The Constitution Malcomlson

1
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• Constitution set of rules that authoritatively
  establishes both the structure fundamental
  principles of a political regime
• Constitutions are written unwritten
• Unwritten United Kingdom, Israel, Canada
  (partly)
• Written United States, France, Canada (partly)
• Unwritten means not contained in a single
  document

2
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• Empowers who or what exercises power
• Legislative, Executive, Judicial
• Divides Power
• Unitary vs. federal
• Residual power
• Limits Power
• Negative positive rights

3
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• Empowers who or what exercises power
• Legislative, Executive, Judicial
• Divides Power
• Unitary vs. federal
• Residual power
• Limits Power
• Negative positive rights

4
The Constitution SpatialMalcomlson Myers
Chapter 2

• Empowers who or what exercises power
• Legislative, Executive, Judicial
• Divides Power
• Unitary vs. federal
• Residual power
• Limits Power
• Negative positive rights

5
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• Types of Rights
• Negative Rights
• Freedom from
• Usually protection from state
• Religion, speech, association
• Positive Rights
• Freedom to
• Usually places obligation on state
• e.g., State must provide welfare, education, etc.

6
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• Types of Rights
• Negative Rights
• Freedom from
• Usually protection from state
• Religion, speech, association
• Positive Rights
• Freedom to
• Usually places obligation on state
• e.g., State must provide welfare, education, etc.

7
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• Examples
• US Bill of Rights (Amendments I-X of US
  Constitution)
• Amendment I Congress shall make no law
  respecting an establishment of religion, or
  prohibiting the free exercise thereof or
  abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press
  or the right of the people peaceably to assemble,
  and to petition the Government for a redress of
  grievances.

8
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• Examples
• Canadian Charter of Rights
• 2. Everyone has the following fundamental
  freedoms
• a) freedom of conscience and religion
• b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and
  expression, including freedom of the press and
  other media of communication
• c) freedom of peaceful assembly and
• d) freedom of association.

9
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• Examples
• French Constitution of 1958
• Article 1
• France shall be an indivisible, secular,
  democratic and social Republic. It shall ensure
  the equality of all citizens before the law,
  without distinction of origin, race or religion.
  It shall respect all beliefs. It shall be
  organised on a decentralised basis.

10
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• Constitutional Forms
• Conventions
• a longstanding political practice or custom,
  based on implicit agreement precedent, that is
  enforced in political arena
• Organic Statutes
• Regular law, but on constitutional matters
  changeable
• Constitutional Laws
• Entrenchment

11
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• Constitutional Forms
• Conventions
• a longstanding political practice or custom,
  based on implicit agreement precedent, that is
  enforced in political arena
• Organic Statutes
• Regular law, but on constitutional matters
  changeable
• Constitutional Laws
• Entrenchment

12
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• Constitutional Forms
• Conventions
• a longstanding political practice or custom,
  based on implicit agreement precedent, that is
  enforced in political arena
• Organic Statutes
• Regular law, but on constitutional matters
  changeable
• Constitutional Laws
• Entrenchment

13
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• The Canadian Constitution
• Constitution Act 1867
• The British North America Act
• Preamble links Canada to unwritten conventions of
  Responsible Government
• Constitution Act 1982
• Charter of Rights Freedoms
• Amending Formula

14
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• Constitution (BNA) Act 1867
• Preamble
• Establishes Responsible Government (Convention)
• Parts III IV
• Describes executive legislative power
• Part VI
• Federal Provincial Jurisdictions Sections 91
  92
• Part VII
• Establishment of Supreme Court (Organic Statute)

15
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• Executive Authority
• The Executive Government and Authority of and
  over Canada is hereby declared to continue and be
  vested in the Queen.
• Constitution (BNA) Act 1867 III.9

16
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• Executive Authority
• There shall be a Council to aid and advise in
  the Government of Canada, to be styled the
  Queen's Privy Council for Canada...
• Constitution (BNA) Act 1867 III.11

17
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• Legislative Authority
• Bills for appropriating any Part of the Public
  Revenue, or for imposing any Tax or Impost, shall
  originate in the House of Commons.
• Constitution (BNA) Act 1867 IV.53

18
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• Legislative Authority
• It shall not be lawful for the House of Commons
  to adopt or pass any Vote, Resolution, Address,
  or Bill for the Appropriation of any Part of the
  Public Revenue, or of any Tax or Impost, to any
  Purpose that has not been first recommended to
  that House by Message of the Governor General in
  the Session in which such Vote, Resolution,
  Address, or Bill is proposed.
• Constitution (BNA) Act 1867 IV.54

19
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• Judicial Authority
• (1) Subject to subsection two of this section,
  the Judges of the Superior Courts shall hold
  office during good behaviour, but shall be
  removable by the Governor General on Address of
  the Senate and House of Commons.
• Constitution (BNA) Act 1867 VII.99

20
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• Constitution (BNA) Act 1867
• No entrenchment or amending formula
• Act of British Parliament
• No Bill of Rights
• Conventions via British law tradition
• Utilitarian approach of Fathers of Confederation

21
The ConstitutionMalcomlson Myers Chapter 2

• Constitution (BNA) Act 1867
• No entrenchment or amending formula
• Act of British Parliament
• No Bill of Rights
• Conventions via British law tradition
• Utilitarian approach of Fathers of Confederation

22
The ConstitutionMalcolmson Myers Chapter 2

• Constitution Act 1982
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?votPfwkO0_C8
• Impetus
• Patriation
• Amending formula
• Several contending agendas
• Provincial power (Quebec)
• Bill of Rights (Trudeau)

23
The ConstitutionMalcolmson Myers Chapter 2

• Constitution Act 1982
• Part I Charter of Rights Freedoms
• Part III Equalization
• Part V Amending Procedure
• Part VII Primacy Clause

24
The ConstitutionMalcolmson Myers Chapter 2

• Constitution Act 1982
• Part I Charter of Rights Freedoms
• Positive vs. Negative Rights the Notwithstanding
  Clause
• Part III Equalization
• National standards, regional tension economic
  impact
• Part V Amending Procedure
• Veto Points Gridlock
• Part VII Primacy Clause
• Section 52

25
The ConstitutionMalcolmson Myers Chapter 2

• Constitution Act 1982
• Part I Charter of Rights Freedoms
• Positive vs. Negative Rights the Notwithstanding
  Clause
• Part III Equalization
• National standards, regional tension economic
  impact
• Part V Amending Procedure
• Veto Points Gridlock
• Part VII Primacy Clause
• Section 52

26
The ConstitutionMalcolmson Myers Chapter 2

• Constitution Act 1982
• Part I Charter of Rights Freedoms
• Positive vs. Negative Rights the Notwithstanding
  Clause
• Part III Equalization
• National standards, regional tension economic
  impact
• Part V Amending Procedure
• Veto Points Gridlock
• Part VII Primacy Clause
• Section 52

27
The ConstitutionMalcolmson Myers Chapter 2

• Constitution Act 1982
• Part V Amending Procedure
• Sec 38 (1) An amendment to the Constitution of
  Canada may be made... where so authorized by
• resolutions of the Senate and House of Commons
• resolutions of the legislative assemblies of at
  least two-thirds of the provinces that have, in
  the aggregate, according to the then latest
  general census, at least fifty per cent of the
  population of all the provinces.

28
The ConstitutionMalcolmson Myers Chapter 2

• Constitution Act 1982
• Part I Charter of Rights Freedoms
• Positive vs. Negative Rights the Notwithstanding
  Clause
• Part III Equalization
• National standards, regional tension economic
  impact
• Part V Amending Procedure
• Veto Points Gridlock
• Part VII Primacy Clause
• Section 52

29
The ConstitutionMalcolmson Myers Chapter 2

• Constitution Act 1982
• Part VII Primacy Clause
• Section 52 (1) The Constitution of Canada is
  the supreme law of Canada, and any law that is
  inconsistent with the provisions of the
  Constitution is, to the extent of the
  inconsistency, of no force or effect.

30
The ConstitutionMalcolmson Myers Chapter 2

• Implications of the Constitution
• Injection of judicial review into Canadian
  politics
• Power of (Supreme) court to interpret if a law
  conflicts with constitution
• Demise of Parliamentary Supremacy?
• Place of Quebec in constitutional regime
• Non-ratification
• Distinct Society status
• Clarity Act 2000

31
The ConstitutionMalcolmson Myers Chapter 2

• Implications of the Constitution
• Injection of judicial review into Canadian
  politics
• Power of (Supreme) court to interpret if a law
  conflicts with constitution
• Demise of Parliamentary Supremacy?
• Place of Quebec in constitutional regime
• Non-ratification
• Distinct Society status
• Clarity Act 2000

32
The ConstitutionMalcolmson Myers Chapter 2

• Implications of the Constitution
• Veto points minority protection or gridlock?
• Are constitutions paper tigers?

33
The ConstitutionMalcolmson Myers Chapter 2

• Midterm
• Friday, 8th February
• Special Accommodations see me ASAP!
• Cover all material up to Wednesday, 6th February
• Multiple Choice Short Answer
• Use key word lists at end of chapter
• Practice writing down definitions