Document Information

Date: 1980-11-20
By: Canada (Parliament)
Citation: Canada, Senate Debates, 32nd Parl, 1st Sess, 1980 at 1260.
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SENATE DEBATES — November 20, 1980

[Page 1260]

THE CONSTITUTION

REFERENCES TO APPEAL COURTS BY PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS

Hon. Royce Frith (Deputy Leader of the Government): Honourable senators, the last delayed answer I have is to a question asked by Senator Roblin on November 18 concerning references to appeal courts by provincial government’s constitutional proposals.

The question was in two parts. The first was as to whether the federal government would be represented at those hearings, and the second was as to what the position of the federal government would be in the event of certain conclusions being arrived at by the said courts.

The answer to the first part is that the federal government will indeed be represented at any such hearings, and will make a presentation of its views on the matter before the court.

As to the second part, the question is hypothetical, since it asks for the government’s position on a situation that may or may not arise, or which may arise in various forms, and the government will respond to the results of any court decisions on the basis of the actual decision and other circumstances then existing.