Frampton's comments were in direct response to six questions posed by the Ontario government's questionnaire, as follows: "(1) Do you agree with the approach to strengthening Canada proposed in the Calgary framework? (2) What do you see as the values that Canadians have in common? (3) What are the diversities that make Canada special? (4) Do you agree with an acknowledgment of the diversity of Canada (i.e., English and French languages, unique character of Quebec, Aboriginal peoples, multicultural citizenry), as described in the Calgary framework? (5) Do you agree that if any future constitutional amendment gives powers to one province, these powers must be available to all provinces? (6) How can the Ontario government work together with the federal government and other provinces to serve people more efficiently and effectively?"
"It is simply not possible to unite Canada by accommodating what have become known as Quebec's traditional demands," responded Frampton. "On the contrary, this approach will only divide Canadians.
"The function of the Constitution is to specify what powers the people of Canada are willing to delegate to our governments to exercise on our behalf, and how these powers are to be exercised. The distinctiveness of our provinces is not something that applies to their governments. Rather, it is something that is found in the people who live there. However diverse the people of Canada are, they need and deserve to be treated equally under the law."
Frampton rejected outright the definition of 'diversity' as described in the Calgary framework.
"Official multiculturalism is particularly insidious," he explained. "This puts forth the very damaging idea that newcomers who come to Canada can keep their own culture and that Canadian taxpayers will pay them to do so. This concept is diametrically opposed to the strongly held Canadian tradition that newcomers should come to Canada, leave their problems and ancient hatreds in the old country, join the majority culture here, and work together to build Canada."
After equally rejecting the notion of giving one province extra "powers" not available to all provinces, Frampton concluded his submission with a call for our governments "to respect the division of powers laid down in the British North America Act (now called the Constitution Act) in 1867."
His five recommendations echoed those highlighted by Fp leader Lloyd Walker in his message to the Ontario legislature (elsewhere in this issue of Freedom Flyer).
A full copy of Frampton's 9-page official submission to the Ontario Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs' 'Ontario Speaks - A Dialogue on Canadian Unity' is available to Fp members and supporters on request. Contact us.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Page
last updated on April 28, 2002
