Part 9
THE Federal Administration of Canada is 10 provinces e.g. Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, etc. and 3 territories with a constitutional monarchy under Queen Elizabeth II. Legislative powers are shared by federal and provincial governments with distinct authority reserved each under the constitution. Federal legislation may cover postal services, census, military, criminal law, naturalization, patents, weight and measures etc. Provincial legislation, deals “with matters of a merely local nature” as provincial officers, municipal governance, education, charitable institutions, etc. For example, marriages and divorce is regulated by the Federal Government, while provincial government, solemnization rules. There is a Lt. Governor per province appointed by a Governor General as Federal Viceregal (and military commander-in-chief) representing/appointed by the Queen as recommended by the Prime Minister. Canada has secessionist demons in the provinces of Alberta and Quebec. July this year, 25% of Albertans favored separation from Canada. A number that rivals French speaking Quebec’s 28% independence movement (Abacus Data Poll). Aggressive regulations from Ottawa on climate change, global warming, etc. Albertans saw the action from the Federal capital, as opposed to their interests, that of oil getting to the markets via construction of new pipelines.
There is a ‘Quebec Sovereignty Movement’ sponsoring independence. In a second June 12, 1995 referendum, 50.58% voted “No”, 49.42% “Yes”. A margin comparatively smaller, than a previous 1980 referendum led by Party Quebecois Government advocating secession with 1,485,852 “Yes” (40.44%), and voting “No”, 2,187,991 (59.56%). The late 1960s movement of intellectuals, labor, etc. believed, their economic difficulties were caused by ethnic English Canadian domination of the confederation. However, a 1998 Federal Supreme Court ruling stated, “Quebec cannot separate from Canada unilaterally. A province can secede, if and only if, its residents voted to do so, and other provinces plus territories, agree to the secession”.
