Canada’s Unions Take Aim at Corporate Greed and the Cost-of-Living Crisis at the 31st Constitutional Convention - Canadian Labour Congress

Prime Minister Mark Carney says he is “open” to amending the Canadian constitution to deal with major questions of structural change but only where there is strong “consensus” in the country. OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney says he is “open” to amending the Canadian constitution to deal with major questions of structural change but only where there is strong “consensus” in the country. In little-noticed comments during a podcast interview with host Ryan Jespersen, the prime minister addressed how he intends to respond to Alberta’s concerns, and why he advocated for voters to reject a future binding independence referendum, along with urging them to say “no to the nine” other questions and vote against Premier Danielle Smith’s other proposals for change.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s counterparts across the country are keeping their cards close to their chest on where they stand on the major constitutional reforms Smith is sending to a provincewide vote next month. Smith’s four proposals, three of which would likely require the support of seven legislatures representing over half of Canada’s population (known as the 7/50 rule) and Parliament to implement, are among 10 questions she’s putting to Albertans on Oct. 19. Her ideas, in brief, are: to abolish the Senate; let Alberta, not Ottawa, pick provincial King’s Bench and Court of Appeal judges; allow Alberta to opt out of federal programs without losing the associated funding; and to give provincial laws standing over Ottawa’s when jurisdictional disputes occur. Smith’s government concedes on its referendum website that abolishing the Senate, which would require unanimous cross-country support and the support of the Senate itself, is going to be a non-starter for other political leaders. Story continues below advertisement