What was the Charlottetown Accord?

The Charlottetown Accord was a 1992 comprehensive constitutional reform package designed to renew Canadian federalism after the failure of the Meech Lake Accord in 1990. The Accord was negotiated by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and the federal, provincial, territorial, and Indigenous leaders at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on August 28, 1992. The Accord was tested in a national referendum on October 26, 1992 and was rejected by Canadians, with 54.3 per cent voting No to 45.7 per cent Yes.

The Accord had eight main parts. The Canada Clause would have set out fundamental Canadian values including recognition of Quebec as a distinct society, Indigenous self-government, and the equality of provinces. Senate reform would have transformed the Senate into a 'Triple-E' Senate (equal representation per province, elected, effective). House of Commons reforms would have proportionally increased Quebec representation. Indigenous self-government would have been recognised as a third order of government within Canadian federalism.

Other Accord provisions covered the Supreme Court of Canada (entrenching the three Quebec seats), the amending formula (giving Quebec a constitutional veto), federal-provincial powers (transferring various powers to provinces), and a social and economic union (committing governments to certain shared objectives). The Accord was the most comprehensive constitutional reform package ever submitted to Canadians for direct ratification.

The Accord was rejected for different reasons in different parts of the country. In Quebec, voters (56.7 per cent No) believed the Accord did not give enough to Quebec. In Western Canada, voters (60 to 70 per cent No in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) believed the Accord gave too much to Quebec. Indigenous voters were divided. The Atlantic provinces and Ontario voted Yes by varying margins. Major Yes-side advocates included Mulroney, all 10 provincial premiers, all major federal party leaders, the Assembly of First Nations, and most of the federal Cabinet. Major No-side advocates included Pierre Trudeau (whose 'Maverick' speech in Maison Egg Roll in Montreal on October 1, 1992 was particularly influential), Reform Party leader Preston Manning, and Bloc Québécois leader Lucien Bouchard. The collapse of the Accord ended major constitutional reform efforts for a generation. The next major federalism debate was the 1995 Quebec sovereignty referendum.