Letter from Premier Peter Lougheed to Sam Sinclair, President Metis Association of Alberta. “provisions be considered for inclusion in the Revised Canadian Constitution:” (20 November 1981)
Document Information
Date: 1981-11-20
By: The Chiefs Constitution Committee
Citation: TBA
Other formats: TBA (903)
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403/427-2251
Legislative Building Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5K 2B7
November 20th, 1981
Mr. Sam Sinclair President, Metis Association of Alberta
12750 – 127 Street
Edmonton, Alberta
Dear Mr. Sinclair:
You have expressed to us a concern with the results of the November 5th, 1981 Constitutional Accord, which deleted a positive statement with regard to aboriginal rights. I explained to you that this occurred because the provision which was known as Section 34 in the former Constitutional Resolution debated in Parliament last spring developed as a result of the discussions which did not include the provinces.
In our various discussions with you we jointly agreed that it was desirable, as far as Albertans are concerned for the Revised Canadian Constitution to contain a positive statement affirming existing aboriginal rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada.
As a result of extensive discussions, the Alberta Government is prepared to propose to each of the provinces signing the Accord and the Federal Government that the following provisions be considered for inclusion in the Revised Canadian Constitution:
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The aboriginal and treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada, as those rights exist prior to the coming into force of this Part, are affirmed.
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The rights affirmed under subsection (1) include rights subsequently included in the Constitution of Canada pursuant to Section 36.
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In this Act, “aboriginal peoples of Canada” includes the Indian, Inuit and Metis peoples of Canada.
Peter Lougheed, Premier of Alberta