Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs 1982

Canada passed a major political milestone in 1982 with the patriation of its constitution. There were two snags that held up the passage of the Canada Act in the British Parliament: the challenge from Quebec that the accord was unconstitutional since it negated Quebec's right to veto any constitutional change, and the objection of native groups that Britain retained responsibility for treaty rights and could not approve a bill that violated those rights. However, the third reading of the bill was approved 25 March. Britain had relinquished its responsibility for Canadian constitutional law. Economic matters preoccupied Parliament and the Canadian people for much of the year, beginning with legislation neede to give effect to the budget introduced by Finance Minister Allan MacEachen the previous November. When the budget was widely criticized, the government introduced a new budget in June introducing voluntary wage and price guidelines - the 'six and five' campaign. For two weeks in March, Parliament has an unplanned recess when Conservative members kept the House of Commons waiting for an adjournment vote in protest over the government's introduction of energy legislation in the form of an omnibus bill.