Charlottetown Accord (1992)

The Charlottetown Accord was a proposed agreement among the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, along with Indigenous groups, to amend parts of the Constitution Act of 1982. The act contained the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, recognition of the rights of Indigenous peoples, respect for the multicultural heritage of Canadians, a procedure for amending the constitution, and amendments to the BNA Act of 1867. The accord had the support of the three federal parties as well as that of the provincial premiers, and a nationwide referendum was planned for 26 Oct. 1992 to approve the proposals, which had not been the case for the failed Meech Lake Accord of 1987. Former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau was a vocal critic. He objected to collective rights and the hierarchy of those rights that gave francophone Quebecers special status. In a memorable evening at La Maison Egg Roll in the Saint-Henri district of Montreal, Trudeau explained to supporters of Cité Libre why he believed that Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and the premiers had created “a mess that deserves a big NO.” Immediately after his intervention, backing for the accord dropped significantly in English Canada. When the referendum was held, the accord was defeated in Quebec and failed to obtain the necessary level of support in English Canada.