What you didn’t know about Canada’s true age

While the nation may turn 150, we Canadians have only lived on our own for 35 years

In honour of Canada’s 150th anniversary celebration, I would like to use this week’s blog to shine light on the remarkable events of 1982 and the Patriation of the Constitution. From all of us here at Core Lawyers, we are wishing you and your families a Happy Canada Day!

Canada 150 vs. Canada 35

As a nation, we are turning 150 years old this weekend, and we also may acknowledge the land mass that is Canada and its peoples who have been here long before us.
As lawyers we learned about the British North America Act, the Constitution Act and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Despite our age, many of us forget that until the work of Pierre Trudeau, Jean Chrétien and politicians in 1982, Canada had to ask the Queen / England when it came to fundamental changes in governing itself. Technically speaking we Canadians have now lived on our own for 35 years.
Politically and legally there remained a Parent – Child relationship until 1982, and thanks to the Trudeau government of the day this was officially, symbolically and psychologically changed with the process of patriating the constitution. Relatively speaking, we are still very young in our history and traditions.

The Constitution Act – Have you Read It?

The Constitution Act, in its official wording, describes the forming of Canada and the birthday we are celebrating this week:

Section 3: It shall be lawful for the Queen, by and with the Advice of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council, to declare by Proclamation that, on and after a Day therein appointed, not being more than Six Months after the passing of this Act, the Provinces of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick shall form and be One Dominion under the Name of Canada; and on and after that Day those Three Provinces shall form and be One Dominion under that Name accordingly. (4)

Section 6: The Parts of the Province of Canada (as it exists at the passing of this Act) which formerly constituted respectively the Provinces of Upper Canada and Lower Canada shall be deemed to be severed, and shall form Two separate Provinces. The Part which formerly constituted the Province of Upper Canada shall constitute the Province of Ontario; and the Part which formerly constituted the Province of Lower Canada shall constitute the Province of Quebec.

Fun Facts about Canada

• “O Canada” became the official National Anthem in 1980
• Canada Day is celebrated to mark the union of the confederation (joining Nova Scotia & New Brunswick and subdividing Ontario & Quebec on July 1 1867)
• Canada Day was originally known as Dominion Day until October 27 1982.
• First official celebrations for Canada Day was in 1958
• Cross-country television transmitted by the CBC began on Canada Day in 1958
• Color T.V. was first introduced in Canada on Canada Day in 1967

While we are a young nation compared to others, we are also a very creative and innovative people. We invented:

• Smarties, Crispy Crunch & Coffee Crisp
• Hockey, Basketball, Lacrosse & even baseball is Canadian
• Apple pie
• Standard Time
• Jet-skis
• Insulin & Penicillin
• Zippers & Velcro
• Telephone
• Superman

Canada Day is a proud day for us all and worth celebrating our great nation. Enjoy responsibly.