Similarities Between Charter Rights And Quebec's Need For A Distinct Culture

Perhaps the most unsettle period in Canadian political history, the Quebec Referendum of 1980 and a vote to the remain part of Canada, led Ottawa to initiate a balancing program to promote Charter Rights, while protecting Quebec’s language and culture. The Meech Lake and the Charlottetown Accord were developed to address this situation. However, through a compare and contrast it can be deduced that the Charlottetown Accord provided the best balance for Charter Rights and Quebec’s need for a distinct society clause.

During the 1960’s Quebec began to argue that it was a distinct society due to their language, culture and history. The Quebecois therefore argued that this claim was valid and its status be indicated in the constitution. Interestingly, the concept of a distinct society has received a mixed reaction from Canadians. Most often, they argue that every province is distinct from another, since their culture, population and regional values and custom all differ from the other provinces in the Confederation. However, the claim that validates Quebec’s notion as a distinct society is their language. Afterall, both accords address the distinct society clause as the link to the fact that Quebec is the only province that has a francophone majority population (textbook Pp.558). Moreover, they both indicate that the it is in the provincial government of Quebec’s interest to protect and promote the French language (textbook Pp.558).

The reformed constitution is organized around three principles that oppose the recognition of Quebec as a distinct society (textbook Pp.457). The first principle indicates that the equality of all Canadians citizens, second indicates the equality of all cultures and cultural origins in Canada and third the equality of the 10 provinces of