The Canadian Press has learned the Quebec government plans to reopen the constitutional debate and will launch a vast coast-to-coast discussion in the coming months in the hopes of having the province's distinct character officially recognized. 200-page documentTo avoid the division and outright hostility that has characterized previous constitutional debates, Quebec's approach will be essentially a pedagogical one, focused on dialogue, persuasion and understanding. When he became leader of the Quebec Liberals in 2013, Couillard — a staunch federalist — promised to reopen constitutional "discussions" with Canada in order to help the province "reintegrate into the Canadian family." Above all, Quebec hopes to break the taboo that has surrounded discussion of the Constitution since the 1995 sovereignty referendum, according to the document, which notes "Quebec and Canada seem ready for a paradigm shift" on this subject. It restates the famous "five conditions" for approval first set out by former Quebec premier Robert Bourassa in 1986:Recognition of Quebec as a distinct society.

Source: CBC News May 31, 2017 23:03 UTC