Daniels and the Manitoba Métis Federation Case: Issues of Jurisdiction, Obligation, and Identity

I am sure the government of Quebec realizes this and that is why its message in Quebecers our way of being Canadian downplays that kind of change in the near future and does not call for an immediate return to the constitutional negotiating table. [...] Given the psychological resistance to multinationalism in English-speaking Canada, it makes sense to work at developing support for the idea that the Province of Quebec should be recognized as a nation within Canada through conversation and dialogue at the level of civil society over a number of years. [...] The important news in the Quebec Government’s invitation to Quebec 2017 Paper - 1 IIGR, 2018 Russell, Peter Merits and Drawbacks of Constitutional Reform Page 2 dialogue with Canadians is the vision of Quebec as a jurisdiction that is not just the homeland of French Canada but a nation within Canada that cherishes its deep diversity. [...] This is a proposal that I and a group of scholars, representatives of federal political parties, and senior government officials have been pushing for the last six years: the “codification” of important parts of the “unwritten constitution” in an accessible, online manual. [...] The constitutional rules that make parliamentary government democratic are all “unwritten conventions.” The formation of government after elections, the role of the Crown, the “caretaker” limits on government initiatives during an election period, the powers of the prime minister, and the structure and role of the cabinet are among the many aspects of governance governed by the informal, “unwritte.