Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs, 1988Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs, 1988
The Canadian Annual Review has long been praised for its excellence. Known for its accuracy, readability, and insight, it offers a synoptic appraisal of the year's crises, controversies, and developments from both federal and provincial perspectives.
Compiled by corps of Canadian scholars and experts, it offers both a concise, convenient record of the year?s events and an authoritative appraisal of developments.
It happened in 1990: the Meech Lake Accord collapsed; the GST entered our lexicon and threatened to invade our wallets; the Oka stand-off pushed the crisis in native affairs into the spotlight.
Featuring essays on Parliament and politics, Ottawa and the provinces, and external affairs and defence, theCanadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs provides a comprehensive account of the year's events.
The Canadian Annual Review has long been praised for its excellence. Known for its accuracy, readability, and insight, it offers a synoptic appraisal of the year's crises, controversies, and developments from both federal and provincial perspectives.
This is the indispensable reference work for all concerned with Canadian public affairs. Compiled by corps of Canadian scholars and experts, it offers both a concise, convenient record of the year?s events and an authoritative appraisal of developments.
Canadian politics and public affairs were dominated in 1988 by the question of free trade with the United States. The Free Trade Agreement was formally signed by Prime Minister Mulroney and President Reagan on 2 January and the implementing legislation was finally passed by the Senate and became law on 30 December. In between these dates the FTA proved to be the defining issue of the year.
Another enduring issue was that of constitutional reform, and specifically the Meech lake Accord. The greatest controversy arising from the accord concerned the relationship between equal rights under the Charter and the provisions recognizing Quebec as a distinct society. Language policy was a significant theme of the year; Bill 101 gave way to Bill 178's 'not withstanding clause,' which banned exterior bilingual signs but permitted interior bilingual signs under certain circumstances. The federal government passed a revised Official Languages Act, which gave rise to separate legislation in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and the Yukon.
Overall the economy was good, though there were indications of troubles to come. Although native peoples issues were eclipsed by the focus on Quebec, during the year two major land claims were settled. A Supreme Court decision which nullified federal legislation on abortion thrust this issue prominently forward. There was little progress on the most prominent environmental issue - aid rain. At the United Nations, Canada succeeded in its efforts to win election to another two-year term on the Security Council, for the fifth time in its history.
As the Canadian Annual Review makes clear, much more occurred in 1988 than the FTA debate and the eventual adoption of the implementing legislation. Nevertheless 1988 will be remembered as a year that the Canadian people took a leap of faith; future years will demonstrate whether that faith was warranted.
It happened in 1990: the Meech Lake Accord collapsed; the GST entered our lexicon and threatened to invade our wallets; the Oka stand-off pushed the crisis in native affairs into the spotlight.
Featuring essays on Parliament and politics, Ottawa and the provinces, and external affairs and defence, the Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs provides a comprehensive account of the year's events.
The Canadian Annual Review has long been praised for its excellence. Known for its accuracy, readability, and insight, it offers a synoptic appraisal of the year's crises, controversies, and developments from both federal and provincial perspectives.
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- [Toronto, Ont.] : University of Toronto Press, 1995.
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