Memorandum from R.G. Robertson [Help by the Department of Justice on the patriation of the constitution] to the Prime Minister (6 November 1975)
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Date: 1975-11-06
By: R.G. Robertson
Citation: Memorandum from R.G. Robertson to the Prime Minister (6 November 1975).
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CONFIDENTIAL
November 6th, 1975.
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRIME MINISTER:
Help by the Department of Justice on the
patriation of the constitution
You are familiar with the problems we have been having over Article 40 of the draft proclamation. Since getting your comments of November 3rd, I have met with Don Thorson and I think we have a solution for the article. (I will send you a separate memorandum later today on it.)
Thorson is worried about his position in working on so important a document when his new Minister knows nothing about the exercise we are involved in and nothing about the draft proclamation. He would feel much more comfortable if you could have a short word with Mr. Basford so that he understands how important it is that we have Thorson’s help at this stage. If you could do this at some point in the course of today, I would be on firmer ground in talking to Chouinard either today or tomorrow.
To save your own time and to give Mr. Basford more information, you might want to say to him that, if he would so wish, I would be glad to go to see him to tell him just what has happened up to this point. You may also want to tell him that there is a draft memorandum for the Cabinet under preparation which can go forward after we know that we have a document that is acceptable to Quebec.
R.G.R.