NADAAF
POLITICAL: INTERNAL
IN CONFIDENCE
COUNTRY BRIEF : CANADA
1. Progressive Conservative Party Government under Mr Mulroney since September 1984 (bringing to an end 21 years of almost unbroken. Liberal Government). Mulroney re-elected with reduced majority in 1988; campaign based almost solely on US/Canada Free Trade Agreement see below. The Federal Parliament also contains representatives of Liberal (middle of the road) and New Democratic parties (broadly, Socialist). Differences between Progressive Conservatives and Liberals have in the past been more cultural and geographical
than ideological.
2.
At the time of writing, the PCP stand at 17% in the opinion polls; the Liberals at 50% (Jean Chretien won the party leadership election on 23 June in the first ballot) and the DP at 258.
DOMESTIC AGENDA
Constitutional Questions
3.
The Meech Lake Accord of 1987 was designed to bring Quebec
into the Constitution and quell Quebec separatism. But if failed to be ratified by the 23 June deadline following opposition from New Brunswick, Manitoba and Newfoundland as well as others in Canada who objected to Quebec being given "distinct society" status and retaining discriminatory language laws. Meech Lake is now dead. Increased polarisation which arose from the debate on the Accord has left the anglophone and francophone communities less comfortable with each other than they have been for a decade. Secession by Quebec is openly discussed. There has been a cooling off period during the summer, but the likely outcome of future discussions on
constitutional issues is far from clear.
4.
Meanwhile, the native population has shown by demonstrations, particularly in Quebec, that it represents another dimension in
IN CONFIDENCE
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.