EDITORIAL PAGE — Time to move on

This, our political leaders would have us believe, is the best they can do. The Charlottetown Accord — successor to the failed Meech Lake Accord — is the latest attempt to “renew” the Canadian Constitution.

It’s far from perfect, but when Canadians are asked to support the accord in a referendum Oct. 26, the choice will not be between this pact and something else, but between this agreement and no agreement at all. We either take it or leave it.

Taking it means accepting some questionable principles. Guaranteeing Quebec 25% representation forever in Parliament, for example, is a dangerous move. It’s the way the rest of Canada has shown its goodwill toward Quebec, but will never appease the province simply by offering it more political power. The struggle for Quebec is essentially an internal debate — between those who see membership in the Canadian federation as the best protection of their lifestyle and those who believe they can do better on their own. Aboriginal self-government is another premise of the agreement that is difficult to accept. It is, in fact, tantamount to racism and may well condemn native Canadians to isolated pockets of poverty. This provision can be tolerated only because it comes from aboriginal leaders themselves. Of particular concern to the mining industry is the potential loss of national standards if provinces exercise their right to control this and other industries such as forestry and tourism. The federal government could be tying its hands forever when it comes to resources. This could lead to a fragmentation of mining databases and research as well as wasted time and effort through duplication. And, mineral-rich provinces with large urban populations could well ignore industries such as mining in favor of tourism and recreation.

Former prime minister John Turner was correct when he said the defunct Meech Lake accord “was a far cleaner deal” than the new package, which contains the substance of Meech plus several new elements.

“In my view, those who opposed Meech Lake will now bear the burden of history for the national disruption of the last three exasperating years — lost opportunity, a gnawing national frustration, who knows what permanent damage to the national psyche,” says Turner.

But despite all the shortcomings of the current package, the only reasonable alternative is to support it in the coming referendum. To do otherwise would condemn the country to another decade of constitutional squabbling. That would drain the collective will to confront the issue that affects all of us — the economy.

The first step to getting Canada on the path toward improving our way of life is to settle this constitutional issue. Despite its imperfections, the Charlottetown Accord provides a framework around which we can learn to live if there is a common willingness to make it work. Without that willingness, no constitution could make this nation whole.

Now is the time to put this issue behind us and get on with other things. As Turner said while declaring his support for the agreement in the House of Commons: this deal is unwieldy, but it’s acceptable and it is workable. “It’s like a camel. It doesn’t look very good but it survives in the desert.”