Charter of Rights and Freedom - April 17, 1982

On April 17, 1982 the Canadian Constitution came home from Britain when Queen Elizabeth signed the act in Ottawa. Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau’s speech at the Repatriation Ceremony began with the following words:

“Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness, Excellencies, Fellow Canadians,

Today, at long last, Canada is acquiring full and complete national sovereignty. The Constitution of Canada has come home. The most fundamental law of the land will now be capable of being amended in Canada, without any further recourse to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.”

Listen to the Prime Minister address the Province of Quebec, which did not, and has not yet, signed on to the Constitution.