Special Joint Committee on the Constitution
| Copyright Dominique Clément / Clément Consulting
The Special Joint Committee on the Constitution (1980-81) solicited feedback from Canadians about the government’s proposal to patriate the Constitution and entrench a Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The committee heard from over nine hundred individuals and organizations, many of whom had a direct impact on the final draft of the constitutional proposal.
In the wake of Quebec’s referendum on sovereignty-association in 1980, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau committed his government to patriating the British North America Act and entrenching human rights in the constitution. The government established a special joint committee of the House of Commons and the Senate to receive submissions from the public. The committee had twenty-five members (ten from the Senate and fifteen from the House of Commons). Fifteen were Liberals, eight were Progressive Conservatives, and two were New Democrats. What began as a thirty-day session of hearings turned into a three-month consultation in which 914 individuals and groups submitted briefs, and 214 groups made an oral presentation before the committee. The Special Joint Committee on the Constitution was a critical moment in Canada’s human rights history. The hearings highlighted how Canadians’ conception of human rights had evolved dramatically since the 1940s.
Minutes of the committee’s public hearings are available in most university libraries (chaired by Senator Harry Hays and MP Serge Joyal). However, the 914 briefs submitted to the committee are only available at Library and Archives Canada. Below is a collection of digitized briefs presented to the committee (in some cases, the document includes a description of the organization).
For a more detailed history of the Committee, visit Events and Issues.
The Library and Archives Canada collection for the special joint committee includes a statistical summary. It lists the presentations before the committee (thematically organized in categories such as ethnic, human rights, feminist, race, business, and more), the number of sittings attended by individual MPs and senators, and the issues raised by the presenters: Statistics on the Special Joint Committee on the Constitution.
Index of all the presentations before the Special Joint Committee on the Constitution.
The following is a comprehensive list of submissions from organizations based on the committee’s archival record. Click here for a list of individuals’ names that also appear in the archival record for submitting briefs.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I |
| J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R |
| S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
A
Advisory Council on the Status of Women
Affiliation of Multicultural Societies of B.C.
Afro-Asian Foundation of Canada
Alberta Committee of Action Groups of the Disabled
Alberta Lesbian and Gay Rights
Alberta Public Policy Committee
Alberta Status of Women Action Committee
Alberta Women for Constitutional Change
Alliance for the Preservation of English in Canada
Alliance of German-Speaking Organizations of Ottawa
Anglican Church of Canada – Diocese of Huron
Associated Disabled Persons of B.C.
Association canadienne des compagnies d’assurance-vie inc.
Association canadienne des paraplegiques
Association canadienne du Barreau, Section de Terre-Neuve
Association Canadienne-Française de l’Alberta
Association Canadienne-Française de l’Ontario
Association canadienne pour le droit a l’avortement
Association canadienne d’education de langue française
Association des Commissaires de Langue Fran^aise du Canada
Association de l’lmmeuble du Quebec
Association canadienne pour les deficients mentaux
Association canadienne Slovene
Association Culturelle Franco-Canadienne de la Saskatchewan
Association des canadiens unis pour la separation de 1’eglise et de l’etat
Association des droits de la personne de la Saskatchewan
Association des femmes progressistes conservatrices de Cornwall et de la region
Association des Fermieres de l’Ontario
Association des Indiens de l’Alberta
Association des Juristes d’Expression FranÇaise de l’Ontario
Association du Labrador Quebecois
Association Française des Conseils Scolaires de l’Ontario
Association nationale de la femme et du droit
Association nationale de la femme et le droit
Association nationale des Japonais d’origine canadienne
Association of Catholic Parents – English Section
Association of Gay Social Service Workers
Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians
Association progressiste-conservatrice federale du Quebec
Association of Metis and Non-Status Indians of Saskatchewan
Athabaska Chipewan Band 201
Assomption de Notre-Dame de Oshawa
Atlantic Provinces Chamber of Commerce
Atlantic Provinces Economic Council
Bible Holiness Movement
Blueberry Band
Board of Education for the City of Toronto
Borough of Etobicoke, Community Health Dept.
British Columbia Association for Mentally Retarded
British Columbia Chamber of Commerce
British Columbia Civil Liberties Association
British Columbia Federation of Labour
British Columbia Human Rights Symposium
British Columbia Medical Association
British Columbia Provincial Council of Carpenters
British Columbia Real Estate Association
Brooks & District Chamber of Commerce
Bureau des Ecoles Protestantes du Grand Montreal
Business Council on National Issues
Calgary Action Group of the Disabled
Calgary Civil Liberties Association
Calgary Coalition
Calgary Public Library
Camrose R.C. Separate School District No, 60
Canadian Abortion Rights Action League
Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police
Canadian Association of Crown Counsel
Canadian Association of Lesbians and Gay Men
Canadian Association for Adult Education
Canadian Association for the Mentally Retarded
Canadian Association for the Prevention of Crime
Canadian Association of Schools of Social Work
Canadian Association of Social Workers
Canadian Bar Association – Newfoundland Branch
Canadian Bar Association – Ontario
Canadian Bar Association – Southern Alberta Civil Liberties Subsection
Canadian Bureau of the North American Jewish Students Network
Canadian Catholic School Trustees Association
Canadian Cattle Consultants Ltd.
Canadian Citizens Constitution Committee
Canadian Citizenship Federation
Canadian Civil Liberties Association
Canadian Committee for the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Canadian Committee on Learning Opportunities for Women
Canadian Conference on Arts
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
Canadian Conference on Religion and World Peace
Canadian Consultative Council on Multiculturalism
Canadian Co-ordinating Council on Deafness
Canadian Congress for Learning Opportunities for Women
Canadian Council on Children and Youth
Canadian Council of Christians and Jews
Canadian Council for Exceptional Children
Canadian Council on Social Development
Canadian Federation of Business and Professional Women
Canadian Federation of Civil Liberties and Human Rights Association
Canadian Federation of University Women
Canadian Folk Arts Council
Canadian Forestry Association
Canadian Holocaust Remembrance Association
Canadian Home Economics Association
Canadian Human Rights Commission
Canadian Human Rights Foundation
Canadian Life Insurance Association
Canadian Mental Health Association
Canadian National Institute for the Blind
Canadian Organization of Small Business
Canadian Paraplegic Association
Canadian Real Estate Association
Canadian Society for Professional Engineers
Canadian Srbobran
Canadian Unity Information
Canadians for Responsible Government
Canadians in Defense of Labour Rights
Canadians United for Separation of Church and State
Cardinal Leger Secondary School
Catholic Womens League of Canada
Catholic Womens League of Canada, St. Boniface Parish
Centre for Continuing Education, Mount St. Vincent University
Cheslatta Band
Chevaliers de Colomb
Childs, Fred and Family
Chinese Benevolent Association of Vancouver – see
Chinese-Canadian National Council for Equality – see
Christian Brothers Provincialate
Canadian Christian Citizens
Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC)
Christian Reformed Church of Williamsburg
Christian Science Federal Representative for Canada
Chumir, Sheldon M. – see Calgary Civil Liberties Association
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Citizens Advisory Council of the West Island of Montreal
Citizens Association to Save the Environment
Citizens for More Time Committee
Club Jeunes de Coeur
Coalition for the Protection of Human Life
Coalition of Provincial Organizations of the Handicapped
Codling, Doug – Pastor
Cohen, Maxell
Coldwater Indian Reserve
Committee for Justice and Liberty Foundation
Committee for Racial Equality
Community Business and Professional Association,Vancouver, B.C,
Congress of Black Women of Canada
Congregation des Filles de Jesus
Congregation of our Lady of the Missions
Congress of Linguists
Congres National des Italo-Canadiens
Conseil des Ecoles Catholiques de Prescott-Russell
Conseil Francophone de Planification Scolaire d’Ottawa-Carleton
Conseil Inter-Professionel du Quebec
Conseil de la Langue Française du Quebec
Conseil scolaire d’Ottawa
Conservative Council of Ontario
Coordinator for the Handicapped
Council for Exceptional Children, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Council for Exceptional Children, Quebec, Chapter 475
Council of Christian Reformed Churches in Canada
Council of Muslim Communities of Canada
Council of National Ethnocultual Organizations of Canada
Council of the Quatsino Band
Council of the Skookumchuck Band
Cousins, Fred T.
Couvent Notre-Dame des Missions
Czechoslovack National Association of Canada
Denominational Education Committies of Newfoundland
Dignity Edmonton for the Canadian Region of Dignity
Les Dominicaines de la Trinite
Dominion of Canada English Speaking Association
Dominion of Canada Party
Dufferin-Peel Roman Catholic School Board
Dunbarton-Fairport United Church
Eglise la Mission Chretienne Evangelique
Emergency Committee for the Defense of Religious Rights
Employers Council of British Columbia
English Speaking Catholic Council of Montreal
Fane of the Psilocybin Mushroom Association
Federated Anti-poverty Groups of B.C.
Federated Women’s Institutes of Canada
Federation canadienne des enseignants, Ottawa, Ont.
Federation of Canadian Municipalities / Federation canadienne des municipalities
Federation of Catholic Parent-Teacher Associations of Ontario
Federation of Chinese Canadian Professionals
Federation des Femmes Canadiennes-Françaises
Federation des Francophones Hors Quebec
Federation of Saskatchewan Indians
Filles de Marie de l’Assomption
Finnish-Canadian Cultural Federation
Fraternite nationale des Indiens
French Language Advisory Committee of the Ottawa Board of Education
German Canadian Club of Red Deer
German-Canadian Committee on the Constitution
Gitksan-Carrier Tribal Council
Gouvernement de la Colombie-Britannique
Gouvernment des Territoires du Nord-Ouest
Gouvernement du Nouveau-Brunswick
Gouvernement du Quebec
Government of Alberta (resolution)
Government of British Columbia
Government of Northwest Territories
Government of Prince Edward Island
Government of the Yukon Territory
Gralnoski, Joseph
Grand Orange Lodge of Canada
Halifax Office of the Ombudsman
Halifax Dartmouth Real Estate Board
HALT – see Human Action to Limit Taxes
Human Action to Limit Taxes
Human Rights Institute of Canada
Indian Association of Alberta
Indian Rights for Indian Women
Indo-Canadian Society of Alberta
International Council of Sikhs
International Ombudsman Institute
Inuit Committee on National Issues
Knights of Columbus, Moncton, N.B.
Knights of Columbus, Alexandria, Ont.
Knights of Columbus, Bowmanville, Ont.
Knights of Columbus, Andy Pappu
Knights of Columbus, Cornwall, Ont.
Knights of Columbus, Markham, Ont.
Knights of Columbus, North Bay, Ont.
Knights of Columbus, Kapuskasing, Ont.
Knights of Columbus, Renfrew, Ont.
Knights of Columbus, Mount Forest, Ont.
Knights of Columbus, Arnprior, Ont.
Knights of Columbus, Oakville, Ont.
Knights of Columbus, Penetanguishene, Ont.
Knights of Columbus, Brock-Brant Chapter
Knights of Columbus, Longlac, Ont.
Knights of Columbus, Sacred Heart Council 4120
Lac la Biche Chamber of Commerce
Laichkwitach State Tribes, Campbell River, B.C.
League for Human Rights of Canadian B’nai Brith
Liberal Party of Canada
Lloydminster Real Estate Board Association
Local Council of Women
London and Middlesex County Roman Catholic Separate School Board
Long, E.P.M,
Manitoba Association for Rights and Liberties
Manitoba Office of the Ombudsman
Manitoba Parents for Ukrainian Education Inc.
Mennonite Central Committee (Canada)
Metis and Non Status Indian Constitutional Review Commission
Metropolitan Separate School Board
Multicultural Association of Fredericton Inc.
Multilingual Association of Regina Inc.
Naches – Montreal’s Gay Jewish Group
National Action Committee on the Status of Women
National Anti-poverty Organization
National Association of Canadians of Origins in India
National Association of Japanese Canadians
National Association of Women and The Law
National Black Coalition of Canada
National Chapter of Canada I.O.D.E. – Provincial Chapter of New Brunswick I.O.D.E.
National Committee for Language Equality
National Council of Jewish Women of Canada
National Council of Women of Canada
National Firearms Association – New Brunswick Branch
National Pensioners and Senior Citizens Federation
Native Brotherhood of British Columbia
Native Peoples Resource Centre
Native Women’s Association of Canada
New Brunswick Association for the Advancement of Coloured People
New Brunswick Development Institute
New Brunswick Human Rights Commission
New Brunswick Real Estate Association
New Brunswick Right to Life Association
North American Jewish Students Network
Northern Indian Brotherhood
Nova Scotia Real Estate Association
Okanagan North Progressive Conservative Association
Ontario Committee on the Status of Women
Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops
Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association
Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
Ontario Human Rights Commission
Ontario Progressive Conservative Association of Women
Ontario Real Estate Association
Ontario Separate School Trustees’ Association
Organization Marxiste-Leniniste du Canada
Organization for Carribean Canadian Initiatives
Oromocto, Town of
Ottawa Coalition for Constitutional Process
People’ Law School Society – Vancouver
Peterborough Libertarian Association
Peterborough Presbyterian United Church – Women
Petitions
Petitions for Peace
Planned Parenthood Federation of Canada
Polish Friends of Indians
Port Coquitlam Area, Women’s Centre
Port Simpson Band Council
Progressive Conservative Association of B.C.
Progressive Conservative Association of Okanagen
Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan
Progressive Conservative Women’s Association of North Bay
Pro-Life Supporters
Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal
Provincial Association of Catholic Teachers of Quebec
Provincial Progressive Conservative Association of Calgary
Public Interest Advocacy Centre
Quatsino Band – see Council of the Quatsino Band
Quebec Committee for Language Regions
Quebec Federation of Home and School Associations
Quebecers’ Labrador Association
- Angus Alberta Limited – see Angus J.F.
Regional Economic Development Council
Regional Municipality of Sudbury
Le Regroupement pour les Droits Politiques du Quebec
Religious Freedom Conference of Christian Minorities
Religious Information Centre
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), St. John’s Worship Group
Right to Life Association – Kitchener, Ont.
Right to Life Association – Toronto and Area
Right to Life Association – Yarmouth, N.S.
St. Andrew’s College in Winnipeg
St. Clare School
St. George’s Society of Toronto
St. Thimothy’s Presbytarian Church
Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission
Saskatchewan Real Estate Association
Saskatoon Real Estate Board
Senior Citizens Central Council of Calgary
Sister of our Lady of the Missions
Sisters of St Joseph High School
Sisters of St-Joseph of Sault Ste Marie
Slovenian Canadian Association
Social Credit Party of Alberta
Social Planning and Review Council of B.C.
Societe des Acadiens du Nouveau-Brunswick
Societe Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Quebec
Society for Education Action Research and Counselling on Homosexuality
Soeurs de l’Assomption de la Sainte Vierge
Soeurs de Notre-Dame du Perpetuel Secours
Soeurs de la Presentation de Marie
Soeurs des Saints Noms de Jesus & Marie
South Okanagan Civil Liberties Society
Southwestern Ontario Campaign for Life
The Thunder Bay Multicultural Association
Toronto and Montreal Committees to Defend Quebec’s Right to Self-Determination
Toronto Working Group for Native Concerns
Treaty No. 7 Tribes of Alberta
Treaty No. 8 in Northern Alberta
Ukranian Canadian Committee
Ukranian Greek Orthodox Church
Union Culturelle des Franco-Ontariennes
Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs
Union of British Columbian Municipalities
Union of New Brunswick Indians
Union of Ontario Indians
University Women’s Club – Barrie, Ont.
University Women’s Club – North York
University Women’s Club – White Rock
Vancouver Community Legal Assistance Society
Vancouver Multicultural Society
Vancouver Quadra Progressive Conservative Association
Vancouver Status of Women
Vasa Order of America, Grand Lodge, Edmonton, Alta
Vernon Committee for More Time
Western Canadian Conference of the Milwright Unions
West Fed Association of Alberta
Women’s Action Committee for Human Rights
Young Women’s Christian Association
Federation of Canadian Municipalities / Federation canadienne des municipalities
Gouvernement de la Colombie-Britannique
Gouvernment des Territoires du Nord-Ouest
Gouvernement du Nouveau-Brunswick
Gouvernement du Quebec
Government of Alberta (resolution)
Government of British Columbia
Government of Northwest Territories
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