Making of the Charter: The Numbers
Making of the Charter: The Numbers
THE NUMBERS:
- According to the Library of Parliament, the 1980-81 Special Joint Committee on the Constitution of Canada received 962 written submissions: 639 from individuals and 323 from groups. Half of the group submissions were mainly requests to appear in person.
- There were 106 meetings across 56 days — a total of 267 hours and 3 minutes by February 1981.
- Ninety-five groups and five individuals testified. The New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I., Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, and Yukon governments provided testimony. Provincial parties also appeared: Alberta’s Social Credit and NDP, the Saskatchewan Progressive Conservatives, and Quebec’s Union Nationale.
- Justice Minister Jean Chrétien and Solicitor General Robert Kaplan both appeared at nine meetings.
Which committee members attended the most meetings?
| Serge Joyal, Liberal MP for Hochelaga–Maisonneuve, Que. | 68 |
| Ron Irwin, Liberal MP for Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. | 61 |
| Eymard Corbin, Liberal MP for Madawaska–Victoria, N.B. | 59 |
| Robert Bockstael, Liberal MP for Saint Boniface, Man. | 58 |
| Bryce Mackasey, Liberal MP for Lincoln, Ont. | 58 |
| Lorne Nystrom, NDP MP for Yorkton–Melville, Sask. | 58 |
-Andrew Thomson