. They felt that their province’s uniqueness and special place in Confederation had been slighted by the new arrangement. Premier Bourassa demanded that in order to win his province’s approval, Quebec would have to be given recognition of its distinct status, a veto over constitutional changes, and controls over immigration and Supreme Court appointments....