Document Information

Date: 1981-04-01
By: Canada (Parliament)
Citation: Canada, Senate Debates, 32nd Parl, 1st Sess, 1981 at 2200.
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SENATE DEBATES — April 1, 1981

[Page 2200]

THE CONSTITUTION

MOTION FOR AN ADDRESS TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN—EFFECT OF JUDGMENT OF SUPREME COURT OF NEWFOUNDLAND—NOTICE OF MOTION

Hon. Jacques Flynn (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I give notice that tomorrow, Thursday, April 2, I shall move:

That in view of the decision rendered by the Supreme Court of Newfoundland on the legality of the constitutional resolution now being debated in Parliament and the fact that the Supreme Court of Canada has agreed to hear an appeal from the decision of the Court of Appeal of Manitoba on the same matter, and further that the Prime Minister has indicated that he would not ask the Parliament at Westminster to consider the resolution before the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled as to its legality, the Senate considers that the debate on the motion for an Address to Her Majesty the Queen respecting the Constitution of Canada and the motion in amendment thereto of the Honourable Senator Yuzyk, is inappropriate and should be adjourned until after the Supreme Court of Canada has rendered a final decision on the legality of the contents of the Address.

By way of explanation, I gave warning to Senator Frith of my intention to give this notice. It is subject, of course, to whatever answers we get during Question Period or whatever agreement we can reach as to the way in which we should eventually deal with this problem.