najority, a unique culture and a civil law tradition. Also in he way of acknowledgement New Brunswick’s two linguis- ic communities are given equal status including the right to istinct educational and cultural institutions in order to reserve these cultures. Aboriginal peoples were also given he freedom to practice and protect their languages, cultures nd traditions, as ensured by the Charter. Aboriginal peoples re also given self-government, that interacts with the two yrders of government. This is the Canada Clause in its most asic form.

socially and economically this agreement entrenches many olicies into the constitution. The social union includes a -omprehensive, universal, portable and accessible health ‘are system, adequate social services and benefits, high uality primary and secondary education and reasonable ccess to post-secondary education. It also protects the ights of workers to organize and bargain collectively and llows for the protection and preservation of the environ- lent for the future. Economic goals are free movement of ersons, goods, services and capital, fullemployment and evelopment, all of which will lead to both a strengthened -anadian economic union and a reasonable standard of living or all Canadians.

‘he debate about the triple E senate has been raging fora hile now, so unless you’ ve been hiding out under a rock ou’ ll know at least a little about it. According to the ‘harlottetown Accord, the senate will be elected, equal and ffective. So, the senators will be elected either by the Opulation or by their provincial or territorial legislative ssemblies. The equal senate will initially have 62 senators,

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six from each province and one from each territory. Aborigi- nal senators are above and beyond those of the province or territory and should have extra powers over the matters directly relating to Aboriginal issues. The effective senate is a senate which is obligated to deal with any bill approved by the House of Commons within thirty sitting days of the House of, and any bill defeated or amended by the Senate triggers a joint sitting with the House of Commons. The effective senate concept also states that bills which materi- ally affect French language or French culture could only be passed with approval from a majority of Senators anda majority of Francophone Senators voting. The new Senate would also be involved in, by ratification, the appointments of heads of national cultural institutions, and federal regula- tory boards or agencies and the Governor of the Bank of Canada. This ratification of appointments would be rejected by a majority vote against it. The final point of Senate reform states that Senators are not eligible for Cabinet posts.

The Supreme Court reforms have also been much debated over the past few months, although more for changes ona provincial level than a federal. Basically, the changes to the Supreme Court through the Charlottetown Accord en- trench these things in the Constitution even though they have been done all along (well, more or less). The Supreme Court itself will be entrenched in the constitution as the general court of appeal within the country. This court will be composed of nine members, three of whom will be from Quebec. The reason for this is Quebec, having a different civil code, has a different type of court system than the rest of Canada. The reforms to the Supreme Court would require

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