MOTION # 382

That a humble address be presented to Her Excellency praying that, following the steps already taken by the Société Nationale de l'Acadie, she will intercede with Her Majesty to cause the British Crown to recognize officially the wrongs done to the Acadian people in its name between 1755 and 1763. Stéphane Bergeron (BQ)

Minister's Position: The Minister of Canadian Heritage DOES NOT SUPPORT the motion.

Factual Summary of the Motion

The motion calls for a humble address to be addressed to the Governor General, praying her to intercede with the British Crown so that it would officially recognize the wrongs done to the Acadian people between 1755 and 1763.

Assessment

• Given that the Governor General represents the Crown of Canada and not the Crown of the United Kingdom (Statute of Westminster, 1931), it would be totally inappropriate for a representative of the Crown of Canada to make representations to an institution of a foreign country - the Crown of the United Kingdom - especially on an matter of Canadian Government business.

• The motion ignores the fact that Canada is no longer a colony. The quite separate and distinct constitutional positions of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as Queen of Canada (and her federal representative - the Governor General) and Queen of the United Kingdom (witness separate oaths at the coronation in June 1953) must be borne in mind at all times.

• On December 10, 2003, the Minister of Canadian Heritage announced the signing of a Royal Proclamation designating July 28, of each year, as "A Day of Commemoration of the Great Upheaval." This Day will be commemorated for the first time on July 28, 2005.

• On December 10, 2003, Mr, Euclide Chiasson, President of the Société Nationale de l'Acadie, was quoted as saying that he was «very pleased with the positive conclusion to this file. As a result of this declaration, Acadians will be able to commemorate The Great Upheaval every year. It also serves as official recognition of the historic facts surrounding the deportations that took place between 1755 and 1763.»